This is not a standard developer role. We are seeking a foundational technical leader to architect, build, and own the entire platform for a well-funded advertising startup. You will be employee #1 in engineering, working directly with the founder to translate a business vision into a scalable, intelligent, and world-class technical product from the ground up. If you are looking for true greenfield ownership and the chance to define a company's technical DNA, this is it. [Note on Sector] Our platform serves a diverse range of SMEs, including businesses in the alcohol, dating, and entertainment industries. Please ensure you are comfortable working in these sectors before applying. ✅ Your Mandate: From Architecture to Execution As the lead architect, you will have complete ownership of the technical stack and roadmap. Your primary mandate is to: Architect & Build the Core Backend: Design and implement a robust, scalable, and secure backend using Node.js, with Strapi as the headless CMS. Own End-to-End Integration: Lead the seamless integration of our Next.js frontend with all backend services, data sources, and critical third-party APIs. Design a Scalable Data Engine: Engineer a provider-agnostic Data Abstraction Layer to ingest, normalize, and process data from various sports and information APIs (e.g., TheSportsDB), preparing it for our AI content systems. Lead a Critical API Integration: Take full technical ownership of the integration with the Xibo Digital Signage CMS. You will be the primary technical authority, ensuring a resilient, automated workflow from our portal to thousands of digital screens. Establish Engineering Excellence: Define and implement best practices for the entire development lifecycle: code quality, CI/CD, automated testing, and infrastructure management on Vercel. Build and Lead the Team: You will be the cornerstone of our engineering team. This includes making key hiring decisions, mentoring future engineers, and shaping a culture of ownership and high performance. 🏆 Required Experience & Mindset: Who You Are We need a proven leader, not just a programmer. You must be able to demonstrate the following: 7+ Years of Experience: With a portfolio of complex, full-stack applications you have built from concept to launch. Architectural Mastery: You don't just consume APIs; you design them. You think in terms of systems, data models, and scalability. You can show us examples of architectural decisions you've made and why. Node.js & Next.js Expertise: You have deep, hands-on experience building production-grade applications with Node.js and the Vercel/Next.js ecosystem. Headless CMS & API Integration Pro: You have a proven track record of integrating complex, third-party APIs. Demonstrable experience with a Headless CMS is required (Strapi is a major advantage). A "Founder" Mindset: You are an autonomous, proactive problem-solver. You thrive in an environment where you are given a goal, not a list of tasks. You think critically about business needs and how technology can solve them. 💡 How to Apply & Demonstrate Your Fit To apply, please send a direct message that includes: A link to your Resume & portfolio (GitHub, live projects, etc.). Your expected monthly or annual salary in USD. Your detailed answers to the three screening questions below. Applications submitted without answers to these questions will not be considered. Screening Questions for Applicants:

Contract Type: Full-Time Independent Contractor The Opportunity: Architect Our Future as a True Partner Are you ready for a role that goes beyond standard development? This is a strategic leadership position to become my right-hand person in rebuilding and scaling our entire technical operation. We are looking for a true partner: an experienced developer who is passionate about building new products and a natural leader who is excited by the challenge of mentoring a team. You will have the autonomy to shape our technical direction, build our new platform from the ground up, and lead the team that supports it. If you are ready to move beyond just coding and take on a role with genuine ownership and impact, this is that opportunity. Our Culture & Philosophy: How We Work We believe in building a team based on mutual trust and earned respect, not titles or hierarchy. Here’s what that means in practice: An Open-Door, No-Ego Environment: We operate on a first-name basis. We need your skills, your honesty, and your collaborative spirit. Respect is earned through competence and teamwork. We Plan for What's Plannable, and Tackle Emergencies as a Team: We are professionals who believe in creating solid plans. But when emergencies arise, we support each other without blame or drama to get the job done. The Role: Architect, Operator, and Leader This is an intensely hands-on role that blends strategic development with operational command. Your mission is to learn every facet of this business, from customer support to our legacy systems, to enable you to run the day-to-day operations and drive our future growth. Your Responsibilities Will Include: Rapid AI & Display Advertising Deployment: Take existing AI/ML applications that are 50-70% complete and rapidly push them to full deployment within days, not months. Spearhead the development and integration of AI-driven display advertising solutions , including managing campaigns, optimizing ad targeting, and working with digital signage content management systems. Full Stack & App Deployment: Lead the architecture and hands-on development of our new applications using the MERN stack. You must have demonstrable experience deploying mobile applications (Native and/or React Native) reliably and quickly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, leveraging AI-assisted tools and modern CI/CD pipelines where possible. Product & Operational Management: Develop, manage, and execute on our product roadmaps, translating business goals into actionable technical milestones. Quickly learn our existing WordPress-based technical support systems to be able to handle any issue and train others. Direct experience with a digital signage CMS like Xibo is a distinct advantage. Demonstrate a proven ability to multi-task effectively, switching context between new development, operational management, and team leadership. Team Leadership & Mentorship: Act as the direct manager and mentor for our two-person support and marketing team. Run weekly check-ins, manage performance, remove roadblocks, and foster a positive, productive team culture that aligns with our core philosophy. Who We're Looking For: The Ideal Candidate A High-Velocity Deployer: You have a portfolio that proves your ability to ship products—especially mobile apps and AI features—quickly and reliably. You thrive in an environment where speed and quality are paramount. A "Full-Business" Thinker: You're not just a coder; you're interested in the entire business and how sales, marketing, support, and development all fit together. Accountable & Honest: You take ownership of your work, both successes and mistakes. You are a professional who can be trusted implicitly to manage major responsibilities. A Pragmatic Problem Solver: You can jump into a legacy codebase or a partially finished project and find the fastest path to stability and deployment. An Expert Multitasker: You are comfortable managing a development roadmap, a team of two, and your own coding tasks simultaneously without losing focus. A Player-Coach: You are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and write code, troubleshoot a legacy system, or even answer a support ticket when needed. You lead from the front. An Excellent Communicator: You can clearly articulate technical vision, provide constructive feedback, and work collaboratively with me to set business goals. Important Note on Business Sectors Our company operates within the Entertainment, Dating, and Alcohol industries. Candidates must be fully comfortable working on projects and with content related to these sectors. This is a non-negotiable requirement. The Offer & Structure: Full Transparency Role: Full-Time Independent Contractor. You will be responsible for your own local tax and social contributions. Compensation: A competitive base salary of $800 - $1,000 USD per month , depending on experience. Growth Incentive: You will receive a percentage of revenue from new projects you lead and successfully launch. This is a real partnership where your earnings grow with the business. The Schedule: This role requires overlap with my working hours for collaboration and planning. We will begin with a 5-day week to ensure a smooth and intensive onboarding process. As the team and new systems become fully settled, this will transition into the 4-day work week that is our standard for the entire team. Location: Fully Remote. Our Hiring Process: We're Moving Fast We are looking to fill this critical role immediately. Immediate Interviews: Qualified candidates will be contacted for an initial interview within 48 hours. Technical Testing: The process will include a paid technical test to assess both your coding skills and your strategic approach to problem-solving. Immediate Start: We are ready for you to begin as soon as you are. How to Apply To be considered, please send your resume, a link to your portfolio (GitHub, live projects, etc.), and a brief covering letter explaining why you are the right fit for this leadership role to marc@shozzle.com . Ideally we are looking for candidates based in India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, Philippines but we are open to candidates globally.