CTO/ Lead Engineer

CTO / Head of Engineering / Team LeadLocation: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia or Cape Town, SA (Remote, Full-Time) Compensation: $4,000–$5,000+ USD/month, commensurate with experienceWe’re looking for a highly technical engineering leader who can jump into existing projects, move fast, make strong technical decisions, and lead a small but high-performing team.This is a hands-on role for someone who is both an exceptional individual contributor and an engineering leader, with deep experience building and integrating AI-powered products.What You’ll DoLead architecture and technical direction across backend and full-stack systemsBuild and integrate AI/ML-powered features and workflows into production productsWork with LLMs and modern AI tooling to accelerate product developmentJump into active projects and quickly become productiveShip production-quality code fast and reliablyLead and mentor developers while maintaining a high engineering barDebug complex issues across systems and infrastructureUse modern AI-assisted development workflows (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc.)Collaborate closely with product and leadership teamsRequirements5+ years of production software development experience2+ years leading engineering teams or acting as a tech leadStrong backend engineering experience (full-stack preferred)Proven experience integrating AI/ML models into production applicationsExperience working with LLM APIs, AI agents, embeddings, RAG systems, or related AI infrastructureAbility to rapidly understand unfamiliar codebases and execute independentlyExperience with modern coding practices and AI-assisted developmentStrong debugging and problem-solving skillsStrong English speaking and writing skillsHigh ownership mentality and ability to move without heavy supervisionExcellent communication and leadership skillsNice to HaveExperience with our stack or similar technologies:TypeScriptReactGoSwift / iOS developmentAI infrastructure and model deploymentIdeal CandidateExtremely strong technically — the type who becomes “the smartest person in the room”Fast learner who thrives in startup environmentsComfortable wearing multiple hatsPragmatic builder who focuses on shippingExcellent communicator in English, both written and verbalDeeply familiar with leveraging AI tools to accelerate engineering productivityExcited about building AI-native products and systemsCompensation & BenefitsFull-time remote roleCompetitive salary: $4k–$5k USD/monthFlexible work environmentOpportunity to help shape engineering culture and product direction from an early stageTo apply, send:Resume/CVGitHub or portfolioBrief description of projects you’ve led or shippedExamples of AI/ML systems or integrations you’ve builtExamples of how you use AI tools in development workflowsRequirements5+ years of production software development experience2+ years leading engineering teams or acting as a tech leadStrong backend engineering experience (full-stack preferred)Proven experience integrating AI/ML models into production applicationsExperience working with LLM APIs, AI agents, embeddings, RAG systems, or related AI infrastructureAbility to rapidly understand unfamiliar codebases and execute independentlyExperience with modern coding practices and AI-assisted developmentStrong debugging and problem-solving skillsStrong English speaking and writing skillsHigh ownership mentality and ability to move without heavy supervisionExcellent communication and leadership skillsBenefitsFull-time remote roleCompetitive salary: $4k–$5k USD/monthFlexible work environmentOpportunity to help shape engineering culture and product direction from an early stageOriginally posted on Himalayas