Deputy Head of Engineering (Node.js / Next.js)

TL;DR

Deputy Head of Engineering (Node.js / Next.js): Leading architectural integrity, security, and technical excellence for innovative consumer products with an accent on bridging high-level engineering strategy with day-to-day execution. Focus on rigorous code review, project bootstrapping, AI adoption, and continuous improvement of engineering workflows.

Location: Remote (within approximately ±4 hours of CET, covering countries like Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Israel, etc.)

Company

Ruby Labs is a leading tech company that creates and operates innovative consumer products across health, education, and entertainment industries.

What you will do

• Ensure architectural integrity, scalability, and technical excellence across projects, including approving architectural changes.
• Maintain high code quality through rigorous code reviews and enforcement of best practices.
• Lead the deployment and configuration of new projects, focusing on CI/CD and environment setup.
• Implement and oversee comprehensive security measures at both code and hosting levels.
• Drive innovation and AI adoption, integrating AI-driven workflows and MCP to enhance productivity.
• Provide technical leadership, conduct interviews, mentor developers, and foster continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Node.js & Next.js: 3+ years of intensive experience, including complex SSR/ISR issues and performance optimization.
• Leadership: 3+ years of experience managing engineering teams, including motivation, feedback, and conflict resolution.
• Infrastructure & DevOps: Solid experience with AWS and Cloudflare, including CI/CD pipelines and cloud resource management.
• Database Mastery: Deep understanding of Postgres and experience with modern ORMs (Drizzle, Prisma).
• Analytical Mindset: Proficiency in setting up and interpreting data from Mixpanel and Google Analytics; experience running systematic A/B tests.
• Security First: Strong knowledge of web security principles (OWASP, WAF, hosting-level protection).
• Communication & Resilience: Ability to communicate clearly with both technical teams and stakeholders while maintaining focus in a fast-paced environment.

Nice to have

• MCP Knowledge: Practical experience with Model Context Protocol.
• Performance Tuning: Experience in fine-tuning Web Vitals and optimizing backend latency for high-traffic applications.
• Advanced AI Integration: Experience building custom AI agents or complex RAG systems.

Culture & Benefits

• Remote Work Environment promoting a healthy work-life balance.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid national holidays.
• Company-provided MacBook.
• Flexible Independent Contractor Agreement offering autonomy and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth within a fast-growing team.
• Dynamic culture that values ambition, drive, and impact.

Hiring process

• Application review (3 to 5 days).
• Recruiter Screening (40 minutes).
• Technical Interview (90 minutes).
• Final Interview (60 minutes).