PART-TIME - Lead Engineer

Lead Engineer, Part-Time

8–10 hrs/week • Manhattan / Hybrid • $125 to $175 / hour • Path to Full-Time

ABOUT THE COMPANY

• NYC-based messaging company building a unified messaging platform that aggregates multiple apps.
• Uses custom infrastructure to bridge messaging systems via backend services and brokers.
• Pre-Series A startup with a large and growing user base.

THE ROLE

• Part-time (8–10 hours/week) with a path to full-time.
• Focus is hands-on coding with future leadership opportunities.
• Work closely with founder and engineering team.

YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS

• 30 days: Understand system architecture and message flow.
• 60 days: Contribute code and ship PRs.
• 90 days: Contribute to backend messaging systems.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Build Android features (Kotlin, Jetpack Compose).
• Work with distributed messaging architecture.
• Develop backend services using Node.js, TypeScript, Postgres.
• Contribute to AI-driven features.
• Use AI-assisted development tools.
• Participate in code reviews and technical discussions.

WHAT IS NOT EXPECTED

• Sprint ownership or roadmap management.
• Vendor/contractor management.
• Fundraising participation.

REQUIREMENTS

• 3+ years production coding experience.
• Android (Kotlin/Jetpack Compose) + Node.js/TypeScript.
• Experience with AI-assisted coding tools.
• Strong communication skills.
• Based near Manhattan (hybrid).
• Portfolio or GitHub required.
• Genuinely interested in growing into the full-time Lead Engineer role over time. You are interested in a c aree r, not a job.

NICE TO HAVE

• Messaging or mobile platform experience.
• Android ML experience.
• MQTT or event-driven architecture.
• Kubernetes/DevOps exposure.
• Startup background.

COMPENSATION

• $125–$175/hour (part-time).
• $120K–$160K + equity (full-time).
• Paid sick time per NYC law.

NOT A FIT IF

• Cannot commit 8+ hours/week.
• Not interested in full-time growth.
• Cannot meet hybrid requirement.