Head of Engineering

Jahnel Group’s mission is to provide the absolute best environment for software creators to pursue their passion by connecting them with great clients doing meaningful work. This is a full time position with one of our closest clients. Who we are looking for We’re looking for a hands-on Head of Engineering who thrives in early-stage environments and is excited to lead from the front. This is not a purely managerial role — you’ll be actively contributing code while overseeing a small, high-impact team (up to 5 engineers). The ideal candidate is either: A product-minded engineering leader who can take ownership of the roadmap, scope effectively, and drive execution on a core platform, or A GM-style operator who runs a tight, efficient team, ensures platform stability, and delivers consistent outcomes You are resourceful, accountable, and outcome-driven — someone who takes full ownership, removes blockers, and gets things done without excuses. You should be comfortable balancing hands-on development, team leadership, and product thinking, while helping stabilize and scale a platform that is critical to the business. Responsibilities Lead and mentor a small team of engineers while remaining hands-on in development Own execution and delivery of the core platform roadmap Drive platform stability, scalability, and performance improvements Balance new product development with reducing technical debt and production issues Scope and prioritize engineering work with a strong product and business mindset Establish and maintain high standards for code quality, testing, and system design Collaborate closely with leadership to align engineering efforts with company goals Improve development processes to maximize team efficiency in a lean environment Act as a key technical decision-maker across architecture, tooling, and infrastructure Some Must-Haves 8–12+ years of professional software engineering experience Experience as a Principal Engineer, Tech Lead, or Head of Engineering in a startup or high-growth environment Strong hands-on coding ability — actively contributing, not just managing Proven experience working in early-stage startups (ideally Series A or similar) Ability to operate with high ownership, accountability, and minimal oversight Strong product intuition — able to take broad problems and turn them into clear execution plans Experience leading small, high-performing engineering teams Technical Requirements Strong experience with Next.js and modern frontend development Backend experience with Python and/or Go Solid understanding of PostgreSQL and data modeling Experience building and maintaining scalable production systems Familiarity with debugging, performance optimization, and system reliability Nice-to-Haves Experience in inventory systems, supply chain, or retail tech Background in data-heavy or forecasting systems Experience working at larger tech companies (e.g., Amazon-style data or inventory systems), combined with startup success Exposure to ML-driven or agentic systems Where We’re Looking For It Remote (U.S.-based preferred) NYC is a plus, but not required Ability to travel onsite approximately once per month Compensation Package (Salary Transparency for US-Based Employees) Salary Range: $220,000 – $240,000 Salary is negotiable and the range can be increased based on qualifications, certifications and experience