Senior Back-end Tech Lead

Job description

About the Role AppWork builds the platform that multifamily maintenance teams run on every day: work orders, inspections, make readies, and the data that powers smarter decisions for property operators across the country. We're growing fast, and we're looking for a Senior Back-End Tech Lead who wants to shape both the platform and the team building it. This is a hands-on role. You'll write code, make architecture calls, and solve hard problems alongside the team, while also growing the engineers around you. You'll be instrumental in driving technical excellence and a collaborative environment. Reporting directly to the VP R&D, you'll help set the technical bar for AppWork's R&D organization and build the kind of engineering culture that lets our startup move incredibly fast without breaking things. This is a hybrid role, with in-office collaboration expected. What you'll do Lead by doing: write code, design architecture, and work through the hard problems yourself. You'll set the standard for quality, scalability, and reliability by example. Grow the team: mentor engineers, build a culture of ownership and continuous improvement, and help AppWork's R&D team to continuously level up, being 1% better every day. Turn ideas into systems: translate business needs into solid technical solutions, improve how the team ships, and lead real life initiatives. Work across teams: partner closely with Product, Design and CS teams to turn business requirements into technical plans, and keep engineering work aligned with AppWork’s north star. Qualifications We're looking for a builder: someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who leads through technical work a nd significantly contribute to our engineering culture and output 10+ years in software development, including 3+ years in an engineering leadership role Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent. Exceptional, hands-on experience in Python, Java, C#, Node.js, or Elixir. Experience driving adoption of AI coding tools like Claude Code and Cursor across a team, including setting KPIs and building them into everyday workflows. Deep knowledge of high-performance SQL and NoSQL database design. A track record of designing architecture that is built to scale. Strong command of AWS, with experience architecting solutions across a range of AWS services. Experience with message queue technologies (Kafka, SQS, RabbitMQ, or Oban) for building scalable data pipelines. Solid understanding of CI/CD pipelines supporting at least daily production releases. Experience scaling R&D teams in dynamic fast-moving startups. Comfort with ambiguity, a bias toward quick execution, and high accountability, whether you're leading or coding Strong ownership, a partner mindset, and real hunger to build great features Fluent English, spoken and written, for documentation and team communication Why Work for AppWork Competitive compensation package Stock options Unlimited PTO Travel pay and in office meals Recognition and rewards programs A collaborative, upbeat environment with company events throughout the year At AppWork, we’ve built a simple, user-friendly PropTech platform that modernizes maintenance operations. Our platform brings everything into one easy-to-use platform so property managers, maintenance teams, and residents can all enjoy a smoother, more connected experience. As a member of the AppWork team, you’ll be helping to build and deliver technology that solves real problems, makes communities run better, and creates happier teams and residents.