Engineering Manager

Type: Full-time, Remote, B2b contract

Timezone: Must overlap at least 4 hours with PST (Los Angeles)

Language: Ukrainian fluency preferred; English – Upper-Intermediate or higher required

About the Client

Our client is a leading digital product studio specializing in building high-quality web and mobile applications for global clients. The team is made up of talented engineers, designers, and product specialists working collaboratively to solve complex challenges using modern technologies and best practices.

The Role

Our client is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager with a strong background in backend architecture and team leadership. This is a high-impact role responsible for overseeing backend engineering operations, supporting engineering productivity, and driving adoption of AI-assisted tooling across a 30+ person team.

The Engineering Manager will report directly to the COO and work closely with the CTO, who is focused on technological innovation and internal AI tooling. The client already has dedicated Frontend and QA Managers — this role will primarily be responsible for the backend team and will evolve into managing all engineering leads as the organization grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the backend engineering team, with a strong focus on architectural oversight and technical quality.
• Promote structured adoption of AI/LLM tools (e.g. Cursor) within the team. This is not an AI development role — the focus is on coaching and driving adoption.
• Collaborate with Frontend and QA Managers to ensure cohesive engineering practices across the organization.
• Oversee hiring strategy and execution for backend engineers and participate in interviews across all engineering hires.
• Conduct technical planning, architecture reviews, and ensure implementation best practices.
• Drive efficiency by identifying and promoting reusable code modules across projects.
• Actively participate in management meetings and represent the engineering team in cross-functional discussions.
• Support cross-functional pods including PMs, QA, Designers, and Engineers to ensure project success.
• Run regular 1-on-1s with engineers to provide feedback, mentorship, and career development.
• Monitor team performance and satisfaction while fostering a strong engineering culture.

Team Structure

• 9 Backend Engineers (primarily Ruby on Rails)
• 11 Frontend Engineers (React / React Native)
• 5 QA Engineers
• 2 Fullstack Developers (focused on internal tooling)
• Frontend and QA teams already have dedicated managers
• Backend Manager will be hired in the future and report to this role
• Total engineering headcount: 30+, growing rapidly

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React, React Native
• Backend: Ruby on Rails (primary), Go (strategic direction), Node.js (minor use)
• Database: PostgreSQL (expertise required)
• AI/LLM Tools: Cursor, internal tooling leveraging LLMs

Success in the First 6–12 Months

• 40–50% of backend codebase generated with LLM tools
• Backend hiring and onboarding streamlined and scaled
• Engineering processes and backend quality significantly improved
• Backend team fully onboarded with AI tooling
• Clear architectural guidelines and reusable components in place
• 3 direct reports: Frontend, QA, and Backend Managers

Requirements

• Proven experience as an Engineering Manager or Tech Lead focused on backend systems
• Strong architectural background and hands-on backend experience
• Excellent knowledge of PostgreSQL
• Experience leading and scaling engineering teams
• Demonstrated ability to implement and coach adoption of engineering tools (LLMs, AI productivity tools)
• Fluent in Ukrainian
• English – Upper-Intermediate or higher required
• Based in a European time zone with at least 4 hours overlap with PST
• Product company background or engineering-first culture strongly preferred

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Remote-first culture
• Home office stipend
• Opportunity to lead and shape a fast-scaling engineering organization
• Exposure to multiple industries and technologies
• Fast-paced, collaborative, product-focused team environment

Remote Work Requirements: Your workday must overlap by at least 4 hours with Los Angeles, CA (PST/PDT).