Lead Developer

About us

Ruby Labs is a leading tech company that creates and operates innovative consumer products. We offer a diverse range of opportunities across the health, education, and entertainment industries. Our innovative teams are driving the future of consumer-led products, and we’re always looking for passionate individuals to join us. Learn more about our story at: https://rubylabs.com/about-us/

About the role

We are seeking a hands-on Team Lead (Next.js/NodeJS) to own delivery across frontend and backend. You will design system architecture, make key technical decisions, ship production code weekly, and mentor a high-performing team in a lean, high-pressure, high-upside startup.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Design system architecture, define the technology stack, and make key technical decisions for our projects.

• Team Management: Mentor, coach, and motivate a team of developers through regular 1-on-1s, constructive code reviews, and career growth planning.

• FullStack Development: Take an active, hands-on role in developing complex features and modules using Next.js for the frontend and NodeJS for the backend.

• Process Management: Implement and optimize Agile methodologies (Scrum/Kanban), including sprint planning, task estimation, and delivery oversight.

• Quality Assurance: Enforce best practices in coding, testing, caching, and performance monitoring to ensure a robust and scalable application.

• Security: Design and implement comprehensive security measures at the application, infrastructure, and data levels.

• Analytics & Optimization: Collaborate closely with the product team to integrate analytics systems and conduct A/B tests to enhance the user experience.

• Innovation: Research and integrate emerging technologies, particularly AI-driven solutions, to improve the product and streamline development workflows.

Qualifications

• Next.js: A minimum of 2 years of active, commercial experience with Next.js (v14.x/v15.x). Must have worked on at least two recent projects where Next.js was the primary frontend framework.

• NodeJS: Deep knowledge and at least 3 years of hands-on experience with a modern framework such as NestJS, Fastify, or Hono, with clear understanding of their architectural trade-offs.

• Databases: Strong proficiency with PostgreSQL and/or Supabase, including query optimization and schema design.

• ORM: In-depth, practical knowledge of Prisma or Drizzle ORM, with experience in building complex queries and managing migrations.

• Caching: Profound understanding of caching strategies (in-memory, distributed cache, CDN) and ability to apply them effectively to optimize performance (e.g., Redis).

• Docker: Full proficiency with Docker for creating, managing, and deploying containerized applications; experience with docker-compose is essential.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Practical skills integrating AI services (e.g., OpenAI API, LangChain) on both client and server; solid understanding of fundamental AI workflows.

• Workers & Queues: Understanding and practical application of background workers and message queues (e.g., BullMQ, RabbitMQ) for asynchronous tasks.

• Security: Proven experience building secure systems, including protecting against common vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10), configuring CSP, CORS, securing APIs, and hardening hosting environments.

• Analytics & A/B Testing: Experience with analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, PostHog, Mixpanel) and platforms for A/B testing.

• Leadership Experience: A minimum of 2 years in a Team Lead, Tech Lead, or similar leadership role with direct responsibility for a development team.

• Mentorship: Genuine passion for teaching, sharing knowledge, and helping team members grow professionally.

• Communication: Excellent communication skills; able to articulate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Product Mindset: Ability to understand business objectives and translate them into technical solutions that deliver real user value.

• Accountability: Proactive, results-oriented approach with ownership of team and product success.

Nice to have

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, GitLab CI).

• Experience with monorepo tools (e.g., Turborepo, Nx).

• Experience writing unit and integration tests (e.g., Jest, Playwright).

Location

Ruby Labs operates within the CET (Central European Time) zone. Applicants from any country are welcome to apply for the position as long as they are located within approximately ± 4 hours of CET. This ensures optimal collaboration and communication during working hours.

Benefits

Discover the perks of being part of our vibrant team! We offer:

• Remote Work Environment: Embrace the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

• Unlimited PTO: Enjoy unlimited paid time off to recharge and prioritize your well-being, without counting days.

• Paid National Holidays: Celebrate and relax on national holidays with paid time off to unwind and recharge.

• Company-provided MacBook: Experience seamless productivity with top-notch Apple MacBooks provided to all employees who need them.

• Flexible Independent Contractor Agreement: Unlock the benefits of flexibility, autonomy, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Benefit from tax advantages, networking opportunities, reduced employment obligations, and the freedom to work from anywhere. Read more about it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dHF4ctKlez75whdn-ybUwP5d5Wr0BdwVrorrm_fM40Q/preview

Be part of our fast-growing team and seize this excellent opportunity for personal and professional growth!

Interview Process

After submitting your application, we conduct a thorough review which typically takes 3 to 5 days, but may occasionally take longer due to the volume of applications received. If we see a potential fit, we proceed with the following steps:

• Recruiter Screening (40 minutes)

• Technical Interview (90 minutes)

• Final Interview (60 minutes)

Life at Ruby Labs

At Ruby Labs, we move fast, aim high, and expect the same from our team. We’re not here to play small—we’re here to build, grow, and win. That means we look for people who are ambitious, driven, and ready to give their best every single day.

This is a place for individuals who thrive under pressure, embrace challenges, and see opportunity in every obstacle. If you’re hungry to achieve, motivated by impact, and want to grow at the speed of your own ambition, Ruby Labs offers the platform to make it happen.

Here, effort is matched with reward. We recognize those who go all in and deliver results, and we create space for people who want more—more responsibility, more growth, and more success.

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