Head of Engineering - Agtech Startup (USA)

Head of Engineering - Agtech StartupCompany location: USADevelopment Office Location: Nairobi, KenyaType: Full-timeReports to: Founder & CEOAbout the CompanyThe opportunity is a stable, long-term position at USA-based AgTech startup revolutionizing certification processes for organic and sustainable agriculture. We're building AI-powered tools that help farmers, suppliers, and certifiers navigate complex compliance workflows with speed and transparency. Our mission is to make sustainable agriculture more accessible across Africa and beyond.We're at an inflection point: transitioning from no-code MVPs to a unified, scalable platform built on modern hard-code technologies. This is a rare opportunity to architect the technical foundation of a growing product company from the ground up.The RoleWe're hiring a Head of Engineering to own the technical vision, architecture, and execution of our platform rebuild. You'll work directly with our Founder & CEO to migrate two separate no-code products (Softr + Airtable, WeWeb + Xano) into a single, production-grade application built on modern JavaScript/TypeScript infrastructure.This role is critical for solving consistent pressure on preventing and fixing bugs, improving the tech stack, and releasing new features during a period of rapid growth. You will serve as the bridge between leadership and engineering, setting realistic expectations, and will actively reduce the CEO's involvement in daily technical and product decisions.Your time will be split between 30% hands-on coding, 40% mentoring/upskilling team members, and 30% management/stakeholder engagement. You'll write code, mentor a talented but less-experienced team of five engineers, set technical standards, and make critical decisions about stack, DevOps, and AI tooling.What You'll DoArchitect & BuildLead the technical design and migration strategy for consolidating two no-code products into one scalable platform.Select and implement the modern tech stack (frameworks, databases, cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines), ensuring the stack and tooling remain intentionally simple but powerful to support rapid iteration.Own systems architecture, DevOps, and infrastructure decisions from day one, with a focus on future growth and the timely incorporation of new technologies and AI support.Write production code daily across the full stack (frontend, backend, APIs, infrastructure).Lead & MentorManage and actively mentor a team of five engineers: 1 Middle Fullstack Engineer (no-code background), 2 Middle+ Fullstack Engineers (hard-code background), 1 Junior QA Engineer (manual), and collaborate with 1 Technical Product ManagerEstablish engineering culture, code standards, development workflows, and quality practices to address current struggles in Velocity, Prioritization, and Clear Communication.Guide the team in prioritizing work and ensuring that bugs found in one product are addressed consistently across the entire unified suite.Balance velocity with technical excellence during a high-stakes technical migration, using a Collaborative, Coaching-oriented, and Clear communication leadership style.Innovate with AIIntegrate modern AI development tools and workflows into the team's daily practiceUnderstand and apply prompt engineering, agentic AI patterns, and Model Context Protocol (MCP)Evaluate and implement AI-native IDEs (Cursor, Windsurf, V0, etc.) and deployment tools (Vercel, etc.)Stay ahead of the curve on AI tooling and know which tools solve which problemsWho You AreRequired7-10 years of software engineering experience, with at least 3 years in technical leadership or senior IC roles.Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or related field (Master's degree is a strong plus).Expert-level fullstack JavaScript/TypeScript development (React.js, Node.js, Next.js, or similar modern frameworks).Strong systems architecture and DevOps experience (cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, containerization, database design).Hands-on experience with AI development tooling: prompt engineering, agentic AI, MCPs, AI-native IDEs.Migration or platform rebuild experience: you've led or contributed to large-scale refactors or tech stack migrations.Based in Nairobi, Kenya (or willing to relocate).Non-negotiable Traits: You are defined by Clarity, Integrity, and the ability to stand up for what you believe—we need a leader who can respectfully push back on and challenge leadership to protect the long-term health of the product.DesiredScrappy, startup mentality: you know how to move fast, make pragmatic tradeoffs, and ship, avoiding a "too big tech" mindset that overcomplicates solutions and processes for a resource-conscious startup environment.Curious about emerging technologies: you actively experiment with new tools and frameworks, especially AI related.Strong product intuition: you understand how technical decisions impact user experience and business outcomes, and can balance customer needs, product requirements, and technical feasibility.Experience mentoring engineers from different backgrounds (including those transitioning from no-code).Comfortable working directly with founders in a fast-paced, high-trust environment.You are a clear, direct communicator who is not afraid of challenging conversations, is NOT highly ego driven, and operates with a team-oriented ("we") mindset.Tech Stack (You'll Help Define It)Current (No-Code MVPs):Product 1: Softr + AirtableProduct 2: WeWeb + XanoFuture (You'll Architect):Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript (or similar modern framework)Backend: Node.js, TypeScript, REST/tRPC APIsDatabase: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or other production-grade DBInfrastructure: AWS/GCP/Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelinesAI Tooling: Cursor, Windsurf, V0, Vercel, Claude API, MCP integrationsYou'll have significant influence over final stack decisions.Why Join Us?High Impact: Own the technical foundation of a mission-driven agtech company at a critical growth stageFounder-Facing: Report directly to the CEO and shape product and technical strategyAI-First Culture: Work with cutting-edge AI development tools and integrate them into your daily workflowCompetitive Compensation: Market-rate salary + opportunity to grow with the companyNairobi-Based Team: Join a talented, collaborative engineering team building for global impact from KenyaBenefits0% Interest Loans & Lines of Credit: Access flexible financial support when you need itProfessional Development & Learning Allowance: Invest in courses, conferences, books, and certifications15-30 Days of Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous time off to recharge and maintain work-life balanceHallmark Holidays Off: Celebrate important cultural and national holidaysCash Bonuses for Performance: Rewarded for exceptional contributions and resultsEcosystem-Wide Recognition: Outstanding performance gets visibility across our partner networkWhy Work From Our Nairobi Coworking SpaceOur VamosWatu coworking space isn't just an office; it's a hub for dependable engineers from across Africa and Latin America. You'll collaborate with peers building global products, share knowledge, and grow in a vibrant, startup-style ecosystem.You'll have access to:A reliable coworking space with high-speed internetA professional environment for collaborationCommunity events, mentorship, and networking with foundersSupport from the VamosWatu PeopleOps teamHow to ApplyThe application process is intentionally rigorous to ensure a great fit for both sides:Step 1: Submit Your Applicationomplete the application form and upload your resume. Highlight your technical impact and measurable achievements.Step 2: AI Interview + Code ExerciseQualified applicants will join a combined AI interview and coding session to assess technical reasoning, problem-solving, and communication.Step 3: Evaluation & ReviewSubmissions are reviewed for code quality, clarity, and architectural decisions.Step 4: Live InterviewFinalists will meet with VamosWatu and the partner's engineering leadership to discuss technical alignment, collaboration style, and culture fit.Final Step: SelectionTop performers will move forward for final selection and onboarding into the engineering team.