Engineering Team Lead / Development Team Lead

OtterlyAI is at the forefront of a new era in digital marketing, pioneering the field of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As the first AI search monitoring solution, we empower marketing teams and brands to optimize their presence across generative AI engines. Founded by seasoned SaaS entrepreneurs, our mission is to help businesses navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-driven search, ensuring their content remains visible and impactful in this new paradigm.Role Overview:As the Engineering Team Lead, you will own the technical strategy and engineering execution for OtterlyAI You’ll partner directly with the CPO/Co-Founder (who will focus on Product) to turn product vision into reliable, scalable software. This is a player-coach role: you’ll make architectural decisions, write code when needed, and build a high-performing engineering culture.Responsibilities:Technical LeadershipOwn architectural decisions across the platform (data pipelines, APIs, infrastructure, AI/ML integration)Drive technology stack evolution - evaluate build-vs-buy trade-offs with a pragmatic startup mindsetEstablish and enforce engineering standards: code quality, testing, CI/CD, monitoring, and incident responseManage technical debt strategically while shipping features at startup speedAI-Augmented EngineeringDrive an AI-first engineering culture make AI tools (Claude, Cursor, Copilot) a standard way of workingContinuously identify, implement, and optimize AI-driven automation across development (code, testing, debugging, DevOps), including adopting new tools earlyTeam & People LeadershipLead, mentor, and grow a team of 5 -10 engineersOwn and drive the hiring process for engineering rolesDesign and improve engineering processes and ways of workingFoster a collaborative, transparent culture and manage a distributed team across EuropeProduct PartnershipCollaborate closely with CPO on roadmap, feasibility, timelines, and trade-offsTranslate product requirements into technical specs and execution plansChallenge ideas when needed and proactively identify technical opportunities for product innovationRequired Qualifications:Must-Have:7+ years in software engineering, including 3+ years leading teams (7-12 people)Hands-on experience with modern web stack (Node.js/TypeScript, React, AWS)Experience working with distributed teams and strong English communication skillsProven AI-first approach (daily use of tools like Claude, Cursor, Copilot)Experience scaling data-intensive SaaS products (pipelines, APIs, databases)Ability to make architectural decisions under uncertainty and iterate quicklyNice-to-Have:Prior experience in a startupExperience with AI/ML pipelines, LLM integrations.Familiarity with web scraping, crawler infrastructure, or search/SEO toolingBackground in the MarTech or analytics spaceWhat we offer:Category Pioneer: A leadership seat at a Gartner-recognized company defining a new category (GEO)Critical Impact: Direct partnership with the Founding Team, short decision pathsCompetitive Compensation: Attractive salary range: 95.000 - 115.000 EUR/yearRemote Work: Fully remote position within the EU timezone.Engineering Ownership: The chance to shape engineering culture and technical direction from the ground upGlobal Momentum: A super fast-growing, international customer baseRecruitment process:Step 1: HR-tech interview with Karolina (~60 min)Step 2: Technical interview: live problem-solving with Josef & Oleksii (~90 min)Step 3: Founders meeting (Thomas, Klaus, Josef) (~60 min)Optional Step 4: Meeting with key team members (~45 min)