Lead Full Stack Engineer

About the role

You will lead the technical vision and execution for one or more product initiatives within Sierra Studio, guiding critical architectural decisions from the first spark of an idea to its deployment in production. You will own the full stack implementation, writing clean, maintainable code while collaborating closely with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to ensure that every feature delivers real value to our clients and end users. This role requires you to translate ambiguous requirements into concrete technical strategies, balance speed with quality, and mentor other engineers to help the entire team elevate their craft. As an early member of our startup, you will play a direct role in shaping our engineering culture, processes, and standards for years to come. You will be responsible for breaking down complex problems into manageable pieces, accurately estimating scope and timelines, and communicating progress and risks to stakeholders with clarity. You will also have the opportunity to build both client-facing products that solve immediate needs and internal tools that streamline our own workflows and empower the team. If you are passionate about learning quickly, leading by example, and shipping impactful software, this position offers the autonomy and visibility to make a significant contribution to our growth.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Conduct in-depth discovery sessions with startup founders to translate vague concepts into concrete product specifications and technical requirements.
• Design and architect robust, scalable web applications by selecting appropriate technologies, data models, and integration points for each initiative.
• Translate product requirements into detailed technical tasks, create realistic timelines, and provide accurate estimates for scope and delivery.
• Build and maintain high-quality frontend interfaces using TypeScript and React, ensuring responsive design, accessibility, and a smooth user experience.
• Develop and optimize backend services using TypeScript or Python with Node.js or FastAPI, focusing on performance, reliability, and security.
• Implement and manage data storage solutions, choosing between PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or other databases to best suit application needs.
• Integrate third-party services and emerging AI capabilities, such as large language model APIs, to enhance product features and automate workflows.
• Write clean, testable, and well-documented code that adheres to best practices and supports long-term maintainability.
• Set up and oversee development workflows, including version control, automated testing, and deployment pipelines to accelerate releases.
• Collaborate closely with designers to ensure that implemented features match the intended user experience and design system.
• Partner with product managers to prioritize features, manage backlogs, and make informed trade-offs under tight deadlines.
• Mentor junior engineers, facilitate code reviews, and foster a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Identify and resolve technical bottlenecks, debugging complex issues and optimizing application performance across the stack.
• Participate in hiring efforts by conducting interviews, providing technical assessments, and helping define role requirements for future teammates.
• Contribute to internal tool development that improves team efficiency, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Requirements

• Bring a minimum of 5 years of professional software engineering experience, including formal or informal leadership on projects and people.
• Demonstrate a proven track record of end-to-end product development, guiding ideas from initial concept through launch and iteration in production.
• Show a strong growth mindset, learning new programming languages, frameworks, and tools quickly and applying them effectively.
• Communicate fluently in English, both in writing and verbally, since our clients are primarily based in the United States.
• Have hands-on frontend experience with TypeScript and React, building interfaces that are both functional and user-friendly.
• Possess backend experience with TypeScript or Python, using frameworks such as Node.js or FastAPI to deliver reliable services.
• Maintain familiarity with one or more databases, such as PostgreSQL or MongoDB, including schema design and query optimization.
• Consistently estimate timelines and scope with accuracy, setting clear expectations for stakeholders and managing dependencies.

Nice to have

• Demonstrate experience using AI tools for coding, such as Cursor, to boost productivity and streamline development workflows.
• Show a portfolio of products built using Generative AI or LLMs, including work with OpenAI or Anthropic APIs, prompt engineering techniques, or RAG implementations.
• Share links to personal or open source projects, side projects, or work samples that showcase your skills, creativity, and impact.

Practical notes

This role is fully remote and based in Brazil, offering flexible hours that prioritize output over online presence. We support a healthy work-life balance for teammates at every life stage. Our culture centers on a growth mindset, supportive collaboration, and a product- and customer-centric approach, with ownership encouraged at all levels.