Senior / Lead Full-Stack Developer

**Role Overview** Vitae.ai is an AI\-powered recruitment and talent marketplace platform built on Node.js and React. The product already exists in production and has a live codebase, users, and roadmap. The current lead developer is leaving. You will take full ownership of the platform, stabilise the system, complete key features, improve performance and security, and scale architecture for growth. This is not a maintenance role. You are here to take an existing product and turn it into a high\-performance, scalable platform. You will act as the technical owner and architect, reporting directly to the founder. You will also lead and mentor a mid\-level developer. This is a hands\-on build role. **What you will be responsible for** You will own the codebase and technical direction of Vitae.ai, including: * Taking over and reviewing the existing Node.js \+ React codebase * Refactoring and upgrading architecture where needed * Designing and implementing a **scalable multi\-tenant SaaS structure** * Completing and expanding features across: * Candidate profiles * Employer dashboards * Recruiter workflows * AI sourcing and matching * Strengthening: * Security * Data separation * Performance * Error handling * Leading all backend and frontend technical decisions * Designing clean, documented API architecture * Managing and improving PostgreSQL database design * Integrating AI / LLM functionality into workflows * Managing deployments, environments, and CI/CD * Performing code reviews for a mid\-level developer * Creating structure, documentation, and standards for the product You will be accountable for making sure the platform is stable, scalable, and commercially ready. **Core technology stack** You must be highly proficient in: * **Node.js** * **React** * **TypeScript** * **PostgreSQL** * **REST / GraphQL APIs** * **AWS** (EC2, RDS, S3, Lambda, etc.) * **Docker** * **Git / GitHub** * **CI/CD pipelines** * **Redis / caching** Experience with **WebSockets / real\-time systems** is a plus. **Required experience** You must meet all of the below: * 7\-8\+ years of full\-stack development experience * Strong real\-world experience with **Node.js \+ React** * Experience owning or rebuilding a SaaS platform * Experience inheriting and improving an existing codebase * Strong database design and optimisation skills * Real AWS production environment experience * Experience integrating AI / LLM APIs (OpenAI, Claude, etc.) * Strong architectural and system design thinking * Comfortable leading technical direction independently * Able to work with little supervision * Fluent English communication You must be able to clearly explain: * How you would redesign a system for scale * How to isolate data in a multi\-tenant application * How to prevent data leaks and security issues * How to make the platform 10–100x more scalable If you cannot explain this clearly, you are not a fit. **Nice to have (strong advantage)** * Experience in ATS, recruitment, HR tech or compliance systems * Experience with vector databases (Pinecone, Supabase, etc.) * Experience with marketplace platforms * SOC2 / ISO27001 / data security exposure * Experience scaling platforms to 100k\+ users **What success looks like** **30 days** * Fully understand codebase and architecture * Identify weaknesses, risks, and priorities * Present a clear technical roadmap * Bring development process under control **60 days** * Core platform stabilised * Major features completed * AI and data flows improved * Mid\-level developer fully aligned **90 days** * Multi\-tenant system fully reliable * Clean, secure, scalable architecture * Product ready for accelerated growth and client onboarding This is a performance\-based role. Output matters. **Who this is not for** This is not for developers who: * Only worked on small marketing sites * Need constant instructions * Have no real SaaS production experience * Cannot architect systems independently * Are afraid of ownership and responsibility **Offer** * $50,000\-60,000 CAD per year (paid monthly) * 0\.75% – 1\.0% equity, 4\-year vest, 1\-year cliff * Full autonomy * Work directly with founder * Key role in building a scalable, venture\-backed platform * Career\-defining opportunity