Lead Engineer at CitizenShipper

About Us

We’re a nationwide (US) two-sided marketplace that connects people who need to transport hard-to-move items with professional drivers who can get the job done, with a strong emphasis on pet transportation. Our platform serves the entire U.S., with active categories including pets, motorcycles, boats, cars, heavy equipment, LTL freight, and more. As we grow, our focus is on building fast, scalable solutions that help people move things more efficiently, affordably, and reliably.

About the Role

We’re looking for a mission-driven Lead Engineer to lead technical execution while remaining deeply hands-on. You’ll help shape the future of our product, systems, and team — but you’ll also be writing code regularly and contributing directly to feature development and system architecture.

The Lead Engineer will be responsible for technical execution, code quality, and engineering velocity, including contributing to the codebase alongside the team. You’ll lead by doing: writing and reviewing code, shaping architecture, and keeping the team focused and unblocked.

While this role may not include direct reports initially, it carries significant influence over hiring, team development, delivery standards, and the engineering process.

What You’ll Do

• Write production code regularly, including building features, fixing bugs, and reviewing PRs
• Own execution quality and consistency across engineering initiatives.
• Translate product direction into clear technical plans and delivery timelines.
• Drive team alignment and unblock engineers to keep projects on track.
• Accurately scope and project engineering delivery milestones.
• Assess and recommend how engineering resources are allocated across initiatives.
• Help shape the long-term technical architecture of our platform.
• Guide and reinforce MVP-first, fast-to-market thinking to avoid over-engineering, both in planning and in your contributions.
• Use off-the-shelf tools and automation where appropriate.
• Apply AI and LLM tools when they provide measurable product value.
• Identify performance gaps or inefficiencies in team output and recommend changes.
• Support team rituals and documentation to improve predictability and coordination.
• Team and Talent Responsibilities
• Inform executives when additional engineering capacity is needed.
• Participate in hiring: interview candidates, assess technical fit, and make recommendations.
• Help define technical roles and onboarding for future engineers.
• Evaluate engineering team performance and guide team composition.

Who You Are

• A strong technical leader with a builder’s mindset and startup urgency.
• A hands-on engineer who leads by example, writes high-leverage code, and knows when to delegate or step in directly.
• A systems thinker who balances trade-offs and avoids complexity for its own sake.
• An excellent communicator who brings clarity to planning, prioritization, and execution.
• Experienced in fast-paced, product-focused engineering environments.

Requirements

• 5+ years of software engineering experience, including 2+ years leading technical execution.
• Proven ability to ship quality software at speed and scale.
• Experience with hiring, mentoring, or evaluating engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of system architecture, backend infrastructure, and product delivery.
• Bonus: Experience with AI/ML tools, automation platforms, or LLM APIs.

How We Work

We value execution, clarity, and simplicity. Our engineering culture is built around learning by doing: we prioritize building MVPs, validating assumptions, and shipping fast. The best solutions are those we can deploy, test, and refine — not the most elegant systems that never see the light of day. If you share this mindset, you’ll thrive here.

Benefits at CitizenShipper

At CitizenShipper, we’re committed to supporting our team’s growth, well-being, and work-life balance. Here’s what you can expect as part of our remote-first culture:

• Book Club – Get reimbursed (up to $50/month) for professional development books of your choice.
• Professional Development – $2,000 annual budget + 3 paid days off to attend courses, conferences, or trainings.
• Flexible Paid Leave – Generous vacation time, 5 national holidays per calendar year, and 5 additional bereavement days.
• Light Work Week – Once per quarter, reduce your workload to 15-20 hours/week to recharge and prevent burnout.
• Parental Leave – Up to 14 weeks of paid maternity/paternity leave with flexible options.
• Sick Leave – 7 days of paid sick leave annually, plus extended paid leave options in serious cases.
• Referral Bonus