Deputy Head of Engineering (Node.js / Next.js)

📋 Description

• • As the Deputy Head of Engineering at Ruby Labs Ltd., you will step into a pivotal role, serving as the technical guardian and the indispensable right hand to the Head of Engineering. This position transcends traditional people management; it is fundamentally about ensuring the architectural integrity, robust security, and unwavering technical excellence across all our innovative consumer products. You will be instrumental in bridging the strategic vision of engineering with the tangible realities of daily execution, driving forward our mission to create and operate cutting-edge solutions in the health, education, and entertainment sectors.
• • Your primary responsibility will be to uphold and enforce our established architectural guardrails. This involves meticulously ensuring that all projects adhere strictly to the company's architectural blueprints, acting as the final approver for any proposed architectural modifications and guaranteeing the long-term scalability and maintainability of our systems. This oversight is critical for preventing technical debt and ensuring a cohesive, robust product ecosystem.
• • Maintaining an exceptionally high standard for code quality is paramount. You will lead rigorous code review processes across all engineering teams, identifying potential bottlenecks, proactively spotting bugs before they impact users, and ensuring that every pull request aligns perfectly with our defined "best practices." This hands-on involvement in code quality assurance is key to fostering a culture of technical excellence.
• • You will play a crucial role in project bootstrapping, providing hands-on involvement in the deployment and configuration of new projects. This includes ensuring that new initiatives are set up correctly from the outset, with robust CI/CD pipelines, properly managed environment variables, and efficient hosting configurations, laying a solid foundation for future success.
• • Security and compliance are non-negotiable. You will be responsible for implementing and overseeing comprehensive security measures, encompassing both the code level and the hosting infrastructure. This includes configuring Web Application Firewalls (WAF), implementing secure headers, and ensuring robust data encryption protocols are in place to protect our users and our intellectual property.
• • Embracing innovation, you will lead the charge in adopting new technologies, with a specific focus on integrating AI-driven workflows and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The goal is to significantly enhance developer productivity and explore novel ways to leverage AI within our product development lifecycle.
• • You will also be deeply involved in growth engineering initiatives, managing the technical aspects of A/B testing through Growthbook. This includes ensuring the accurate and reliable tracking of user data via Mixpanel and Google Analytics, providing the insights needed to drive product iteration and user engagement.
• • As a technical leader, you will actively participate in scaling our engineering team by conducting thorough technical interviews. Furthermore, you will mentor and guide developers, helping them to grow their skills and meet the high standards set by Ruby Labs, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
• • A key aspect of your role will be continuous improvement. You will proactively identify outdated practices, research modern alternatives, and champion the adoption of more efficient and effective workflows, ensuring Ruby Labs remains at the forefront of technological advancement.
• • This role requires a deep understanding of our core technology stack, including Node.js, Next.js, and TypeScript, with a proven ability to optimize performance and resolve complex server-side rendering (SSR) and incremental static regeneration (ISR) issues. Experience with cloud infrastructure like AWS and Cloudflare, modern databases such as Postgres and ORMs like Drizzle or Prisma, and analytics platforms like Mixpanel and Growthbook is essential for success.
• • You will be a key contributor to the strategic direction of our engineering efforts, ensuring technical decisions align with business objectives and contribute to the overall growth and success of Ruby Labs' innovative consumer products.