Senior Full Stack Developer

Summary

Join Pavago as a Senior Full Stack Developer and lead the development of a brand-new platform for a fast-scaling U.S. startup. This full-time contractor position offers the unique opportunity to own the full-stack development, grow into a CTO-level leadership role, and build a secure, scalable, high-performing application from the ground up. You will define the tech stack, build robust REST APIs, craft responsive UIs, integrate AI-powered features, manage deployments using AWS, and establish robust security measures. Collaboration with the founder and future team members is key. The ideal candidate is a builder-minded leader with strong communication skills and experience in modern development practices, including AI integrations and scalable, real-time systems.

Requirements

• Full stack experience: 5+ years of experince ideally in startups or high-ownership environments
• Frontend: Proficiency in React, Redux Toolkit, Next.js, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Strong knowledge of Node.js, NestJS, REST API development, Express JS
• Database: Experience with PostgreSQL, Prisma, MongoDB, and Redis for caching
• Security & Access Control: Strong implementation skills with RBAC models, JWT/OAuth token handling, and endpoint protection
• DevOps: Deployment experience with AWS EC2 (preferred), GCP, or Vercel; CI/CD via GitHub Actions or CircleCI
• Web Sockets & Real-Time Apps: Comfortable implementing real-time data flows (e.g., using Socket.io or similar)
• AI/NLP/LLM Exposure: Experience or strong interest in integrating AI features such as chat interfaces, text summarization, or NLP
• Architecture: Familiar with microservices, middlewares, modular system design, and scalable infrastructures
• Collaboration: Git, GitHub, Notion, Slack, Zoom

Responsibilities

• Lead the Platform Build: Own the development of a secure, scalable, high-performing full-stack application from ground zero
• Define the Stack: Propose and implement a modern, future-ready tech stack that may include React, Next.js, NestJS, PostgreSQL, Redis, and AWS
• Backend Engineering: Build robust REST APIs, design relational data models, implement middleware logic, and ensure endpoint protection using technologies such as Node.js, NestJS, and Redis
• Frontend Development: Craft highly responsive and accessible UIs using React, Redux Toolkit, Tailwind CSS, and component-driven architecture
• AI & Real-Time Features: Integrate AI-powered features such as LLM-based text processing, basic NLP functionalities, and real-time updates using WebSockets or similar protocols
• DevOps & Cloud Deployment: Set up and manage deployments using AWS (especially EC2), Vercel, or GCP. Implement CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and alerts
• Security & Access Control: Establish RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), secure authentication/authorization flows, caching strategies, and endpoint protections
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work closely with the founder to align development with business vision and user needs. Later, help build and lead the engineering team
• Documentation & Team Readiness: Maintain high-quality documentation, establish best practices, and mentor future technical hires

Preferred Qualifications

• Builder-Minded Leader: You've built production-ready full-stack systems independently and thrive in fast-moving environments
• Tech Strategist: You can make sound architectural decisions, justify your stack, and plan for scale
• AI-Curious & Capable: You have hands-on exposure to WebSockets, LLMs, or NLP whether through projects or experimentation
• Security-Conscious: You take endpoint protection, RBAC, token management, and data security seriously
• High Ownership: You don’t wait to be told rather you see a gap, and you fill it
• Strong Communicator: You write and speak with clarity, and you’re collaborative in remote-first teams