Founding Engineer📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Wathba is an early-stage Saudi startup focused on developing a platform for AI-enabled builders and independent product creators. The company is preparing to build its Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and is seeking a senior, hands-on engineer to translate approved architecture into a functional, maintainable, and production-ready platform. This is a high-ownership role for a Full-Stack Platform Engineer who can independently manage backend development, frontend/dashboard implementation, cloud deployment, third-party integrations, security, and operational readiness. The engineer will be primarily responsible for constructing the initial version of the platform, implementing the architecture, making critical technical decisions, and establishing a robust foundation for future engineering growth. This position is suitable for individuals with a track record of building production systems end-to-end and who thrive in an early-stage environment characterized by ambiguity, rapid decision-making, and direct accountability.

Key Responsibilities

• Build the core backend system for the MVP, implementing secure and maintainable APIs.
• Design and implement the application data model, including authentication, authorization, and access-control flows.
• Implement API key management, secure request handling, and the foundation for usage tracking, service access, and operational visibility.
• Integrate rate limiting, audit logging, error handling, and platform safeguards, structuring the backend for future expansion.
• Build and maintain integrations with multiple external service providers, handling provider-specific authentication, request formats, webhooks, callbacks, errors, and edge cases.
• Abstract provider complexity behind clean internal interfaces and design integration patterns for effortless addition of new providers.
• Own the ongoing health of integrations, including monitoring, failure handling, and updates as providers evolve, and document integration behavior, limitations, and operational notes.
• Build the web dashboard required for the MVP, implementing practical user-facing and internal administrative interfaces focused on core workflows.
• Develop internal tools to assist the team in operating, monitoring, and supporting the platform.
• Deploy the platform on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), setting up development, staging, and production environments.
• Configure CI/CD pipelines, manage secrets and environment configuration securely, and set up logging, monitoring, alerts, and error visibility.
• Implement backup, recovery, and basic operational safeguards to ensure reliable operation by a small team.
• Apply secure engineering practices across the platform, protecting sensitive credentials and member data, and implementing proper access control and auditability.
• Design for traceability across important system actions, handle external provider failures gracefully, and build with maintainability, observability, and operational clarity in mind.
• Work from the architecture and design provided by Tech Consultants, translating technical architecture into implementation tasks.
• Document technical decisions and implementation details, maintaining clear API and operational documentation.
• Communicate progress, risks, blockers, and trade-offs clearly, collaborating with the team on scope, priorities, and technical decisions.
• Prepare the system for future handover and team expansion.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Extensive experience building production backend systems.
• Strong experience with API design, backend architecture, and platform-oriented system design.
• Proficiency in TypeScript/****, Python, Go, Java, or a similar backend stack.
• Experience with relational databases, preferably PostgreSQL.
• Proven experience integrating with third-party APIs in production environments.
• Experience building secure authentication and authorization flows.
• Familiarity with API keys, access control, rate limiting, logging, and audit trails.
• Ability to build practical frontend/admin interfaces using React, ****, or similar technologies.
• Experience deploying and operating applications on cloud infrastructure.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong understanding of secure secrets management and environment configuration.
• Expertise in spec-driven development, translating requirements and architecture into clear specs, implementation plans, and testable deliverables.
• Strong practical understanding of effectively using AI tools in software development while maintaining code quality, security, review discipline, and architectural control.
• Ability to work independently as the primary engineer on an MVP.
• Strong problem-solving skills and comfort with ambiguity.
• Clear written communication and documentation skills.

Technical Skills

• Backend Development: TypeScript, ****, Python, Go, Java
• Databases: PostgreSQL
• API & Architecture: API design, backend architecture, platform-oriented system design, OpenAPI/Swagger, developer-facing API documentation
• Frontend/Dashboard: React, ****
• Cloud & DevOps: Cloud infrastructure, GCP (Cloud Run, Cloud SQL, Secret Manager, Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, Pub/Sub, Cloud Tasks), Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, secrets management, environment configuration
• Platform & Integrations: Developer platforms, API platforms, SaaS platforms, internal tools, integration middleware, multi-tenant system design, background jobs, queues, retries, idempotent operations
• Specialized Integrations: Wallet systems, metering, billing, usage tracking, transaction ledgers, payment integrations, identity integrations, logistics integrations, telecom integrations, government-related integrations
• General: Spec-driven development, AI tools, problem-solving, documentation

Work Environment and Location

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The role requires over 10 years of experience. The Founding Engineer will have end-to-end ownership of the MVP implementation, encompassing backend development, database design and migrations, external service integrations, dashboard implementation, cloud deployment, CI/CD setup, logging and monitoring, security basics, API documentation, and technical/operational handover documentation. Success in this role will be measured by the ability to translate architecture and product direction into a working MVP, build a secure and maintainable platform foundation, effectively integrate with external providers, deploy and operate the system on GCP, make practical technical decisions, communicate clearly with stakeholders, and leave behind a well-documented and extensible codebase for future engineers.