Job Description

Job Title: Senior Full Stack Developer
Position Type: Full-Time Contractor
Working Hours: U.S. Hours
About Pavago
Pavago is hiring a Senior Full Stack Developer on behalf of a fast-scaling U.S. startup. This is a unique opportunity for a highly capable developer to own the full-stack development of a brand-new platform and grow into a CTO-level leadership role. Our ideal candidate is someone who loves building, is passionate about architecture and technology leadership, and has a solid understanding of modern development practices including AI integrations and scalable, real-time systems.
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.

What Makes You a Great Fit

• 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.

Required Skills & Experience

• 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.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like?
You'll begin your day by reviewing tasks in GitHub or Notion. Most days involve a mix of coding (backend APIs, frontend UI, or DevOps tasks), testing, and real-time feature development. You might be integrating an AI-powered chat module, optimizing database queries, deploying to AWS EC2, or refining RBAC-based access flows. You'll also join calls with the founder to prioritize next steps and share architectural input. The work is high-impact, hands-on, and foundational.
Interview Process * Intro Call: A quick conversation to align on goals and experience.

• Technical Deep Dive: Discuss your previous work, decisions, and approach to scalable systems.
• Live Coding or Take-Home Challenge: Showcase your thought process and technical depth.
• Founder Interview: Align on product vision, leadership expectations, and long-term role.
• Reference & Background Check: Conduct swift verification of your references and past employment details.

Ready to Apply?
If you're a hands-on full stack developer with a passion for architecture, leadership, and innovation including AI and real-time systems this is your moment. You'll help build the foundation of a product that matters, and grow into a leadership role as the team scales. If you thrive in early-stage environments and are excited about owning both code and technical direction, we want to hear from you.