Founding Engineer / AI-Native Tech Lead (Backend, iGaming)

Location: Limassol Workplace: OnSite We are toogeza, a Ukrainian recruiting company that is focused on hiring talents and building teams for tech startups worldwide. People make a difference in the big game, and we may help to find the right ones. We're currently looking for a Founding Engineer / AI-Native Tech Lead (Backend, iGaming) to work on an iGaming project. Location: Limassol, Cyprus Type: Full-time About the Client's Company Our client is a fast-growing iGaming product company operating a portfolio of B2C online casino brands across international Tier-1 markets. The company develops and scales its casino brands, focusing on player acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention. They're now launching a new initiative focused on building a sophisticated, multi-layered gamification system designed to enhance the player experience and drive long-term engagement. We're looking for a Founding Engineer / AI-Native Tech Lead to take full technical ownership of this initiative, from architecture and system design to hands-on development and delivery. This is an opportunity to build a complex technical solution, work directly with the CEO, and potentially grow an engineering team as the project evolves. WHAT YOU’LL BE WORKING ON The core challenge is to build a scalable gamification layer that integrates with existing third-party casino platforms. The system will introduce advanced gaming mechanics, including PvP, missions, builder-style features, progression systems, and other engagement tools designed to drive player activity and retention. Rather than developing a new casino platform, you’ll be extending existing products with complex gaming logic and integrations, using AI-assisted development as a core part of the engineering process. WHAT YOU’LL DO - Own the backend architecture and hands-on development of a complex gamification system. - Translate game design documents and business requirements into scalable technical solutions. - Build gaming mechanics, player engagement features, and lifecycle tracking systems. - Design integrations with casino platforms, PAM systems, and third-party services through APIs, webhooks, and event-driven processes. - Develop reliable, high-load backend systems with a strong focus on performance, security, and data consistency. - Leverage AI coding tools throughout the development lifecycle, from implementation and testing to code review. - Make independent technical decisions and potentially help build the engineering team as the project grows. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR - 7–10+ years of software engineering experience, ideally at Senior, Staff, or hands-on Tech Lead level, with a track record of delivering production-grade systems. - Strong backend expertise with TypeScript, Node.js, NestJS, or a comparable technology stack. - Hands-on experience building gaming or gamification systems, including mechanics such as PvP, missions, progression, rewards, or similar features. - Experience with high-load, event-driven, and distributed architectures, complex business logic, state machines, and multi-tenant SaaS systems. - Strong knowledge of PostgreSQL, Redis, asynchronous processing, concurrency, transactions, and data consistency. - Experience with third-party integrations, REST APIs, WebSockets, webhooks, authentication, and secure backend development. - Practical experience with Docker, CI/CD, cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP), monitoring, and observability. - Proven experience using AI-assisted development tools (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or similar) for real-world software development, including AI-generated code testing and review. - Ability to work independently, own architectural decisions, and deliver complex solutions end-to-end. NICE TO HAVE - Experience in iGaming/casino products, including PAM or casino platform integrations. - Understanding of RNG-based gaming mechanics and player retention strategies. - Previous experience as a Founding Engineer or hands-on technical lead. - Familiarity with React/Next.js and frontend-backend integration. WHY JOIN? - End-to-end ownership: Shape the technical architecture and lead the development of a new gamification initiative. - Real product impact: Build features that directly influence player engagement and retention across existing casino products. - AI-native engineering: Leverage modern AI tools to accelerate development and establish efficient engineering workflows. - Growth opportunities: Potential to build and lead your own engineering team as the project scales. - Direct collaboration with leadership: Work closely with the CEO and influence key technical decisions. HIRING PROCESS 1. Introductory interview with the recruitment team. 2. Technical assignment (potentially paid for selected candidates). 3. Technical interview with the engineering team. 4. Final interview with company leadership. WHAT WE OFFER - Flexible working hours, starting between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM (Cyprus time). - 21 days of paid annual leave, 25 paid sick days, and 3 additional paid days off. - Annual healthcare budget of €700 and sports allowance of €50/month. - Annual professional development budget of $600. - Opportunities for professional growth within an international iGaming company. What’s next? If this role sounds like a fit — we’d love to hear from you! Just send over your CV and anything else you’d like us to consider. We’ll review everything within five working days, and if your background matches what we’re looking for, we’ll get in touch to set up a call and get to know each other better.