🛠️ Lead Full Stack Developer (CTO Track) — GoChallenge
📍 Waterford, Ireland · Hybrid (1 day/week in office) · Full-Time
💰 €90,000 – €100,000 \+ Equity (ESOP)
About GoChallenge
GoChallenge helps companies build stronger, more connected teams through shared movement — running engaging, data-driven challenges where employees compete together, track real activity from their wearables, and rally around a shared goal.
We don't run step challenges. We design gamified collective challenges where teams succeed together — or not at all.
The result? More connection. More accountability. More momentum.
Companies use GoChallenge to:
- Improve employee wellbeing
- Strengthen team culture
- Increase engagement in distributed teams
- Turn individual effort into shared achievement
We're growing fast. Our customers include IBM, Three Ireland, DocuSign, Tirlán, Grant Thornton, and Boston Scientific. Now we're ready to scale properly.
The Opportunity
This is not a role for someone who wants to maintain the status quo.
We're looking for a technical leader who will own the entire engineering function — someone who can set architectural vision one day and ship a feature the next. You'll be the most senior technical voice at GoChallenge, working directly with the founders and our Head of Product to shape the roadmap, drive delivery, and build the team as the business scales.
For the right person, there is a clear and genuine path to CTO.
What You'll Own
- Technical strategy, architecture, and high-quality specification — You will define the core technical specifications, covering architecture, edge cases, failure modes, and integration points. You'll be making the big calls on how we evolve, scale, and modernise our platform.
- Product and roadmap collaboration — partnering closely with our Head of Product to translate business priorities into a delivery schedule that the whole team can execute against
- Hands-on development — writing and reviewing code across the full stack (this is not a purely managerial role)
- AI adoption and tooling — championing the use of AI tools across engineering and product delivery; you'll set the standard for how we leverage AI to ship faster and build better
- Agency management — leading day-to-day collaboration with our remote development team, ensuring quality, velocity, and alignment with our standards across time zones
- Engineering culture — setting the bar for code quality, testing, documentation, and delivery practices
- Hiring and team growth — helping us recruit and grow the right team as we scale
The Tech Stack
You'll work across a modern, cloud-native stack. You don't need to be an expert in every layer — but you need to be comfortable making informed decisions across all of them.
Mobile
- React Native (iOS & Android)
- JavaScript, React Navigation, Axios
- Fitness tracker integrations: Apple Health, Google Fit, Android Health Connect, Fitbit, Garmin (previous expertise not essential)
Backend
- Kotlin/Java with Spring Boot — microservices architecture
- REST APIs, OAuth integrations (Fitbit, Garmin)
Data
- Apache Cassandra (AWS Keyspaces)
Infrastructure & DevOps
- AWS: EKS (Kubernetes), ECR, S3, CloudFront, SES, VPC
- Terraform, Helm, Docker, GitHub Actions
Testing
- Karate (E2E), Jest (frontend), Kotlin test frameworks (backend)
What We're Looking For
Experience
- 8+ years of full stack software development
- Proven experience leading or architecting production systems
- Strong background in at least one of: Kotlin/JVM backend or React Native / React
- Experience with cloud-native infrastructure (AWS preferred)
- Track record working with or managing external development teams or agencies
Technical Skills
- Able to define and communicate a clear technical architecture — not just follow one
- Comfortable across the full delivery lifecycle: design, build, test, deploy, monitor
- Strong instincts around scalability, security, and API design
- Genuine enthusiasm for AI-assisted development — you use AI tools in your workflow today and you see them as a competitive advantage, not a threat
The Person
- You thrive in ambiguity — startups are chaotic and you're energised by that, not frustrated
- You're a strong communicator who can translate technical decisions for non-technical stakeholders without losing nuance
- You're collaborative and low-ego — you'll build trust with a remote team across time zones and work hand-in-hand with a deeply engaged Head of Product
- You're a problem-solver first — you find a way rather than cataloguing blockers
- You have a bias toward action: ship something good, learn, iterate
- You're genuinely excited by the idea of shaping a product and a business, not just executing someone else's spec
What We Offer
- 💰 €90,000 – €100,000 salary
- 📈 Equity (ESOP) — a meaningful stake in GoChallenge's success
- 🏖️ Pension scheme with employer contribution match
- 🚀 Clear path to CTO as the company grows
- 🏡 Hybrid working — one day per week in Waterford, remote otherwise
- 🤝 Real ownership from day one — your decisions will shape the product and the company
- ❤️🩹 A product worth building — we're genuinely making people healthier and workplaces more connected
Our Hiring Process
- Application — CV and a short note (see below)
- Introductory call with the founders — 30 minutes
- Technical conversation — architecture and problem-solving (no whiteboard puzzles)
- Final conversation — culture, vision, and working style
How to Apply
We're looking to move quickly and would love to have the right person in place before summer. Send your CV and a short cover note to [email protected]
We read every application. We're not looking for a polished pitch — we're looking for someone genuine.
One thing we ask in your application: Tell us about your favourite walk. Where is it, why do you love it, and what do you think about while you're on it? There's no right answer — we just want to get a sense of who you are.
GoChallenge is an equal opportunities employer. We believe diverse teams build better products.
Skills Required
- 8+ years of full stack software development
- Experience leading or architecting production systems
- Strong background in Kotlin/JVM backend or React Native / React
- Experience with cloud-native infrastructure
- Track record working with or managing external development teams
What We Do
We run engaging, data-driven challenges where employees compete together, track real activity from their wearables, and rally around a shared goal. We don't run step challenges. We design gamified collective challenges where teams succeed together — or not at all. The result? More connection. More accountability. More momentum.
Why Work With Us
We are a team-first culture that ensures every employee has the opportunity to grow and learn.
