VP of R&D – Early-Stage Startup

An early-stage startup is looking for a Hands-On VP of R&D to take full ownership of its technology strategy and execution. This is a unique opportunity to join as a foundational team member and build the product and team from the ground up.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end R&D function: architecture, development, deployment, and delivery.
• Take a hands-on role in coding, with a strong focus on Python.
• Build and scale the engineering team – from sourcing and interviewing to onboarding and mentoring.
• Define and execute the technical roadmap in alignment with product and business goals.
• Establish engineering best practices, tools, and processes to enable speed and quality.
• Collaborate closely with company leadership on product direction and strategic decisions.

Requirements:

• Proven experience as the sole or primary technical leader (e.g., Head of R&D / VP R&D / Director of Engineering) in a small startup environment – must have led the full development lifecycle from zero to product.
• Strong hands-on development skills in Python – this role requires active involvement in writing and reviewing code.
• Experience in hiring and leading engineers in a fast-paced, early-stage setting.
• Ability to design scalable architecture and make technical decisions under uncertainty.
• Independent, proactive, and highly execution-oriented.