Founding Engineer, Mobile and Backend (CTO Track)
Summary
First engineer at Misaq, an early-stage Muslim marriage (dating) app, on a CTO track. Owns the product end to end: a React Native iOS/Android app plus backend (database, auth, APIs, storage, security rules), privacy-first features, LLM integrations, subscriptions and release pipelines, working directly with founders. Fully remote with daily overlap with the Pakistan team.
Compensation: $30k – $80k • 0.25% – 1.0%
Misaq is building the Muslim marriage app for a new generation. Our users are young Muslims, many in the UK, US and Canada, who want a halal, private and modern way to meet someone, with their family's values intact. We are a small founding team and we are hiring our first engineer.
This is not a "take tickets and code" role. We want someone who thinks like a future CTO: someone who cares why we build something, pushes back when an idea is weak, and helps shape the product, not just ship it.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Own the app end to end: iOS and Android, from first commit to the App Store and Google Play
- Design and build the backend: database, APIs, authentication, file storage, server functions and security rules
- Build privacy-first features. Photos and ID documents must stay private, and we take that very seriously
- Integrate AI features (LLM APIs) safely, with sensible limits and guardrails
- Set up subscriptions, analytics, crash reporting and release pipelines
- Work directly with the founders on product decisions: what to build, what to cut, and how to measure if it worked
- Help choose the right architecture now so it does not break when we grow
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
- 5+ years building production apps, with at least one live app on the App Store or Google Play that you can walk us through
- Strong React Native experience (Expo is a plus)
- Real backend ownership, not just API integration. You have designed a database schema, built auth, and written access rules that keep user data safe. Node.js, Postgres, Supabase, Firebase or AWS are all fine. We care more about how you think than the exact tool
- Security instincts: you know the difference between hiding something in the app and protecting it on the server
- Product sense: you have opinions about user experience, onboarding, retention and what makes people come back
- You use AI coding tools, and you review their output like a pull request from a junior developer
- Clear, honest communication in English. You tell us early when something is off
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with marketplace, social or matchmaking apps
- RevenueCat or in-app subscriptions
- Experience as a founding engineer or first hire at a startup
- Understanding of Muslim culture and the needs of young Muslims in the West
HOW IT WORKS
- Starts as a contract on our first release, with a clear path to a full-time lead role as we grow
- Fully remote, with a few hours of daily overlap with our team in Pakistan (UTC+5)
- Our process: a short application, a 5-minute Loom video, a call with the founders, then a small paid test task
WHY JOIN
- Build something that matters for millions of Muslims, from day one
- Real ownership and influence over the product and the tech
- Grow into technical leadership as the company grows
When you apply, include a link to one live app you built and tell us which parts were yours.