Lead Mobile Engineer (Equity-based)

Buddy is looking for a founding mobile engineer to own our app end to end.

This is not a "build screens from tickets" role. You will be the person who decides how our app is architected, how it talks to our backend and our AI layer, and how it ships.

We're building in the rapidly growing pet tech market across APAC, and this is a ground-floor opportunity to join a founding team with real input into company direction.

About Buddy

Buddy is revolutionizing pet care through technology — a smart collar, a companion app, and an AI assistant that helps owners actually understand their pets. Learn more: https://www.buddy.ninja/

The Role

You own everything the user sees. That means Flutter first, but it doesn't stop there:

• Mobile (core): Architecture, state management, performance, offline behavior, and code quality for a cross-platform Flutter app on iOS and Android.
• Frontend craft: You have real taste. You translate Figma into pixel-accurate, fluid interfaces and build a design system that stays maintainable as the product grows. You care whether the animation is 200ms or 300ms, and you'll push back on a design that doesn't work.
• Web frontend: Build and maintain our web-facing surfaces in modern TypeScript/React alongside the mobile app.
• Backend & APIs: Design and build the API contracts you consume. You'll write backend code (Python/Node) rather than waiting on someone else to unblock you.
• Release ownership: CI/CD pipelines, build signing, TestFlight and internal testing tracks, App Store and Play Store submissions, review responses, and release cadence.

Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and maintain the Buddy Flutter application for iOS and Android.
• Establish the mobile codebase standards: architecture patterns, state management, testing, and code review practices.
• Implement UI from design files at high fidelity and build a reusable, documented design system across mobile and web.
• Build and maintain web frontend surfaces in TypeScript/React.
• Build and integrate backend APIs supporting app functionality.
• Own the full release pipeline: CI/CD, versioning, store submissions, and post-release monitoring.
• Instrument the product for analytics and user feedback, and use that data to inform what gets built next.
• Work directly with the founding team to shape product decisions, not just execute them.

Qualifications

Required

• Proven experience building and shipping production Flutter applications to both the App Store and Google Play.
• Strong Dart fundamentals plus working proficiency in TypeScript and a modern web framework (React or similar).
• Demonstrated eye for UI detail — spacing, typography, motion, and consistency — with work you can show.
• Solid command of at least one backend language (Python or Node.js).
• Experience designing and consuming REST APIs; comfortable with authentication, error handling, and data modeling.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD for mobile (GitHub Actions, Codemagic, Fastlane, or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and make architectural decisions without close supervision.
• Strong Git workflow discipline.
• Proficient in English (written and spoken).

Bonus points

• Experience building and documenting a design system from scratch.
• Experience with BLE / connected device integration in mobile apps.
• Native iOS or Android experience alongside Flutter.
• Cloud infrastructure exposure (AWS or GCP).
• Product analytics tooling (PostHog, Amplitude, or similar).
• You own a pet, or you'd like to.

Work Arrangements

• Employment Type: Part-time
• Position: Remote position with flexibility to work as a side commitment.
• Meetings: Weekly online meetings during weekdays (evening time).
• Events/Travel: Occasional in-person weekend events & business trips.
• Growth: Opportunity to grow with the company as we scale.

What We Offer

• Compensation: Equity compensation (2%, commensurate with experience and role scope); 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff.
• Flexibility: Flexible work arrangements — option to work part-time until formal employment is established.
• Ownership: Full technical ownership of the mobile product — architecture, stack, and release decisions are yours to make.
• Impact: Opportunity to be part of a founding team with significant input into company direction and work directly with pet owners to build products that make a real difference in their lives.
• Market: Ground-floor opportunity in the rapidly growing pet tech market in APAC.

Our Culture

We're building a company culture that values innovation, work-life balance, and passion for improving the lives of pets. We offer:

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Recognition for contributions to our mission and values.
• Opportunities to participate in animal welfare initiatives.
• Regular feedback sessions where your ideas can shape our future.