Tech Lead, Applied AI Software Engineering

About the client Our client is a global SaaS company building field service management software for trades businesses. This role joins a small, founder-led team that operates at startup speed inside the company, building AI-first products embedded directly in the core workflows customers use every day.

About the role
We are looking for a high-caliber Tech Lead to own the team's technical direction and execution. This is not a maintenance role: from day one you will own backend-heavy production systems and AI-driven workflows, making real architectural decisions with real consequences. You will stay deeply hands-on while helping the team make sound decisions, stay focused and ship. If you have built something from 0 to 1 and already can't stop thinking about the next thing you want to build, this role is for you.

What you'll do
- Technical direction: own the team's architecture, balancing immediate product needs with long-term system design.
- Backend and APIs: design, build and run production backend services and APIs in Python, end to end.
- AI-enabled systems: lead the design and delivery of workflows that integrate large language models and agent-style architectures, with clear ways to evaluate quality, reliability, latency and cost.
- Distributed systems: architect and operate asynchronous, event-driven systems, identifying risks and balancing performance, reliability and delivery speed.
- Team delivery: work with product and design to turn ambiguous goals into technical plans, break down complex work, surface risks early and unblock engineers.
- Mentoring: coach engineers through design, implementation and production challenges while staying an active contributor to the codebase.
- Full stack: contribute to frontend work when needed, with a clear focus on the backend.
- Engineering quality: set practical standards for code quality, testing, observability and production readiness, leading by example in code and design reviews. Tech environment Python
• Backend services and APIs
• LLMs and AI agents
• Event-driven and distributed systems
• AI-assisted development tools Requirements Required
- 5+ years of hands-on production experience with Python and backend system design, including systems you have built, shipped and operated.
- Proven experience leading engineers to deliver complex systems in fast-moving environments with high ownership and minimal process.
- Experience leading a team or a significant engineering initiative from design through production, and owning the technical outcomes.
- Solid understanding of asynchronous architectures and event-driven systems, and of operating distributed systems in production.
- Experience building AI-enabled products, or a demonstrated obsession with LLMs, agent frameworks and AI-powered workflows and the curiosity to go deep fast.
- Daily use of AI-assisted development tools and the ability to help the team use them effectively.
- Comfortable with ambiguity: able to set direction, make decisions and move the team forward without heavy guidance.
- Advanced written and spoken English (CEFR C1 or equivalent), with the ability to lead technical discussions, push back constructively and align engineering, product and design. Preferred
- Startup or greenfield (0 to 1) experience.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related field. Benefits
- Permanent contract (contrato a término indefinido) with all legal benefits
- Competitive salary
- Private health insurance (medicina prepagada)
- Relocation bonus to Medellín
- On-site role in Medellín with parking