Lead Full Stack Engineer

Work Type/Locations: Hybrid in either Jersey City, NJ/Clarksburg, MD/Fairfax, VA, Phoenix, AZ/Panama City, FL

About goTenna

goTenna is the world's leading mobile mesh networking company, providing off-grid connectivity solutions for smartphones and other devices, as well as augmenting traditional communications networks. This technology enables mobile, long-range connectivity without cell, Wi-Fi, or satellite connectivity. goTenna's products are currently in use by law enforcement, military, and public safety agencies worldwide. goTenna is a wholly owned subsidiary of Forterra, a leading provider of ground autonomy solutions for the US Department of Defense and other organizations.

About the role:

• The Lead Full Stack Engineer will lead the execution, delivery, and technical direction of our Portal Engineering team. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who still enjoys building software daily while also leading a small team through delivery planning, technical execution, and engineering growth.
• The Team Lead role balances:
• • Hands-on engineering (80-90%)
  • Technical leadership
  • Delivery ownership
  • Team mentorship and coordination
• You will work closely with Product, QA, DevSecOps, and Platform Engineering teams to evolve and modernize the portal platform while delivering customer-facing functionality on predictable timelines. This is not an architect-only or management-only role. We are looking for a pragmatic technical leader who can:
• • Write clean, maintainable production code
  • Guide engineers through complex problems
  • Improve systems incrementally
  • Balance delivery speed with technical quality
  • Build trust through execution

Primary Responsibilities:

• Hands-On Full Stack Development
• • Design, develop, and maintain full-stack web applications and APIs
  • Build and evolve services using PHP/Laravel, Vue.js, and MySQL
  • Implement scalable APIs and backend services supporting device management, workflows, and operational tooling
  • Contribute directly to frontend and backend architecture decisions
  • Troubleshoot and resolve production issues across the stack
  • Maintain strong engineering practices including testing, observability, and code quality
• Team Delivery Ownership
• • Own team execution across sprints and releases
  • Translate roadmap initiatives into executable engineering work
  • Help scope, estimate, and prioritize engineering efforts
  • Maintain visibility into delivery risks, blockers, and dependencies
  • Ensure engineering work meets reliability, security, and operational standards
  • Support quarterly planning and sprint execution processes
• Technical Leadership
• • Guide engineers through implementation and debugging challenges
  • Review designs, pull requests, and major technical decisions
  • Balance pragmatic delivery with long-term maintainability
  • Help modernize and evolve the portal architecture incrementally
  • Maintain alignment with broader platform architecture and operational goals
• Team Leadership & Collaboration
• • Mentor and support engineers on the team
  • Foster accountability, ownership, and collaboration
  • Participating in hiring, onboarding, and team development
  • Coordinate closely with Product, QA, DevSecOps, and adjacent engineering teams
  • Promote strong communication and healthy engineering culture

Required Experience:

• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience
• Strong hands-on backend engineering experience with PHP and Laravel
• Strong SQL and relational database experience (MySQL preferred)
• Experience building and maintaining RESTful APIs and backend services
• Experience working across frontend and backend systems
• Experience with Vue.js, React, or modern JavaScript frameworks
• Experience leading projects or mentoring engineers in a technical capacity
• Strong debugging and production troubleshooting skills
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum development environments
• Strong communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Experience:

• Experience leading small engineering teams
• Experience modernizing legacy or monolithic systems
• Experience with Docker, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud infrastructure
• Experience working in startup or fast-moving product environments
• Experience with AI-assisted workflows or developer tooling
• Experience with distributed systems, edge computing, or device management platforms
• Familiarity with DevSecOps and operational best practices

ITAR: U.S. Citizen or Green Card Required

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances: click here .

Placement at the appropriate job level (entry, senior, etc) will be determined by a combination of years of experience, demonstration of proficiency in this field, and other qualifications.

goTenna is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

goTenna Benefits:

• Equity
• 401(k) plan
• Unlimited PTO
• Parental Leave with Pay
• Holiday pay (including December recess)
• Medical, Dental, Vision and life insurance
• Pre-tax benefits
• Short- and Long-term disability plans
• Professional Development Stipend

The pay range for this role is:

170,000 - 200,000 USD per year (United States)