Engineering Lead (Dunedin, NZ)
| Company | Makereatu Technology Limited |
| Location | Dunedin, Otago |
| Listed | Sun 28 Jun, 8:51 pm |
| Type | Full time, Permanent |
ENGINEERING LEAD / SOLUTION ARCHITECT
Makereatu Technology Limited · Dunedin, NZ
ABOUT MAKEREATU
Makereatu is a Dunedin-based AI company building governance assessment systems for infrastructure projects funded by commercial entities, governments, and multilateral development banks. Founder-led by Barry Reid, who authored a framework for quantifying governance failure on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects. We use Claude across the company — Claude Enterprise for strategy, Claude Code for development — and have done so before it was fashionable. AI-pervasive is not a poster on our wall; it is the operating reality.
WHY WE ARE HIRING WHEN OTHERS ARE NOT
Sharp reductions in IT hires are underway across the tech industry, driven by AI's impact on coding work. The Economist (May 2026) reports full-time employment among computer-science graduates has fallen from nearly 70% to 55% in three years. Most companies are cutting engineering headcount. We are going the other way — building in-house capacity to develop, deliver, and support a pipeline of ventures.
THE ROLE
We are building a production SaaS platform immediately — full multi-tenant architecture on Microsoft Azure, PostgreSQL with row-level security, TypeScript throughout. The stack decisions are made. We need someone to build to them, challenge them where they are wrong, and ship. This is the hinge role — the single most consequential hire we make this year.
This is an AI-native role. Claude Code is used extensively across every development workstream — every engineer, every sprint, every day. If Claude Code or an equivalent is not already central to how you work, this is not the role for you.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own NestJS module structure, API design, database layer, and tenant isolation
- Build and maintain Next.js App Router frontend and NestJS backend in production
- Own the data layer: PostgreSQL + PgBouncer + Drizzle ORM + Redis. Tenant isolation invariant property-tested on every PR
- Implement GitHub Actions CI/CD targeting Azure Container Apps with Bicep
- Lead SOC 2 Type I/II technical implementation
- Lead and mentor 7–10 engineers using Claude Code as primary development tool
THE STACK
Frontend: Next.js App Router | React + Tailwind | TanStack Query + Zustand | Auth.js v5
Backend: NestJS (TypeScript) | REST + OpenAPI | tRPC | BullMQ | Drizzle ORM
Data: PostgreSQL + PgBouncer | Redis (fail-open) | RLS throughout
Infrastructure: Azure Container Apps | APIM | Front Door + WAF | Key Vault | Bicep | AU East
Identity: Entra External ID | Auth.js v5 | httpOnly sessions | PKCE — no tokens in browser
CI/CD: GitHub Actions | Turborepo + pnpm | OpenTelemetry Day 1
AI tools: Claude Code (primary dev environment) | Claude Enterprise | Drata + Sensiba (SOC 2)
REQUIREMENTS
AI-native (essential, non-negotiable): Claude Code or equivalent as your primary development environment. Demonstrable workflow: plan mode, structured prompting, parallel agents, review discipline. Cannot show this in practice — you will not progress.
Essential:
- 8+ years professional development, 3+ years senior or lead
- Commercial SaaS product built or co-architected, early stage to production
- Next.js + NestJS full-stack in production
- PostgreSQL — RLS, migrations, PgBouncer transaction-pool constraints
- Azure — Container Apps, APIM, Key Vault in production
- Multi-tenant SaaS — shared schema, RLS, per-tenant configuration
- GitHub Actions CI/CD — designed a pipeline, not just used one
- Security posture — Key Vault, structured audit logs, httpOnly sessions as default
- Sprint leadership and engineering mentorship
LOCATION
Dunedin-based. MBIE-accredited employer (EA00099068). Skilled Migrant and AEWV pathways available. Must be in Dunedin immediately on acceptance — already here or able to relocate without delay. Relocation assistance available.
COMPENSATION
$130,000–$200,000+ per year. Above market. Exceptional candidates considered above $200,000. Part-time contracting considered. Further study support available.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply via this listing. CV (max 4 pages) + covering letter (max 1 page): (a) a SaaS product you built or materially architected, (b) biggest architecture challenge and resolution, (c) your Claude Code workflow — plan mode approach and one concrete production example.
Equal opportunity employer. We hire on capability, not credential.
Makereatu Technology Limited · Dunedin, NZ
ABOUT MAKEREATU
Makereatu is a Dunedin-based AI company building governance assessment systems for infrastructure projects funded by commercial entities, governments, and multilateral development banks. Founder-led by Barry Reid, who authored a framework for quantifying governance failure on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects. We use Claude across the company — Claude Enterprise for strategy, Claude Code for development — and have done so before it was fashionable. AI-pervasive is not a poster on our wall; it is the operating reality.
WHY WE ARE HIRING WHEN OTHERS ARE NOT
Sharp reductions in IT hires are underway across the tech industry, driven by AI's impact on coding work. The Economist (May 2026) reports full-time employment among computer-science graduates has fallen from nearly 70% to 55% in three years. Most companies are cutting engineering headcount. We are going the other way — building in-house capacity to develop, deliver, and support a pipeline of ventures.
THE ROLE
We are building a production SaaS platform immediately — full multi-tenant architecture on Microsoft Azure, PostgreSQL with row-level security, TypeScript throughout. The stack decisions are made. We need someone to build to them, challenge them where they are wrong, and ship. This is the hinge role — the single most consequential hire we make this year.
This is an AI-native role. Claude Code is used extensively across every development workstream — every engineer, every sprint, every day. If Claude Code or an equivalent is not already central to how you work, this is not the role for you.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own NestJS module structure, API design, database layer, and tenant isolation
- Build and maintain Next.js App Router frontend and NestJS backend in production
- Own the data layer: PostgreSQL + PgBouncer + Drizzle ORM + Redis. Tenant isolation invariant property-tested on every PR
- Implement GitHub Actions CI/CD targeting Azure Container Apps with Bicep
- Lead SOC 2 Type I/II technical implementation
- Lead and mentor 7–10 engineers using Claude Code as primary development tool
THE STACK
Frontend: Next.js App Router | React + Tailwind | TanStack Query + Zustand | Auth.js v5
Backend: NestJS (TypeScript) | REST + OpenAPI | tRPC | BullMQ | Drizzle ORM
Data: PostgreSQL + PgBouncer | Redis (fail-open) | RLS throughout
Infrastructure: Azure Container Apps | APIM | Front Door + WAF | Key Vault | Bicep | AU East
Identity: Entra External ID | Auth.js v5 | httpOnly sessions | PKCE — no tokens in browser
CI/CD: GitHub Actions | Turborepo + pnpm | OpenTelemetry Day 1
AI tools: Claude Code (primary dev environment) | Claude Enterprise | Drata + Sensiba (SOC 2)
REQUIREMENTS
AI-native (essential, non-negotiable): Claude Code or equivalent as your primary development environment. Demonstrable workflow: plan mode, structured prompting, parallel agents, review discipline. Cannot show this in practice — you will not progress.
Essential:
- 8+ years professional development, 3+ years senior or lead
- Commercial SaaS product built or co-architected, early stage to production
- Next.js + NestJS full-stack in production
- PostgreSQL — RLS, migrations, PgBouncer transaction-pool constraints
- Azure — Container Apps, APIM, Key Vault in production
- Multi-tenant SaaS — shared schema, RLS, per-tenant configuration
- GitHub Actions CI/CD — designed a pipeline, not just used one
- Security posture — Key Vault, structured audit logs, httpOnly sessions as default
- Sprint leadership and engineering mentorship
LOCATION
Dunedin-based. MBIE-accredited employer (EA00099068). Skilled Migrant and AEWV pathways available. Must be in Dunedin immediately on acceptance — already here or able to relocate without delay. Relocation assistance available.
COMPENSATION
$130,000–$200,000+ per year. Above market. Exceptional candidates considered above $200,000. Part-time contracting considered. Further study support available.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply via this listing. CV (max 4 pages) + covering letter (max 1 page): (a) a SaaS product you built or materially architected, (b) biggest architecture challenge and resolution, (c) your Claude Code workflow — plan mode approach and one concrete production example.
Equal opportunity employer. We hire on capability, not credential.
