Engineering Manager + Java Lead at Space Inch - $102K in Columbus

We're looking for a hands-on Engineering Manager to lead a team of around 10 engineers on one of our longest-running and most successful projects, working with an East Coast-based US client. This is a hybrid role: you'll spend roughly 75% of your time coding as a senior Java engineer, while also leading the team, organizing delivery, mentoring engineers, and acting as the primary day-to-day technical point of contact for the client. If you enjoy staying close to the technology while also taking ownership of a team and its relationship with the client, we'd love to hear from you.

Our Mission, Vision, and Values

At Space Inch, we prioritize alignment with our clients and team, ensuring a deep understanding of their needs. We are committed to delivering exceptional work while supporting the personal and professional growth of our team members.

Our Stance on AI and Technology Transitions

We don't just "accept" AI; we encourage its usage to enhance productivity and code quality. We're looking for engineers who are comfortable incorporating AI into their everyday workflow while still applying strong technical judgment — knowing how to validate, challenge, and improve AI-generated output.

About Working at Space Inch

• Our team is around 85 people, primarily based in Croatia, with members across South America, Serbia, and the US; our product team is mostly in the US, with engineering primarily in Croatia and Brazil.
• We are remote-first, though occasional travel may be required, e.g. for our annual company retreats.
• We work on end-to-end projects with a long-term vision.
• We prioritize work-life balance, even with a globally distributed team.

Requirements

• 2+ years leading an engineering team of 5 or more while remaining actively involved in the codebase and technical decision-making.
• 7+ years of professional software development experience.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience with Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
• Strong backend engineering and software architecture fundamentals, with experience building and maintaining production systems and microservices.
• Strong experience with relational databases, particularly PostgreSQL.
• Experience with Docker and cloud environments.
• Familiarity with CI/CD, Kubernetes, and modern cloud infrastructure.
• Comfortable owning the full software development lifecycle, from design through production.
• Experience mentoring engineers, providing technical guidance, and supporting their professional growth.
• Comfortable organizing priorities, tracking delivery, and unblocking a team.
• Experience acting as the main technical contact for a client or external stakeholders.
• Comfortable discussing technical decisions, delivery, risks, and priorities with non-engineering stakeholders.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted engineering tools such as Claude, Cursor, or similar, with the ability to validate and improve AI-generated output.
• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Fluent professional English, written and spoken.
• This role is only open to candidates currently based in Brazil.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering (~75%)

• Build and maintain backend applications and microservices using Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
• Own technical decisions across architecture and system design.
• Write production-ready code, participate in code reviews, and maintain engineering quality.
• Debug and improve performance, reliability, and scalability.
• Work across databases, cloud infrastructure, CI/CD, and DevOps.
• Use AI-assisted development tools thoughtfully to improve productivity and code quality.

Team Leadership & Client Communication (~25%)

• Coordinate planning, prioritization, delivery, and unblocking for a team of around 10 engineers.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and feedback.
• Act as the primary day-to-day technical point of contact for the client.
• Communicate progress, risks, priorities, and dependencies proactively.
• Translate client requirements into clear, actionable work and keep the client, team, and Space Inch aligned.

What Will Make You Successful

• You enjoy keeping both the engineering team and client aligned.
• You're comfortable switching between coding, technical decisions, mentoring, and client communication.
• You take ownership, make decisions independently, and communicate risks early.
• You care about technical quality, team growth, and client experience.
• You're curious about new technologies and how AI can make engineering teams more effective.
• You lead through technical credibility, context, and communication, rather than hierarchy.

This Role Is a Good Fit If:

• You want to remain primarily hands-on while leading a team of meaningful size.
• You've led an engineering team and enjoy the mix of coding, mentoring, and coordination.
• You're comfortable being the technical face of the team to the client.
• You thrive in a remote, distributed environment with a high degree of autonomy.

This Role Probably Isn't for You If:

• You're looking to move completely away from hands-on engineering.
• Your experience is primarily people management rather than technical leadership.
• You haven't yet led a team and are looking for your first leadership role.
• You prefer someone else to handle client communication and team delivery.
• You'd rather focus exclusively on your own technical tasks than take ownership of the team's outcomes.

What's In It for You

• Real influence on technical decisions and project direction.
• Professional development support.
• Work-life balance, transparency, and long-term relationships that aren't just for show.

Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation: $7,000 – $8,500 per month for B2B engagement, based on experience and skills.
• Remote-first setup.
• Health & Wellbeing: Generous PTO + 100% paid sick leave + Annual health checkup.
• Stay active: Wellness subsidy.
• Continuous Growth: An education budget specifically designed to fuel your learning and help you expand your knowledge base.
• Extra perks: Referral bonus.

Space Inch is not responsible for any job boards scraping this ad without showing the position as remote, but Brazil exclusive. Applicants from other countries will not be considered.

Space Inch is committed to providing an environment of equal employment opportunity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This commitment extends to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, and termination. Space Inch believes in treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity, fostering a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.