Engineering Manager (Hands-On /Java) - Brazil

About this role

Space Inch continues to grow! Following a string of successful hires, we keep on growing our engineering team. We’re looking for a hands-on Engineering Manager to join one of our longest-running and most successful projects. This is a hybrid role where you’ll spend roughly 75%+ of your time coding as a senior Java engineer, while also leading a small engineering team and acting as the primary day-to-day technical point of contact for the client. This is a hybrid role: you’ll spend the majority of your time hands-on in the codebase , while also leading a small engineering team, helping organize delivery, mentoring engineers, and acting as the 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 80 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 1–2+ years of hands-on engineering leadership experience , leading a small team 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 communicating directly with clients 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 open to candidates currently based in Brazil only. 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 small engineering team 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 taking on meaningful leadership responsibility You’ve led a small 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 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 Benefits 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 Compensations: $4.500,00 – $6.500/monthly 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 a