Staff Engineer - Office of the CTO (m/f/d)

At Peter Park, we are creating a new structure to tackle our most ambitious technical challenges: the Office of the CTO (OCTO). This is not a traditional Staff Engineer role. You will not be optimizing existing systems or shepherding incremental improvements. Instead, you will bootstrap entirely new product lines, unblock mission-critical projects that are stuck, and tackle high-impact technical debt that would otherwise never see the light of day.

As the founding member of OCTO, you will report directly to the CTO and work with near-total autonomy on problems that matter. One week you might be designing the architecture for a confidential zero-to-one bet. The next, you could be embedded in a team firefighting a production crisis or eliminating a systemic bottleneck. This role combines the intellectual satisfaction of greenfield engineering with the operational intensity of crisis management.

Activities

• Bootstrap New Bets from Zero to One: You act as the founding technical lead for net-new initiatives outside our current product lines. You take a strategic vision, translate it into technical architecture, build the first working version, and hand it off to a dedicated team once validated. You own the entire early-stage lifecycle: from proof-of-concept to production-ready MVP.
• Unblock Mission-Critical Projects: When delivery is at risk - whether due to technical complexity, architectural uncertainty, or team capacity - you embed short-term in the affected team. You diagnose root causes, propose solutions, and drive execution without changing reporting structures. You parachute in, stabilize the situation, and leave the team stronger than you found it.
• Tackle High-Impact Opportunistic Work: During downtime between major initiatives, you focus on cross-functional technical debt, customer escalations, and internal tooling improvements that would otherwise never make it to any roadmap. Examples: fixing live occupancy accuracy, resolving tablet reliability issues, or building frameworks that accelerate other engineers.
• Build & Lead Small Teams When Needed: As initiatives scale, you may hire and manage a very small team (1–3 engineers) to help you execute. This is not traditional people management - you remain hands-on and technical - but you provide light mentorship, delegation, and direction. You know when to bring in help and when to stay solo.
• Operate with Radical Autonomy: You meet with the CTO once per week for less than 30 minutes in a fully agenda-driven session. Beyond that, you own your priorities, execution, and impact. You proactively identify what needs to be done, align with stakeholders (tech team leads, Head of Product, lead engineers), and ship results without hand-holding.
• Translate Technical Decisions into Business Outcomes: You articulate how your work impacts ARR, margin, or velocity. You write clear RFCs, communicate trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders, and ensure leadership understands the "why" behind every architectural decision. Your technical excellence is matched by your ability to influence strategy.

Requirements

• Proven Zero-to-One Track Record: You have built systems from scratch and shipped them to production. You know the difference between a prototype and a product. If you have never taken a greenfield project from idea to production, this role is not for you.
• High-Pressure Technical Leadership: You have been the most senior engineer in the room during a crisis. You stay calm under pressure, make decisions with incomplete information, and take ownership of outcomes.
• Backend-Heavy or Full-Stack Depth: Exceptionally strong in backend systems (Python, Node.js/NestJS, TypeScript) with experience in distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and AWS (RDS, DynamoDB, S3, Lambda, SQS). You understand infrastructure-as-code (Terraform), CI/CD pipelines (GitLab), and container orchestration (Kubernetes).
• First-Principles Thinking: You understand why systems are designed the way they are and when to break the rules. You know when an 80% solution delivers 100% of the value. You can articulate the second- and third-order effects of your architectural decisions.
• Entrepreneurial Ownership & Self-Direction: You think like a founder. You care about business impact, not just code elegance. You proactively identify what needs to be done, prioritize ruthlessly, and execute with minimal oversight. You understand Peter Park's strategic pillars (automatic payment, next-gen kiosk, geographic expansion).
• Communication Without Gatekeeping: You write clear RFCs and technical documentation. You explain complex trade-offs to product managers, CxOs, and junior engineers without condescension. You mentor without gatekeeping and embrace direct feedback.
• Cultural Fit: You embody Peter Park values: performance over politics, fairness, and transparency. You challenge assumptions, push back on bad ideas, and demand clarity. Excellent English communication (C1+) is mandatory. German proficiency is a plus.

Technologies We Work With:

• Event-driven backend development in Python and NestJS (Microservice architecture).
• Frontend monorepo with Turbo, pnpm, and Storybook, primarily using Vue.js.
• TypeScript, BullMQ, and Prisma in an opinionated monorepo approach.
• Cloud infrastructure on AWS (RDS, DynamoDB, S3, Lambda, EC2, SQS).
• Container orchestration with Kubernetes and IaC using Terraform.
• CI/CD pipelines via GitLab and monitoring via Datadog, Prometheus, Grafana.
• Edge Systems: 500+ IoT devices across Europe (cameras, kiosks, routers) running on distributed infrastructure.

Team

• Hours: 40 hours per week (based on trust).
• Home Office Policy: Enjoy a hybrid model with 3 days in the office / 2 days remote.
• Contract: A permanent contract for long-term stability.
• Location: Our modern office in Munich, a vibrant city in the heart of Bavaria.

What we offer:

We believe in supporting our team with an environment that fosters growth, well-being, and a great work-life balance.

• Your Ideal Setup: MacBook (M4 Pro, 48GB Ram) and a 37-inch curved screen.
• Dynamic Culture: Enjoy a true startup atmosphere with flat hierarchies, agile teams, and a diverse, international group of colleagues.
• Flexibility: Benefit from flexible working hours and the option to work from home or our state-of-the-art Munich office with standing desks.
• Competitive Compensation: A strong competitive salary that recognizes your expertise.
• Future Planning: A solid company pension plan.
• Foodie Perks: Daily meal allowance, weekly free team lunch, a well-stocked cereal bar, and complimentary drinks.
• Health & Wellness: Job bike program and access to premium sports and fitness facilities via EGYM Wellpass or Urban Sports Club membership across Germany.
• Continuous Growth: Ample professional development opportunities to sharpen your skills.
• Language Support: German language learning opportunities.
• Exclusive Discounts: Enjoy special discounts on various branded products through Corporate Benefits.

Application Process

• Initial Contact: We’ll get back to you within 48 hours.
• HR Interview: Discuss your experience and expectations with our HR team.
• Live Assessment: Showcase your skills in a practical technical challenge.
• Leadership Conversation: A deep dive into the role and expectations with a member of our technical leadership
• On-Site Meeting: Visit our Munich office, meet more of the team, and experience our culture firsthand!