Lead Engineering Manager – AI Creativity Apps
Full-TimeJob Overview
About Retake & Codeway
For years, photo editing apps barely evolved. Then came Retake, combining powerful AI with natural, real results. In just two years, it has become the fastest-growing face editing app, with $40M+ ARR and 35M+ downloads.
Retake began as a rebellion against outdated photo editing tools, proving that creativity and technology can coexist without filters or fakery. While competitors still chase gimmicks, Retake is building something real: natural, authentic photos powered by advanced AI.
Today, Retake is used by millions around the world, driven by a deep in-house AI capability and a relentless focus on user experience. Our vision is to make photo editing effortless, personal, and inspiring for everyone.
Retake is part of Codeway Group, one of Europe’s fastest-growing consumer app companies, now surpassing $300M in annual revenue across verticals in AI creativity, wellness, learning, and productivity.
We are now looking for an Development Lead to take our AI Creativity vertical into its next chapter, building the foundation for products that will define how millions of people create, edit, and express themselves. This is a rare opportunity to own the technical direction of a flagship category within Codeway’s $300M+ ARR consumer app group, supported by world-class AI talent, a proven growth engine, and a culture built on speed, ownership, and innovation.
About the Role
As Lead Engineering Manager, you’ll own the full technical direction of our AI Creativity APPs starting with Retake. You’ll lead and grow a cross-functional engineering team (frontend, backend, fullstack), shaping the product’s technical vision and delivering seamless, world-class user experiences. This is a hands-on leadership role in a fast-paced, creative environment where ideas move from concept to live product in weeks.
What you'll do
◦ Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing engineering team
◦ Design and own end-to-end architecture across mobile and backend systems
◦ Translate product requirements into clear, scalable, maintainable technical designs
◦ Collaborate closely with AI and product teams to bring model outputs into production
◦ Drive technical excellence through code reviews, mentorship, and hands-on development
◦ Guide architectural decisions on performance, scalability, and reliability
◦ Define and deliver on a technical roadmap aligned with business goals
What you bring
◦ Proven expertise (5+ years) in software development and at least 2 years in mobile (Flutter experience a plus)
◦ Strong understanding of image rendering, caching, concurrency, and performance optimization
◦ Experience architecting and operating backend systems that support AI-driven workflows
◦ Solid grasp of API design, scalability, and secure, low-latency communication between mobile and backend
◦ Familiarity with GPU-based inference, asynchronous task handling, and privacy best practices for user and AI-generated data
◦ A passion for innovation and emerging AI technologies (e.g., Stable Diffusion, ControlNet)
◦ Strong technical planning and architecture skills—able to translate product ideas into actionable engineering work
◦ Demonstrated leadership across cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration and high technical standards
◦ Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
Why this role
◦ Own it: Full responsibility for technical strategy and execution on products used by millions
◦ Build from scratch: Create new systems and architectures—no legacy code to inherit
◦ Move fast: Work in a culture of speed, creativity, and autonomy
◦ Collaborate with excellence: Partner with top-tier engineers, designers, and product leaders
◦ Stay hands-on: Lead by example, solving complex technical challenges alongside your team
What We Offer
◦ Full ownership of technical strategy for a high-impact AI product
◦ Collaboration with executive leadership and AI experts
◦ Private health insurance, meal card, and wellness benefits
◦ Annual learning and development budget for conferences and professional growth
◦ Free access to Codeway’s AI, wellness, and education apps
◦ Modern, world-class Barcelona office
◦ Full relocation support for international hires (visa, travel, housing)
Our Hiring Process
◦ Recruiter Interview → Hiring Manager Interview → Technical Deep Dive → Leadership Interview → CEO Meeting
About Retake & Codeway
For years, photo editing apps barely evolved. Then came Retake, combining powerful AI with natural, real results. In just two years, it has become the fastest-growing face editing app, with $40M+ ARR and 35M+ downloads.
Retake began as a rebellion against outdated photo editing tools, proving that creativity and technology can coexist without filters or fakery. While competitors still chase gimmicks, Retake is building something real: natural, authentic photos powered by advanced AI.
Today, Retake is used by millions around the world, driven by a deep in-house AI capability and a relentless focus on user experience. Our vision is to make photo editing effortless, personal, and inspiring for everyone.
Retake is part of Codeway Group, one of Europe’s fastest-growing consumer app companies, now surpassing $300M in annual revenue across verticals in AI creativity, wellness, learning, and productivity.
We are now looking for an Development Lead to take our AI Creativity vertical into its next chapter, building the foundation for products that will define how millions of people create, edit, and express themselves. This is a rare opportunity to own the technical direction of a flagship category within Codeway’s $300M+ ARR consumer app group, supported by world-class AI talent, a proven growth engine, and a culture built on speed, ownership, and innovation.
About the Role
As Lead Engineering Manager, you’ll own the full technical direction of our AI Creativity APPs starting with Retake. You’ll lead and grow a cross-functional engineering team (frontend, backend, fullstack), shaping the product’s technical vision and delivering seamless, world-class user experiences. This is a hands-on leadership role in a fast-paced, creative environment where ideas move from concept to live product in weeks.
What you'll do
◦ Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing engineering team
◦ Design and own end-to-end architecture across mobile and backend systems
◦ Translate product requirements into clear, scalable, maintainable technical designs
◦ Collaborate closely with AI and product teams to bring model outputs into production
◦ Drive technical excellence through code reviews, mentorship, and hands-on development
◦ Guide architectural decisions on performance, scalability, and reliability
◦ Define and deliver on a technical roadmap aligned with business goals
What you bring
◦ Proven expertise (5+ years) in software development and at least 2 years in mobile (Flutter experience a plus)
◦ Strong understanding of image rendering, caching, concurrency, and performance optimization
◦ Experience architecting and operating backend systems that support AI-driven workflows
◦ Solid grasp of API design, scalability, and secure, low-latency communication between mobile and backend
◦ Familiarity with GPU-based inference, asynchronous task handling, and privacy best practices for user and AI-generated data
◦ A passion for innovation and emerging AI technologies (e.g., Stable Diffusion, ControlNet)
◦ Strong technical planning and architecture skills—able to translate product ideas into actionable engineering work
◦ Demonstrated leadership across cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration and high technical standards
◦ Excellent communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
Why this role
◦ Own it: Full responsibility for technical strategy and execution on products used by millions
◦ Build from scratch: Create new systems and architectures—no legacy code to inherit
◦ Move fast: Work in a culture of speed, creativity, and autonomy
◦ Collaborate with excellence: Partner with top-tier engineers, designers, and product leaders
◦ Stay hands-on: Lead by example, solving complex technical challenges alongside your team
What We Offer
◦ Full ownership of technical strategy for a high-impact AI product
◦ Collaboration with executive leadership and AI experts
◦ Private health insurance, meal card, and wellness benefits
◦ Annual learning and development budget for conferences and professional growth
◦ Free access to Codeway’s AI, wellness, and education apps
◦ Modern, world-class Barcelona office
◦ Full relocation support for international hires (visa, travel, housing)
Our Hiring Process
◦ Recruiter Interview → Hiring Manager Interview → Technical Deep Dive → Leadership Interview → CEO Meeting