Chief Technology Officer (CTO)/ Lead Developer Stuttgart, Germany · Part-time · Leadership About Merloop Merloop is an early-stage startup based in the Stuttgart region, building a Digital Product Passport as a Service (DPPaaS) platform. We help SMEs and global brands prepare for the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which mandates Digital Product Passports starting Q1 2027. What sets us apart is our focus on verification — rather than simply storing sustainability data, our AI-powered platform validates claims at their source, helping companies move from compliance on paper to compliance in practice. Role As Chief Technology Officer, you will own Merloop's entire technical vision and execution. You will lead the architecture and development of our multi-tenant SaaS platform on AWS, drive AI/ML integration for document processing and sustainability verification, and build a world‑class engineering team. This is a hands‑on leadership role where you will write code, make architectural decisions, and shape product strategy alongside the founding team. Key Responsibilities Technical Strategy: Define and execute the technical roadmap, aligning platform capabilities with ESPR compliance milestones and market demand. AWS Architecture: Lead architecture decisions for our multi-tenant SaaS platform built on AWS (Lambda, Cognito, Textract, EventBridge, DynamoDB/RDS, S3, and related services). AI & Machine Learning: Drive the development of AI-powered document processing pipelines, sustainability claim verification models, and intelligent data extraction workflows. Team Building: Recruit, mentor, and manage a high‑performing engineering team. Establish engineering culture, code quality standards, and DevOps best practices. Product & Business: Collaborate closely with the CEO on product vision, go‑to‑market strategy, investor communications, and technical due diligence. Security & Compliance: Implement robust security, data privacy (GDPR), and compliance measures for enterprise‑grade SaaS delivery. Regulatory Intelligence: Stay ahead of EU regulatory developments (ESPR, ESG reporting, Digital Product Passport standards) and translate them into platform features. Scalability & Cost: Make informed build‑vs‑buy decisions, manage cloud infrastructure costs, and optimise for scalability as the customer base grows. Must‑Have Qualifications Senior technical leader in a SaaS or platform startup environment Deep expertise in AWS services — hands‑on experience with serverless architectures (Lambda, API Gateway), managed databases, Cognito, S3, and infrastructure‑as‑code (CDK/CloudFormation/Terraform) Strong knowledge of AI/ML technologies, including NLP, document processing (OCR), and practical experience integrating AI models into production systems Demonstrated ability in strategic planning, technology roadmapping, and translating business objectives into scalable technical solutions Solid understanding of the market landscape for sustainability tech, RegTech, or B2B SaaS platforms serving regulated industries Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken) — this is the primary working language Conversational German language skills (minimum B1 level) for stakeholder interactions, local partnerships, and team communication Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, early‑stage environment with ambiguity What we offer A key leadership role in a team actively shaping the future of sustainable product compliance in Europe Become a co‑owner; we share the success with you Revenue‑sharing model — no fixed salary; we grow and earn together Hybrid working: remote or from Stuttgart co‑working space Collaboration in an interdisciplinary, technology‑driven team with a true startup vibe from day one Regular team events and access to mentoring, training, and a startup network The opportunity to build the technical foundation of a platform addressing a massive, regulation‑driven market before the EU‑wide DPP mandate kicks in How to Apply If you're passionate about sustainability, excited by the challenge of building an AI-powered platform from the ground up, and ready to lead the technical vision of a company tackling one of the EU's most significant regulatory shifts — we want to hear from you. Please send your CV along with a brief cover letter explaining your relevant experience and why you're excited about Merloop to: info@merloop.de #J-18808-Ljbffr