Principal Engineer (Part-Time / Project-Based)

Location : Remote (Europe)

Type : Project-based

• Part-time
• Flexible schedule
• Stock options possible

About the Company

Our client is a next-generation Government Tech & AI startup on a mission to bring transparency and accountability to global public procurement systems.

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Lisbon (soon to be incorporated in Dubai), the company is building AI-powered procurement transparency solutions for governments worldwide — think Palantir , but built for multiple governments and open ecosystems rather than for a single national structure.

Their vision : to replace opaque, corruption-prone procurement with data-driven, AI-enabled transparency that any government can adopt.

The Role

We’re looking for a Software Architect to lead the rebuild and modernization of the company’s AI-driven government procurement platform.

This is a project-based, high-impact engagement — ideal for a senior external specialist who can step in, design a scalable architecture, define technical foundations, and guide the transition from MVP to enterprise-grade product.

You’ll focus on system design, data architecture, and AI integration , ensuring the platform can handle massive procurement datasets and multi-agent AI workflows.

Once the architecture is established, the implementation will be handed over to the internal engineering team (which you may help structure or advise on).

Key Responsibilities

Redesign the MVP into a scalable, secure enterprise-grade platform architecture

Define AI orchestration layers integrating multiple LLMs (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, Grok, etc.)

Establish enterprise-level security , compliance , and data governance frameworks

Optimize database architecture for large-scale procurement datasets (currently Neo4j-based)

Advise leadership on scalability, data infrastructure, and long-term technology roadmap

Optionally assist in forming and onboarding the future engineering team

Requirements

Senior-level experience designing architecture for complex, data-heavy systems

Strong background in AI / ML infrastructure or multi-LLM integration

Proven expertise in database design and optimization (preferably graph or hybrid systems)

Solid understanding of security and compliance in regulated or government environments

Demonstrated success in rebuilding or scaling systems from MVP to production

Previous consulting or project-based architecture experience is a strong plus

What’s Offered

Part-time, fully remote engagement with a flexible schedule

Strategic, high-ownership role with freedom to define the tech vision

Collaboration with a forward-thinking GovTech & AI leadership team

Option to stay connected for future advisory or scaling phases

Competitive compensation (project-based) + potential equity