Senior Researcher

Fountane Archipelago  ·  Island Role

A Little Bit About the Role

We are looking for a Senior Product Engineer (L3) who thrives in complexity. Most engineers build on blank canvases — you build on someone else’s mess and leave it better than you found it.

The majority of your work at L3 will be on existing, live codebases — disorganised, partially documented, built by multiple teams over multiple years. Your job is to enter those systems, understand them before touching them, extend and clean them without breaking what works, and progressively bring them up to a standard where AI tooling can accelerate further development. This is the core of what L3 does at Fountane. If you have only built greenfield projects, this role will be hard.

You are expected to be genuinely full stack: comfortable owning web applications and mobile apps, the frontend, backend, database, state management, and API integration layer — without needing to hand off to a specialist.

You will work closely with the Concept Engineer on your Island — translating their prototypes into production architecture, raising technical blockers early, and keeping the sprint honest. You will also review code, mentor junior engineers, respond to production incidents, and contribute to the network’s shared knowledge base.

All of this is done primarily with Cursor and Claude as your execution and reasoning tools. AI-assisted engineering is not a feature of this role — it is the method.

AI-First Engineering Expectation

Cursor and Claude are your primary tools — not supplements. Engineers at L3 who are not using AI at the codebase level are not operating at this level.

At L3, AI-assisted engineering means:

• Loading full codebase context into Cursor before writing a single line — understanding the system before touching it.
• Writing scoped, precise refactor prompts that isolate changes to one concern at a time.
• Using Cursor to generate tests that document existing behaviour before any restructuring begins.
• Using Claude for architecture reasoning, decision documentation, and translating CE briefs into structured technical plans.
• Producing inline documentation and decision records as part of the AI-assisted workflow — not as an afterthought.
• Sharing effective prompt patterns and Cursor discoveries with the broader Fountane network — kept to yourself, they are a missed contribution.

Key Responsibilities

Legacy Codebase Refactoring & the Cleaning Phase

This is the primary L3 engagement type at Fountane. You will be handed existing, partially documented codebases — built by previous teams, often without tests, with inconsistent patterns — and your job is to refactor them into a clean, AI-promptable state without losing existing functionality. You use Cursor’s codebase context window to navigate safely, write characterisation tests before touching anything, and make changes in small, reviewable increments. The standard is: every module you leave should be easier to extend by AI tooling than when you found it.

Full Stack Development — Web & Mobile

Build and own the full application layer: React / Next.js web frontends, React Native or Flutter mobile apps, Node.js / Python backends, and relational and non-relational databases. You should be able to pick up web or mobile on any engagement without needing a handoff. Schema design, data modelling, and state architecture are yours to own — including diagnosing and fixing broken or leaking state in existing frontends.

Third-Party API Integrations

Integrate complex third-party services — payments (Stripe), communications (Twilio), auth (Auth0), and others — reliably and without creating brittle dependencies. Own the integration layer end to end: error handling, retries, failure modes, and documentation. If a third-party integration is flaky in production, that is your problem to own.

CE Collaboration & Sprint Integrity

Work directly with the Concept Engineer to translate prototypes into buildable technical plans. Review CE briefs before the sprint starts — if the scope is technically unrealistic, the time to say so is before work begins, not on demo day. Raise blockers against acceptance criteria proactively. You are the technical check on what the CE promises the client.

Security Awareness

Write code that does not require the Lead to security-audit every line. This means: input validation by default, no hardcoded secrets, correct auth scoping, safe handling of user data, and awareness of common vulnerabilities (injection, broken auth, insecure direct object references) in the context of the stacks you work in. You are not the security architect — the Lead owns that — but you are expected to produce code that does not introduce obvious vulnerabilities.

Production Incident Response

When something breaks in production, you are on it. Diagnose the issue, apply a safe fix or rollback, document what happened and why, and hand a clear summary to the Lead for the client post-mortem. Speed matters, but a bad fix that causes a second incident is worse than a slow fix that is correct. Response expectation: acknowledged within 1 hour, resolved or escalated with a clear status within 4 hours.

Codebase Navigation & Safe Refactoring

On all engagements — not just Cleaning Phase work — keep changes small, focused, and reviewable. One type of change per commit. Write tests that document existing behaviour before restructuring. Leave every module easier to understand than when you found it.

Code Review

Review pull requests from L1 and L2 engineers with specific, actionable feedback — not rubber-stamp approvals. A good code review at L3 leaves the author understanding what to do differently next time, not just what to fix now. Review weekly; do not let PRs age.

Mentoring

Review junior engineers’ code weekly with specific, useful feedback — this is distinct from quality-gate code review. The goal here is teaching, not gatekeeping. Run monthly pairing sessions to help them grow. The measure of good mentoring is whether they are becoming more capable and less dependent on you over time.

Documentation

Write short decision records when you make significant technical choices. Leave every module you touch easier to understand than when you found it. Treat documentation as part of the engineering work, not a separate task you do at the end.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a software engineer, with a strong track record on real production codebases you did not build from scratch — incomplete documentation, inconsistent patterns, other people’s decisions. If your experience is primarily greenfield, this role will be a difficult fit.
• Genuinely full stack across web and mobile: proficient in React / Next.js and at least one of React Native or Flutter, Node.js or Python on the backend, and comfortable with both relational and non-relational databases including schema design.
• Hands-on, daily Cursor and Claude usage at the codebase level. You should be able to describe concretely how you use AI in your engineering workflow — not in general terms.
• Experience integrating complex third-party APIs in production environments — not just following a quickstart guide. You should be able to describe an integration that failed in production and what you did about it.
• Solid security awareness for the stacks you work in: input validation, auth scoping, safe data handling. You do not need a security specialism, but you should not be writing code that introduces obvious vulnerabilities.
• Has conducted meaningful code reviews that improved the code and the author, not just approved the PR.
• Has coached or mentored junior engineers before, and done it well.
• Comfortable with production incident response — diagnosing issues under pressure, applying safe fixes, and communicating clearly to a Lead or client about what happened.
• Treats documentation as part of the job, not an afterthought.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent experience.

About Fountane

Fountane is a technology ventures lab - one part product studio, one part startup engine. We build high-quality software and AI products for clients ranging from fast-moving startups to large enterprises, and we co-build and invest in new companies when we see the right opportunity.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Minneapolis, we have grown to 60+ people across four continents and were recognised as one of America’s fastest-growing companies, ranking No. 699 on the Inc. 5000 with 595% three-year growth.

We are radically open-minded, serious about craft, and direct about expectations. If you want to do meaningful work without politics, this is the place.

Cognizant is seeking a highly skilled Senior Java Full Stack Developer with strong expertise in Core Java, enterprise application development, and modern web technologies. The ideal candidate should possess exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities, demonstrate strong coding proficiency, and have extensive hands-on experience developing and maintaining enterprise-grade applications using Spring MVC, Hibernate, Oracle, Kafka, and React JS.

The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, developing, optimizing, and supporting mission-critical business applications while collaborating with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced Agile environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, enhance, and maintain scalable, high-performance Java-based enterprise applications.

• Analyse complex business requirements and translate them into efficient, maintainable, and scalable technical solutions.

• Write clean, optimized, reusable, and well-documented code following industry best practices and coding standards.

• Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve complex application issues while ensuring system stability and performance.

• Perform code reviews and mentor junior developers to ensure high-quality software delivery.

• Optimize application performance through code refactoring, tuning, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Develop and maintain RESTful services and backend components.

• Work extensively with Oracle databases, including query optimization and performance tuning.

• Collaborate with business analysts, QA teams, architects, and stakeholders throughout the software development lifecycle.

• Contribute to frontend development using React JS and modern JavaScript frameworks.

• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives, and daily stand-ups.

Mandatory Technical Skills

Core Java Expertise

• Strong hands-on experience in Core Java development.

• Ability to independently solve complex coding and algorithmic problems.

• Deep understanding of:

o String Handling & Immutability

o Collection Framework

o Concurrency & multi-threading

o Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)

o Exception Handling

o JVM Internals

o Design Patterns

Backend Development

• Spring MVC

• Hibernate / JPA

• REST API Development

• Apache Kafka

• Oracle Database

• SQL, Query Optimization, and Database Performance Tuning

Frontend Development

• React JS

• JavaScript (ES6+)

• HTML5

• CSS3

Essential Competencies

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

• Ability to explain technical decisions, trade-offs, and implementation approaches.

• Experience in application debugging, code optimization, and performance tuning.

• Strong communication and stakeholder interaction skills.

Good-to-Have Skills

• Spring Boot

• Microservices Architecture

• AWS Cloud Services

• CI/CD Tools and DevOps Practices

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies

• Containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes

Desired Candidate Profile

• 8–12 years of hands-on software development experience.

• Proven track record of delivering enterprise-scale applications.

• Strong understanding of software engineering principles and best practices.

• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within distributed teams.

• Passion for developing high-quality, scalable, and maintainable software solutions.

• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to drive technical discussions and solution design.

Preferred Notice Period: Immediate to 30 Days

REQUIREMENTS: ● 1-2 years in outbound focused sales position desired; customer-oriented background required (sales, support, customer service) in B2B preferably ● Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field ● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills ● The ability to generate leads independently. ● Willingness to learn and apply the fundamentals of the MEDDIC Sales process approach ● Great to have-Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and/or Computer Vision ● Knowledge of the AI industry and emerging technologies

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: ● Prospecting: As a SDR you will be responsible for identifying and qualifying high potential customers via cold calling, networking, e-mail, as well as utilizing Internet information sources to build and maintain a lead development pipeline. ● Lead Nurturing: You will follow up with qualified leads and build a relationship with them, answering their questions and providing helpful information to move them closer to a buying decision. ● Sales Enablement: You will work closely with the sales team to understand their needs and help them be more effective in closing deals. This can involve creating sales collateral, providing market insights, and organizing training sessions. ● Data Management: You’ll be responsible for keeping accurate and up-to-date records of all their activities and interactions with potential customers. This data is used to inform the sales process and improve overall performance. ● Pipeline Management: You will be managing the pipeline of leads and ensuring that it is always full of high-quality prospects.

The Software Sales Representative is responsible for promoting and selling software products to prospective clients. This includes understanding customer needs, presenting software solutions, managing the sales process, and closing deals. The role requires a mix of technical knowledge, sales skills, and the ability to build lasting relationships with clients.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales Prospecting:

• Identify and target potential clients or companies that could benefit from the software solutions.
• Conduct outreach through calls, emails, networking, and events to generate new business opportunities.

1. Customer Needs Analysis:

• Understand client needs and requirements through consultations and meetings.
• Conduct product demos and presentations to showcase how the software meets the client's needs.

1. Sales Presentations & Demonstrations:

• Prepare and deliver presentations and software demonstrations to prospects.
• Customize presentations based on the client’s business goals and technical environment.

1. Negotiation & Closing Deals:

• Negotiate pricing, terms, and contracts with customers.
• Close deals by overcoming objections and addressing customer concerns.

1. Relationship Management:

• Maintain ongoing relationships with existing clients to ensure satisfaction and upsell or renew business.
• Provide post-sales support and troubleshooting as needed to ensure client success.

1. Market Research:

• Stay updated on industry trends, competitors, and the evolving software market.
• Use this knowledge to advise customers on the best solutions and strategies.

1. Reporting & Documentation:

• Track and report sales progress, client interactions, and pipeline status.
• Update CRM systems with accurate sales data, meetings, and communications.

1. Collaboration:

• Work closely with marketing, product development, and customer support teams to align sales strategies with business goals.
• Provide feedback to the product team about client needs and market trends.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field (preferred).
• Experience: Proven experience in software sales or technology sales (3-8 years preferred).
• Skills:
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to understand and explain technical software concepts.
• Negotiation and closing skills.
• Proficiency with CRM tools and sales tracking software.
• Personal Attributes: Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and able to work independently.
• Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with software products or services relevant to the company’s offerings.

We are a stealth startup (founded by IIT-IIM alums) building a niche gamified parental community and market place for parents of children aged 0-12 years. We are looking for a CTO/Co-founder who has significant consumer facing app build experience (4+ years app building, 6-7 years overall experience) with comfort around React Native, Java, Node JS, Mango DB etc. Tech leaders from Hyderabad would be given preference (not necessary).

• Responding to escalated customer issues from L1 Customer Support Specialists.
• Excellent communication skills, especially related to relaying information between technical and non-technical parties
• Working closely with support and Level 3 teams.
• Building a deep technical knowledge of our product capabilities for both the front and back end.
• Escalating issues when required according to defined escalation paths.
• Maintaining a high level of professionalism with internal teams and customers and working to establish a positive rapport.
• Participation in standard product management processes (grooming sessions, stand-ups, etc. ) related to the resolution of customer-facing issues
• Work continuously to document product and technical knowledge.
• Responsible for driving L2 and L3 cases to closure meeting "case to closure" and "customer satisfaction" deliverables

• Development of Web and Mobile application
• Proficient in Figma and Photoshop, HTML, Angular, Material Design, jQuery, CSS, ES6, Bootstrap
• Good understandings and skills in User Empathy, Analytical Thinking, User Stories, Branding and Content.
• Passion to work in dynamic, start-up environment.
• Compensation best in the industry.

Functional: Manual Functional Testing of Web and Mobile Applications, Writing Test Cases, Regression Testing, Data Verification, GIT & JIRA, Basic Automation Testing,
Testing feeds - Understanding of JSON and XML structures, Testing tools like Postman, Swagger & Charles Proxy, Browser Development Tools,GIT & JIRA.

Position description: 2+ years of hands on experience in testing.

Primary Responsibilities:

• To work closely with software developers and product planners to understand more about what the product is for, its key features and the intended audience
• Required to carry out a mix of key functional and non-functional tests such as Sanity, Regression, Load, Security and Deployment
• Required to plan test cases in consultation with the stake holders
• Required to document all bugs and findings of these tests and ensuring they are addressed

Required Skills:

Mandatory: Passionate about sports, Problem solving, Team player, Target & Result oriented.