Head Of R&D

Description An international startup in the gaming industry, operating in a fast-paced B2C environment, is looking for a Head of R&D to lead technology, product innovation, and platform evolution. The company develops data-driven digital gaming experiences with a strong focus on scalability, monetization, and user engagement. This is a strategic and hands-on leadership position, combining technology, product, and business ownership. The role includes leading R&D strategy, architecture, and execution while building scalable products, driving innovation, and leveraging AI to improve speed and efficiency. Location: Yokneam Responsibilities: Define and execute the R&D roadmap, architecture, and technology strategy. Lead product development, platform scalability, and continuous optimization. Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing engineering team. Drive data collection, monitoring, and performance optimization to improve user experience and business outcomes. Identify new product opportunities, monetization capabilities, and growth initiatives. Promote adoption of AI tools and automation to accelerate development and improve productivity. Collaborate closely with Product, Marketing, and Business teams. Requirements Requirements: 5+ years of hands-on software development experience. Experience in senior R&D / Engineering leadership roles (Director, VP R&D, Head of Engineering, or similar) – strong advantage. Strong hands-on backend and frontend development experience. Proficiency in technologies such as Node.js, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript. Experience with modern frontend frameworks (React, Angular, or similar). Strong background with databases and data-driven systems (PostgreSQL, Big Data technologies). Deep understanding of system architecture, scalability, and performance optimization. Experience leveraging AI tools and automation to improve development speed and problem-solving. Strong communication skills and fluent English. Nice to Have: Experience in gaming, social gaming, or B2C high-scale platforms. Experience building and scaling SaaS products. Background in real-time, high-traffic systems and startup environments.