Software Development Engineer (SDE) — Mobile & Backend (Android/iOS)

About the Role

VexarDrive Technologies is seeking an SDE — Full Stack & Mobile to build and scale our mobile and backend ecosystem. This role combines primary ownership of at least one native mobile platform (Android/Kotlin or iOS/Swift) with shared ownership of our Node.js/Express backend, PostgreSQL layer, APIs, authentication, and product architecture. Candidates strong in both Android and iOS are especially valuable and will be considered for cross-platform ownership, but specialization in one platform with solid working knowledge of the other is the baseline expectation. Given VexarDrive's focus on mobility, fleet management, real-time location, background execution, driver safety, sensors, and maps, this requires stronger platform and systems knowledge than a conventional mobile frontend role. You'll work with the UI/UX Designer, ML team, Infrastructure Engineer, Cybersecurity team, and founders — taking product requirements from architecture through production.

Primary Ownership
Full ownership: Your specialized mobile platform(s) — native Android (Kotlin) and/or native iOS (Swift) application architecture, platform integrations, background execution, sensor/location integration, app performance, and store deployment (Play Store and/or App Store).

Shared ownership: Node.js/Express backend, PostgreSQL, REST APIs, auth, business logic, data models, API contracts, backend testing/security/performance, product architecture.

If you specialize in only one platform, you'll be expected to understand the other platform's architecture, flows, and API integration patterns well enough to collaborate closely with whoever owns it — the objective is complementary ownership, not isolated platform silos.

Key Responsibilities
Mobile Application Development
Android (Kotlin): Build production apps using Jetpack Compose (or Views where needed); implement MVVM/Clean Architecture, Repository Pattern, DI; use Coroutines for async work.

iOS (Swift): Build production apps using SwiftUI (UIKit knowledge a plus); implement MVVM/Clean Architecture, Repository Pattern, DI

Translate approved Figma designs into responsive, polished interfaces on your platform(s); implement loading/empty/offline/error/permission states across supported OS versions and devices.

Background Location & Mobility Systems
Android: Implement tracking via FusedLocationProviderClient; manage Foreground Services and WorkManager.

iOS: Implement tracking via Core Location; configure iOS Background Modes within Apple's execution restrictions and App Store compliance requirements.

Design workflows for active rides, driver/fleet tracking, trip recording, geofencing, and safety monitoring; handle location/notification/sensor permission flows gracefully, including denied/revoked states and battery-optimization restrictions.

Sensor & Safety Systems
Work with platform sensor APIs (Android accelerometer/gyroscope or iOS Core Motion) to capture and process data for safety features.
Support sensor-fusion combining motion, location, and speed signals; collaborate with the ML team on on-device inference (TensorFlow Lite/ONNX Runtime for Android, Core ML for iOS); optimize for battery and sampling frequency.

Maps & Geospatial Features
Integrate Google Maps SDK (Android and/or iOS) for live vehicle/driver tracking, trip visualization, geofencing, route information, and fleet operations.
Manage markers, overlays, camera behavior, and location updates while minimizing network, rendering, and battery overhead.

Backend Engineering
(Not a mobile-only role — shared with whoever owns the other mobile platform.)

Develop REST APIs using Node.js and Express.js consumed across Android, iOS, and other VexarDrive products.

Implement authentication, authorization, RBAC, business logic, validation, error handling, pagination, filtering, search, and rate-limiting.

Maintain clean separation between routes, controllers, services, and data-access layers; align API contracts across platforms before mobile implementation begins.

Database Development
Design/modify PostgreSQL schemas; write and optimize SQL (indexing, transactions, query performance, data integrity).

Use Prisma or the adopted ORM; create and review migrations; coordinate schema changes with the Infrastructure Engineer for safe production deployment.

Authentication & Security
Implement JWT-based auth (access/refresh tokens), RBAC, and secure session handling across mobile and backend.

Store sensitive data securely using Android Keystore and/or iOS Keychain; never hardcode secrets; use HTTPS/TLS; work with the Cybersecurity team on vulnerability identification and remediation.

Offline Support & Data Synchronization
Implement local persistence and caching (e.g., Room for Android) appropriate to your platform; queue data when connectivity is unavailable and sync on reconnection.

Handle duplicate requests, stale data, and conflicting states; communicate sync/offline status clearly in the UI.

Real-Time Systems & Notifications
Implement push notifications (Firebase Cloud Messaging for Android, APNs for iOS) for safety alerts, SOS events, fleet alerts, and operational updates across foreground/background/terminated states.

Use WebSockets or other real-time mechanisms where required, designed for reliability rather than assuming constant connectivity.

Performance & Battery Optimization
Profile CPU, memory, network requests, location/sensor update frequency, background services, startup time, and UI rendering.

Identify memory leaks, unnecessary background work, and inefficient behavior — with particular attention to battery consumption given continuous location and sensor use.

Testing & Engineering Quality
Write unit and integration tests for backend and mobile functionality; debug end-to-end across Mobile App → API → Backend Logic → Database → Infrastructure.

Participate in code reviews for correctness, maintainability, security, performance, and architecture; maintain clean Git/PR practices and documentation.

Release Management
Android: Build variants, signing, versioning, staged rollouts, Play Store distribution.

iOS: Xcode, certificates, provisioning, code signing, TestFlight, App Store Connect submissions, App Review coordination.

Collaborate with the Infrastructure Engineer on automated build/release pipelines (Fastlane, Xcode Cloud, GitHub Actions, or equivalent); monitor releases and support rollbacks.

Cross-Platform Collaboration
If specializing in one platform, understand the other platform's major modules, flows, and constraints well enough to review shared API contracts, spot behavioral inconsistencies, and assist in debugging shared backend issues.

If working across both platforms, ensure feature parity and consistent behavior while respecting each platform's native conventions.

Core Technical Requirements
Mobile (at least one, both a strong plus):
Android: Kotlin, Android SDK, Jetpack Compose/Views, lifecycle, MVVM/Clean Architecture, Coroutines, networking, local storage, Foreground Services, WorkManager, permissions, location services, sensor APIs.

iOS: Swift, SwiftUI, iOS SDK, app lifecycle, Core Location, Core Motion, Background Modes, networking, Keychain, local persistence, push notifications, MVVM/Clean Architecture. UIKit knowledge advantageous.

Backend: JavaScript/TypeScript, Node.js, Express.js, REST API development, middleware, auth/authz, validation, error handling, async programming.

Database: PostgreSQL, SQL, relational schema design, joins, indexing, transactions, migrations, ORM concepts (Prisma a plus).

Fundamentals: Data structures, algorithms, OOP, API design, software architecture, design patterns, Git, debugging, testing, secure coding, basic networking.
Preferred Qualifications

Proficiency in both Android and iOS (strong advantage, not required); Google Maps SDK and FusedLocationProviderClient/Core Location experience; Firebase/FCM or APNs experience; WebSockets/real-time systems; on-device ML (TensorFlow Lite, ONNX Runtime, or Core ML); motion/sensor data processing; Docker; AWS/GCP/Azure familiarity; CI/CD experience; TypeScript/Prisma; microservices/SOA exposure; experience shipping a production app via Play Store and/or App Store.

Portfolio Requirement

A GitHub profile, deployed app, Play Store/App Store application, or equivalent technical portfolio is required — showing production-quality mobile development (on your platform(s) of expertise), backend/API work, database integration, auth, location/maps features, background services, real-time functionality, testing, and deployment. Be ready to discuss architecture, trade-offs, and individual contribution.

What We Expect

We're looking for a product engineer, not just a mobile UI developer — someone who can take a feature through Requirement → Architecture → DB/API Design → Backend → Mobile Implementation → Testing → Release → Monitoring. You'll own your mobile platform(s) while actively contributing to shared backend and architecture decisions. We value strong engineering fundamentals, platform expertise, system-level thinking, code quality, ownership, and the ability to solve unfamiliar problems — and candidates who bring both Android and iOS capability will stand out.

Send your Resumes/CV/Portfolios to [email protected]