Lead Android Development

Location: Hybrid – Gurugram Department: Technology / Engineering  Experience Level: 8+ Years Employment Type: Full-Time About the Role We are looking for a highly experienced and motivated Android Development Lead to join our mobile team. In this role, you will be responsible for building and optimizing our Android client, ensuring seamless real-time communication, low-latency performance, and top-tier user experience. You’ll play a key role in bringing core messaging features to life — from real-time chat to encrypted group conversations and rich media handling. This is a hands-on role that offers the opportunity to shape the architecture, engineering practices, and product features of a high-scale messaging app used by millions of users worldwide. Key Responsibilities 1. Architecture & App Development Design and implement scalable, maintainable Android architecture using Kotlin and modern Jetpack libraries . Develop high-performance, real-time messaging features: chat screens , typing indicators , read receipts , presence , and delivery statuses . Build advanced media handling: support for image, video, audio sharing, background upload/download, in-app playback, etc. Integrate with real-time backends using WebSockets , Firebase , or custom protocols. Ensure offline support, message synchronization, and data consistency across sessions/devices. 2. Security & Privacy Collaborate with backend/security teams to implement end-to-end encryption , secure local storage, and key management using Android Keystore . Handle authentication flows, session management, and token security. 3. Performance Optimization Continuously monitor and optimize app performance (memory, battery, network usage). Use tools like Android Profiler , LeakCanary , StrictMode , and Systrace for performance tuning. Ensure seamless UX even under poor network conditions with proper error handling and retry strategies. 4. Testing & Deployment Write comprehensive unit, integration, and UI tests using JUnit, Espresso, and MockK. Contribute to CI/CD pipelines for Android app releases. Participate in code reviews , automated testing , and linting . 5. Collaboration & Documentation Work closely with product managers , designers , and other engineers to define product requirements and implementation strategies. Provide technical mentorship to junior Android developers. Document key modules, APIs, and system behavior. Required Qualifications 8+ years of professional Android development experience. Strong command of Kotlin and in-depth knowledge of Android SDK , architecture components, and Jetpack libraries. Experience building and maintaining large-scale consumer apps, preferably in real-time messaging or communication domains . Deep understanding of WebSockets , background services, network handling , and multithreading with coroutines . Experience with REST APIs , Retrofit/OkHttp , and JSON parsing. Proficiency in Jetpack libraries : ViewModel, LiveData/StateFlow, Room, WorkManager, Navigation. Familiar with secure data storage , Keystore , and app security best practices . Strong knowledge of app lifecycle, background execution limits, Doze mode, and battery optimization. Preferred Qualifications Prior experience in messaging apps , chat SDKs, or real-time communication. Experience with XMPP , MQTT , or custom protocol integration. Knowledge of Jetpack Compose and declarative UI. Experience with FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging) and custom notification handling. Exposure to WebRTC , voice/video SDKs , or related media technologies. Understanding of analytics, crash reporting tools, and feature flag systems (e.g., Firebase, Sentry, Amplitude).