Job Description

Founding Engineer

• Title of Role: Founding Engineer
• Location: San Francisco, onsite
• Company Stage of Funding: Venture-Backed — Ad Tech, AI, Consumer, Software Development
• Office Type: Onsite
• Salary: $170K–$210K

We're representing an exciting early-stage company based in San Francisco that is poised to make a significant impact in the ad tech and AI space. As the first engineering hire, you will collaborate directly with the founder(s) to shape the technical foundation and culture of the product. This is a unique opportunity to build something meaningful from the ground up and influence the trajectory of the company from day one.

What You Will Do

• Design, build, and maintain scalable backend systems and APIs using Python and/or Node.js with TypeScript.
• Own the infrastructure and DevOps practices end-to-end, provisioning and managing cloud resources on AWS with Terraform.
• Architect and manage MongoDB data models to support rapid product growth.
• Contribute to frontend development using React, collaborating on full-stack features as needed.
• Establish engineering best practices, including CI/CD pipelines and observability tooling, from the ground up.
• Make high-leverage technical decisions that will define the long-term architecture of the product.
• Work closely with founders to translate product requirements into robust, production-ready systems.

Ideal Candidate Background

• 2–8 years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong focus on backend development and infrastructure.
• Proficiency in Python and/or Node.js with TypeScript for building production backend services.
• Hands-on experience with AWS services and infrastructure-as-code using Terraform.
• Experience working with MongoDB in a production environment.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments and energized by the challenge of building without an established playbook.

Preferred

• Experience with high-traffic systems and low-latency requirements.
• Familiarity with data pipelines or real-time processing systems.
• Previous experience in early-stage or high-growth environments, demonstrating an ownership mindset.
• Exposure to AI tools that enhance development processes.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary for this role ranges from $170,000 to $210,000 per year, depending on experience. Additionally, you will receive meaningful early-stage equity, providing a unique opportunity to grow alongside the company.