Founding Engineer

2 weeks ago

San Francisco, California, United States Cadre Full time
 
Founding Engineer

Seniority & Experience
Target Range: 0–4 years of experience, but flexible up to 7 years for exceptional candidates.
Profile Fit:

  • Full-Stack Software Engineer (ideally 70% backend / 30% frontend).

  • Comfortable across the stack, especially with Python (backend) and (frontend).

  • Candidates with experience as a technical founder, founding CTO/CPO, or Forward Deployed Engineer are strong fits.

  • Not required to have formal defense experience but must show genuine passion for defense/national security.

Work Background

  • Track record of shipping full-stack products to customers.

  • Ex-founder or startup-style builder mindset is valued.

  • Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguous, high-speed environments.

  • Willingness to engage with users directly (including defense industry customers).

Education

  • CS degree from a Top 30 university is preferred (not strictly required if experience is strong).

Hard Skills
Languages & Frameworks:

  • Proficiency in Python, React,

  • Experience designing and deploying AI agents and LLM-based workflows.

Execution:

  • Strong ability to ship high-quality code daily.

  • Fast learner and iterative builder.

Data/AI:

  • Comfort with integrating LLMs into product pipelines.

Soft Skills

  • Defense Passion: Strong motivation to work on mission-critical national security problems.

  • Drive: High work ethic, hunger, and willingness to put in effort.

  • Adaptability: Comfortable with ambiguity, feedback synthesis, and fast iteration.

  • Ownership: Ability to move fast with full agency while collaborating with teammates.

  • Customer Presence: Confident enough to present to customers (and take tough feedback).

Logistics & Requirements

  • Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen.

  • Location: San Francisco (in-person, 5 days a week).

  • Travel: Occasional travel to DC / military bases.

  • Visa: No sponsorship available.

Compensation

  • Salary: $130k – $230k

  • Equity: 0.5% – 1.5%

  • Hiring Plan: At least 2+ candidates for this role.

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