Founding Engineer

About the Role

Join an early-stage consumer AI startup as a Founding Engineer — a rare 1-of-1 role working directly alongside the founding team to shape both the product and engineering culture. This company is building a real-time AI-enabled platform designed to digitize human connection, making AI interactions feel genuinely present and personal. You'll help lay the technical foundation from the ground up in a fast-moving, high-ambition environment.

What You'll Do

• Build across the full application, collaborating closely with the founder, design team, and other engineers.
• Design and implement systems for memory, retrieval, proactivity, and AI responsiveness.
• Integrate real-time video generation and audio synthesis models — both internal and third-party.
• Set the bar for engineering quality and play an active role in recruiting world-class talent.
• Extensively use the product yourself to ensure real user value and quality.

What We're Looking For

• Required: Computer Science degree from a top university.
• Required: 2–7 years of professional software engineering experience (not a new grad).
• Required: Strong CS fundamentals and a track record of technically complex side projects.
• Required: High energy, entrepreneurial spirit — prior startup or fast-moving environment experience strongly valued.
• Required: Proficiency in Python, including typed scientific Python.
• Bonus: Experience with real-time media, vision/video model training or deployment, memory systems, or audio synthesis.
• Bonus: Familiarity with agentic coding or AI-assisted development workflows.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $175,000 – $225,000 USD annually
• Visa sponsorship available

Location

This role is fully on-site in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be willing and able to work in-person full-time.