Founding Engineer — AI-Powered Commerce Startup (YC-backed)
San Francisco, CA · On-site · Full-time · $160,000–$200,000/year
About the role
We're hiring on behalf of a fast-moving, YC-backed startup building the future of AI-powered commerce, helping retail brands succeed in the era of AI-driven shopping. They're looking for a Founding Engineer to join as their first engineering hire. You'll have significant ownership over product architecture, full-stack development, and the implementation of cutting-edge AI agent technologies. You'll work directly with customers, turn their feedback into shipped features, and build scalable infrastructure from the ground up.
What you'll need (critical)
- 3-7 years of professional software engineering experience
- Experience at a Series A, Series B, or other fast-moving tech company
- Hands-on experience building or working with AI agents / agent-based systems
- Strong full-stack skills in TypeScript, Node.js, Express, React, and Next.js
- Ability to ship features independently across the whole stack
- High agency, strong ownership mentality, comfort with ambiguity
- A genuine startup mindset and willingness to wear multiple hats
Good to have
- PostgreSQL, Redis, and asynchronous systems experience
- Browser automation, scraping, or retrieval infrastructure experience
- AI agent orchestration, context management, or evaluations experience
- Experience with production systems, observability, and workflow orchestration
Bonus points
- Experience with MCP servers and developer tools
- Background in e-commerce, retail, search, attribution, or analytics
- Degree from a top-50 university
Benefits
Competitive salary, unlimited PTO, health insurance, 401(k), and a Bay Club gym membership.
How to apply
Send your CV — we'll review it against the role requirements and follow up directly with strong matches.
Pay: $160,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person