Founding Software Engineer (Path to CTO)

CroX; A distancia; EUR 40.000 - 120.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

An innovative AgTech startup is looking for a Founding Software Engineer to take full technical ownership and shape their product from the ground up. This remote-first role offers a competitive salary ranging from €40,000 to €120,000, regular travel opportunities, and significant equity. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience, strong iOS skills, and the ability to work autonomously in a fast-paced environment. A clear path to CTO is available based on performance.

Servicios

Significant equity with vesting over 3 years

28 days vacation per year

Autonomy and ownership in a founding role

Formación

• At least 5+ years of hands-on engineering experience.
• Experience with embedded firmware and cloud backend development.
• Spanish language skills are a plus.

Responsabilidades

• Own the entire technical stack: firmware, cloud backend, and iOS app.
• Iterate on existing STM32-based firmware.
• Design and optimize cloud infrastructure for scalability.

Conocimientos

Strong software engineering fundamentals

Experience shipping complete products independently

iOS development experience (Swift / SwiftUI)

Comfort working autonomously as the sole engineer

Heavy use of AI coding tools

Herramientas

STM32

APIs

Cloud backend

Descripción del empleo

Founding Software Engineer (Path to CTO)

Remote (Europe preferred) | ✈️ Regular travel to South America |

Partner Company – AgTech / IoT Startup (Pre‑seed)

This is not a typical engineering role. We’re not looking for someone who just wants to write code. We’re looking for a builder someone excited by ambiguity, ownership, real‑world problems, and the opportunity to help build a company from the ground up. You’ll be the sole engineer, working AI‑first, shipping a real hardware + software product, and testing it in cattle fields in South America. If you’re looking for a polished corporate environment, a large team, or clearly defined processes from day one, this role is for you — and that’s completely fine.

About the Partner Company

Our partner is an early‑stage AgTech / IoT startup focused on building sustainable, technology‑driven solutions with real‑world impact.

• Stage: Pre‑seed
• Focus: Virtual fencing technology for livestock
• Operations: Europe (founders & HQ) + South America (field operations)
• Mission: Create sustainable value where progress and responsibility for people and planet go hand in hand
• Culture: High ownership, AI‑first mindset, field‑driven problem solving
• One strong engineer + AI is expected to outperform traditional teams

The Role

Founding Software Engineer, you’ll own and ship the entire technical stack and play a central role in shaping the product, the architecture, and the technical direction of the company.

This role offers a clear path to Head of Engineering / CTO, depending on interest and performance. You’ll work directly with the founders and have full technical ownership from day one.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Own the entire technical stack: embedded firmware, cloud backend, and iOS app
• Take over, iterate, and optimize existing STM32‑based firmware
• Design and build cloud infrastructure from scratch (APIs, data, scalability)
• Build an iOS app designed for low‑literacy, non‑technical users (UX, visuals, text‑to‑speech)
• Collaborate closely with hardware manufacturing partners
• Use AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude, GitHub Copilot) as core development partners
• Travel regularly for hands‑on field testing and product launches
• Ship V1 to market in 2025 and continuously improve reliability and usability

What We’re Looking For (Must‑Haves)

• Strong software engineering fundamentals (language‑agnostic)
• Heavy, demonstrated use of AI coding tools in daily development
• Experience shipping complete products independently
• iOS development experience (Swift / SwiftUI)
• Systems thinking across firmware, backend, and mobile
• Comfort working autonomously as the sole engineer
• At least 5+ years of hands‑on engineering experience

Nice to Have

• Embedded / firmware experience (C, STM32)
• IoT protocols (e.g. LoRaWAN)
• Cloud backend development (any modern stack)
• Experience with hardware products
• Spanish language skills
• AgTech, robotics, or physical‑world product exposure

This Role Is NOT for You If…

• You need a large team to be productive
• You’re skeptical about AI‑assisted development
• You prefer highly structured corporate environments
• You’re looking for feature‑only work without ownership
• You’re uncomfortable with ambiguity, iteration, and field conditions

Who Thrives in This Role

• Autonomous, resourceful builders
• Low‑ego, high‑ownership mindset
• Comfortable with uncertainty and responsibility
• Strong product sense and user empathy
• Excited by real‑world, physical impact

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: 40,000 – 120,000 € (depending on equity track and seniority)
• Equity: Significant founding‑team level equity with vesting over 3 years
• Contract: Full‑time employment
• Vacation: 28 days per year
• Working model: Remote‑first (Europe preferred) with regular travel
• Upside: Clear path to Head of Engineering / CTO

Why Join?

• Founding‑team level ownership
• Full technical control across hardware & software
• Real‑world impact on sustainable agriculture
• Opportunity to prove the power of AI‑first development
• Build something tangible, meaningful, and challenging