Founding Engineer

Chris Baily; New York (NY); On-site; USD 187,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Performance-based bonus

Job summary

Chris Baily in Manhattan, NY seeks a founding engineer to own features from concept to release. You will work directly with the CTO, shape product direction, and build backend systems powering an AI clinic platform.

The role combines hands-on coding with product decisions, a 50/50 split, and opportunities to influence how patients get care using AI tools. 1–3 years of software experience and strong Python are required.

Qualifications

• Strong backend engineering experience with end-to-end ownership.
• 1–3 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience building AI/LLM-powered features and strong Python skills.
• Bachelor's degree in CS or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own features end-to-end from product definition to release.
• Build and scale core backend systems for the AI clinic platform.
• Collaborate with the CTO to design architecture and meet growing demand.
• Split time roughly 50/50 between coding and shaping product direction.
• Use AI coding tools to multiply output.

Skills

Backend engineering

Python

System design

AI features

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AI coding tools

Job description

Location: Manhattan, New York, NY. On-site 5 days per week.

Employment type: Full-time, direct hire.

Base salary: $187,000 - $250,000 per year.

Additional compensation: Performance-based bonus plus 0.75% - 1.25% equity.

Experience: 1 - 3 years as a professional software engineer.

Work authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship.

About the Company

Our client is a Y Combinator-backed startup, founded in 2024, building an AI operating system for outpatient care. Their platform lets medical practices launch their own AI clinic, filling care gaps (like supporting patients between visits) that busy brick‑and‑mortar clinics do not have the capacity to cover. The company closed an oversubscribed seed round from top-tier Silicon Valley investors. The team includes AI product leaders from Google, engineers from high‑growth tech companies, and physician executives from major health systems. Demand is outpacing what the team can build, which makes engineering the single biggest lever in the business.

About the Role

This is a founding engineer seat. You would be one of the first 5 or 6 engineers, working directly with the CTO and owning entire product surfaces from start to finish. There is no PM handing you tickets. You decide what to build with the team, talk to customers when it helps, design it, write the backend, and ship it. If you want real ownership, fast growth, and work that changes how patients get care, this role was built for you.

What You Will Do

• Own features end to end, from product definition and UX decisions through backend implementation and release
• Build and scale the core backend systems that power the AI clinic platform in a 0-to-1 environment
• Work with the CTO every day to design architecture and deliver against fast‑growing customer demand
• Split your time roughly 50/50 between writing code and shaping product direction
• Use AI coding tools to multiply your output

What We Are Looking For

• Very strong backend engineering skills. You own systems end to end and ship production code quickly.
• 1 - 3 years of professional software engineering experience
• Hands‑on experience building AI or LLM‑powered product features
• Strong Python skills and a solid grasp of system design
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field
• A builder mindset. You are comfortable owning product, design, and engineering decisions, and you are happy to talk directly with customers.

Preferred

• Experience at a seed through Series E startup
• You have built and grew your own project or side product to meaningful revenue

Interview Process

• Intro call (30 min): Role alignment, mutual fit, and logistics
• Technical screen (1 hour): Live coding on backend fundamentals. Practical, not LeetCode.
• System design (1 hour): Architecting scalable systems
• Final round (half day, on-site): Deeper technical and culture conversations with the CTO and team

Compensation

Base salary of $187,000 - $250,000, plus a performance‑based bonus and 0.75% - 1.25% equity. The final offer depends on experience and interview performance.