Founding Engineer

Alpha Associates Recruitment; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

In-office

Job summary

Alpha Associates Recruitment is helping a seed-backed AI startup find a founding engineer to build a next-generation AI platform for enterprise procurement and supply chains. The role is in San Francisco, fully in-office, with significant ownership from day one.

You’ll own end-to-end development, shape technical roadmap, and work directly with founders and customers to deliver scalable AI-powered workflows.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python, TypeScript, Java or C++, with modern backend frameworks.
• Strong CS fundamentals and experience with databases, distributed systems and cloud infrastructure.
• Understanding of LLMs, AI agents and ML infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Building end-to-end across backend, frontend, data infrastructure and cloud deployment.
• Developing AI agents, LLM workflows, evaluations and guardrails.
• Designing scalable systems to handle complex enterprise data and integrations.
• Owning features from customer conversations through to deployment.
• Helping establish engineering practices and shaping the future product and team.

Skills

Python

TypeScript

Java

C++

Backend frameworks

Distributed systems

Cloud infrastructure

LLMs

Job description

I'm working with an early-stage AI startup looking for a Founding Engineer to help build a next-generation AI platform transforming how major enterprises manage procurement and supply chains.

The opportunity:

• $160k-180k base salary + 0.5-1% equity
• San Francisco (Mission Bay) - fully in-office
• Early-stage, seed-backed startup with a small, ambitious founding team
• Build AI agents that automate complex, high-value enterprise workflows
• Work directly with founders, enterprise customers and shape the engineering roadmap
• Significant ownership from day one, with the opportunity to lead a team as the company scales

What you'll be doing:

• Building end-to-end across backend, frontend, data infrastructure and cloud deployment
• Developing AI agents, LLM workflows, evaluations and guardrails
• Designing scalable systems to handle complex enterprise data and integrations
• Owning features from customer conversations through to deployment
• Helping establish engineering practices and shaping the future product and team

What they're looking for:

• Strong full-stack engineer with a backend and systems focus
• Proficiency in Python, TypeScript, Java or C++, with modern backend frameworks
• Strong CS fundamentals and experience with databases, distributed systems and cloud infrastructure
• Understanding of LLMs, AI agents and ML infrastructure