Founding Engineer

Hedge Specialty; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Hedge is hiring a founding engineer to turn complex commercial insurance workflows into software that feels simple, fast, and trustworthy. You will work across product, data, integrations, and infrastructure, with direct access to users and the founders.

This in-person role based in San Francisco offers substantial equity (1–3%) and a base salary of $150K-$250K. You will own meaningful product areas, shape the architecture, and mentor the next generation of engineers as Hedge scales.

Qualifications

• At least three years of strong software engineering experience.
• Ability to move between product detail and system design.
• Insurance experience is useful but not required.
• Judgment, velocity, and care for users matter more.

Responsibilities

• Build and ship core submission, market-access, quoting, and servicing workflows.
• Design reliable carrier, MGA, data, and document integrations.
• Make architecture decisions balancing speed, safety, and maintainability.
• Work directly with brokers, underwriters, and agencies to turn painful workflows into product.
• Raise the engineering bar through clear code, instrumentation, and pragmatic testing.
• Help recruit and mentor the next engineers.

Skills

Software engineering

System design

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring engineers

Automation and testing

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY

Hedge is hiring a founding engineer to turn complex commercial insurance workflows into software that feels simple, fast, and trustworthy. You will work across product, data, integrations, and infrastructure, with direct access to users and the founders.

COMPENSATION AND OWNERSHIP

Base salary is $150K-$250K. Equity is 1.00%-3.00%, sized for a true founding-level builder. Compensation reflects scope, experience, and the amount of the company you are ready to own.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

• Build and ship core submission, market-access, quoting, and servicing workflows

• Design reliable carrier, MGA, data, and document integrations

• Make architecture decisions that balance speed, safety, and maintainability

• Work directly with brokers, underwriters, and agencies to turn painful workflows into product

• Raise the engineering bar through clear code, strong instrumentation, and pragmatic testing

• Help recruit and mentor the next engineers

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• First 30 days: ship a production improvement and build a clear mental model of the platform

• By day 60: independently own a meaningful product area and its operational reliability

• By day 90: deliver a cross-system feature that materially improves speed or conversion

• In 12 months: have shaped the architecture, product roadmap, and engineering culture

WHO THRIVES HERE

You have at least three years of strong software engineering experience, can move between product detail and system design, and prefer owning outcomes to receiving tickets. Insurance experience is useful but not required. Judgment, velocity, and care for users matter more.

WHY HEDGE

Hedge is building the operating system for commercial insurance distribution. You will work directly with the founders, own a consequential part of the company, and help define how the function works as we scale. We offer health benefits and meaningful equity.

WORK MODEL

This role is based in San Francisco and works in person with the team six days a week.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

1. Application review

2. A focused introductory conversation

3. A role-specific deep dive

4. A practical working session based on a realistic Hedge scenario

5. Final conversation with the founders

Hedge is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate candidates based on ability, judgment, and potential, and we do not discriminate based on protected characteristics.