Founding Engineer

Weekday AI (YC W21); San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 16,335 - 19,602; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

High ownership and autonomy

Opportunity for growth into leadership

Competitive compensation

Job summary

A promising startup in San Francisco is seeking a Founding Engineer to join their team. In this role, you'll take ownership of building and scaling backend systems using Python and TypeScript, while collaborating closely with founders. Ideal candidates should have 1-5 years of experience and a strong problem-solving mindset. This position offers competitive compensation, high autonomy, and an opportunity to grow into leadership as the company scales.

Qualifications

• 1-5 years of experience building backend or full-stack systems.
• Strong proficiency in Python for backend development.
• Solid experience with TypeScript (Node.js, APIs, or full-stack applications).

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and scale robust backend systems using Python.
• Develop APIs and services that are secure, performant, and scalable.
• Own core product features end-to-end — from ideation to production.

Skills

Proficiency in Python

Experience with TypeScript

Problem-solving skills

Comfortable in startup environments

Job description

Overview

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients. Salary range: Rs ₹150 - 180 LPA. Min Experience: 1 years. Location: San Francisco Bay Area. JobType: full-time. We're looking for a highly motivated Founding Engineer to join us at the ground floor and help build our product from zero to one. This is a hands-on role for someone who thrives in early-stage environments, enjoys solving ambiguous problems, and wants real ownership over technology and outcomes.

What You'll Do

• Design, build, and scale robust backend systems using Python
• Develop APIs and services that are secure, performant, and scalable
• Work with TypeScript to build integrations, internal tools, and full-stack features when required
• Own core product features end-to-end — from ideation to production
• Make architectural decisions around data models, services, and infrastructure
• Collaborate closely with founders, product, and design to rapidly ship features
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-tested code
• Debug production issues and continuously improve system reliability
• Set early engineering best practices around code quality, testing, and documentation

What We're Looking For

• 1-5 years of experience building backend or full-stack systems
• Strong proficiency in Python for backend development
• Solid experience with TypeScript (Node.js, APIs, or full-stack applications)
• Deep understanding of backend fundamentals: APIs, databases, authentication, and system design
• Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases
• Familiarity with RESTful APIs and modern backend frameworks
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, ambiguous startup environments
• Strong problem-solving skills and a builder's mindset
• Ability to take ownership and execute with minimal supervision

Nice to Have

• Experience working in early-stage startups
• Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or similar)
• Experience setting up CI/CD, deployment pipelines, or basic DevOps
• Interest in product thinking and user-centric development

Why Join Us

• Work directly with founders and influence key product decisions
• Build something meaningful from the ground up
• High ownership, autonomy, and impact
• Opportunity to grow into a senior or leadership role as the company scales
• Competitive compensation with meaningful upside