Founding Engineer Python API LLM - Start-up

Hidden Jobs; United States; Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 152,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Hybrid work model (London & Cambridge)

Job summary

Hidden Jobs is seeking a founding-level software engineer for an AI startup focused on compliance and operational efficiency across regulated industries. The role spans the full software lifecycle, including architecture, backend services, frontend, CI/CD on Azure, and influencing product direction with the founding team.

You will work on cloud-native applications using Python and TypeScript, collaborating on technical strategy, and helping shape the engineering culture as the company grows.

Qualifications

• Strong Python expertise and experience building from scratch.
• Background in startup environments and scalable software design.
• Experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs, preferably FastAPI.
• Proficiency with TypeScript, React, HTML5 and CSS3.
• Hands-on with large language models and agentic AI approaches.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with proactive problem solving.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills.
• Degree in computer science or related field with 2.1 or higher, postgraduate study common.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the design and delivery of scalable, cloud-native applications.
• Work across the full software lifecycle, from architecture and backend services through to frontend, CI/CD and Azure deployment.
• Build primarily with Python and TypeScript, leveraging AI and large language model technologies.
• Collaborate with the founding team on technical direction, product decisions and engineering culture.
• Tackle complex engineering problems and establish practices that will scale with the company.
• Contribute directly to architectural choices and overall engineering standards.

Skills

Python

REST APIs

FastAPI

TypeScript

React

HTML5

CSS3

Large language models

Agentic AI

Entrepreneurial mindset

Collaboration

Education

CS degree 2:1 or higher

Job description

Role overview

A founding-level engineering position within a fast-growing artificial intelligence start-up focused on compliance and operational efficiency across regulated industries. The role spans the full software lifecycle, including architecture, backend services, frontend, continuous integration and deployment on Azure. The successful candidate will partner closely with the founding team to influence product direction, technical strategy and the engineering culture that underpins future growth.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the design and delivery of scalable, cloud-native applications
• Work across the full software lifecycle, from architecture and backend services through to frontend, CI/CD and Azure deployment
• Build primarily with Python and TypeScript, leveraging AI and large language model technologies
• Collaborate with the founding team on technical direction, product decisions and engineering culture
• Tackle complex engineering problems and establish practices that will scale with the company
• Contribute directly to architectural choices and overall engineering standards

Requirements

• Strong technical skills with Python as the primary language
• Background in technology start-up environments with experience building software from scratch
• Solid experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs, ideally with FastAPI
• Familiarity with TypeScript, React and modern web technologies including HTML5 and CSS3
• Hands-on experience with large language models and agentic AI approaches
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive, hands-on approach to problem solving
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• Degree from a top-tier university, minimum 2.1, in computer science or a closely related discipline, with postgraduate study commonly seen

Benefits and work setup

• Salary up to £115,000 plus equity
• Hybrid model: two days per week in London, one day per week in Cambridge with expenses covered, and remote flexibility for the remainder
• Impactful role with significant scope for career growth