US-based Founding Engineer – Stealth-Mode Cyber & AI Startup

Hire5; California (MO); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative startup is seeking a technical leader to architect and build groundbreaking cybersecurity solutions. This role involves hands-on development and decision-making in a fast-paced environment, with the opportunity to shape the product and company strategy. As a founding engineering hire, you'll work closely with experienced founders and have the chance to make a significant impact on the next era of cybersecurity. Join a passionate team backed by top-tier investors and be at the forefront of redefining the industry.

Benefits

Equity Ownership

Flexible Work Environment

High-Impact Role

Elite Backing from Investors

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience developing complex web systems.
• Deep expertise in AWS development.
• Experience with agentic AI workflows is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and deploy a scalable, secure system.
• Make key technical decisions and lead the development.
• Shape the product roadmap and company strategy.

Skills

AWS Development

Technical Problem Solving

CI/CD Pipelines

Team Collaboration

Agentic AI Workflows

Job description

Location : San Francisco Bay Area (flexible, but must be US-based).

Compensation : Competitive salary + equity.

We are a stealth-mode cyber and AI startup in California (name withheld till the interview stage) backed by top-tier VCs and industry-leading angels from the top of the cyber industry. Founded by cybersecurity experts from Microsoft and Tesla , our team is on a mission to redefine the industry with breakthrough products that deliver entirely new capabilities in the cyber realm.

The Role

We are looking for a top-tier technical leader who thrives in startup environments—someone who can architect, build, and ship a highly complex application from zero to launch . This is a founding engineering hire , responsible for selecting the tech stack , leading the development , and turning our vision into reality .

You will be working alongside a highly experienced CTO , who comes from a strong research background and has managed large teams but is not deeply hands-on in development. Your role will be to lead the technical execution, while also hiring and mentoring a second engineer over time.

Many startups are creating beautiful and meaningful products. However, in this role, you will have the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind product that will literally define a new set of capabilities in the cyber realm.

What you’ll do

Build from scratch : Architect, develop, and deploy a scalable, secure, high-performance system in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Own the tech stack : Make key technical decisions independently, balancing speed and scalability. The stack is flexible—problem-solving skills matter most.

Hands-on development : This is an execution-heavy role—be a true builder, not just a manager.

Optimize for speed : Help launch an MVP in 2-2.5 months for internal testing while maintaining high-quality standards.

Work closely with founders : Shape the product roadmap and broader company strategy.

Thrive in ambiguity : Operate in an evolving, unstructured startup setting, taking ownership of challenges and driving solutions.

What we’re looking for

Fast-growth experience : Prior work in a high-growth startup (zero-to-one or one-to-hundred scale) is strongly preferred over experience in large, slow-moving corporations.

Lead by example : Architect and build complex web systems from concept to launch.

Technical problem solver : Make smart, scalable decisions without rigid dependencies on specific tech stacks.

Innovate processes : Implement efficient development workflows, including CI / CD pipelines and version control best practices.

Cloud expertise : Strong AWS experience required (GCP / Azure is a bonus).

Agentic AI & Scalability : Experience with agentic AI workflows and scalable infrastructure is a plus.

Hands-on leadership : Roll up your sleeves, solve real problems, and set a high technical bar.

Strong communication : Not just a genius coder—someone who can collaborate, lead, and contribute to a strong team culture.

Reliability & commitment : Adaptability, follow-through, and dependability are critical.

US-based : Preferably in Seattle or the Bay Area (we will have an office soon but remain flexible on remote work).

What we’re looking for :

8+ years of experience developing complex web systems.

Deep expertise in AWS development.

Experience with building agentic AI workflows and scalable infrastructure is a huge plus.

A strong believer in teamwork and collaboration.

An unyielding drive to build the next breakthrough in cybersecurity.

An independent, positive mindset and a willingness to push hard every day.

Why Join Us?

Huge impact : Your work will define the next era of cybersecurity .

High equity : Be a founding team member with meaningful ownership.

Elite backing : Work with top-tier investors and cybersecurity leaders.

Real customers : Fortune 500 enterprises are already lined up for our product.

This is a high-intensity, high-reward opportunity for someone who wants to be at the core of something groundbreaking. If you’re up for the challenge, let’s talk!