About the role
About the Role
Join an early-stage consumer AI startup as a Founding Engineer — a rare 1-of-1 role working directly alongside the founding team to shape both the product and engineering culture. This company is building a real-time AI-enabled platform designed to digitize human connection, making AI interactions feel genuinely present and personal. You'll help lay the technical foundation from the ground up in a fast-moving, high-ambition environment.
What You'll Do
- Build across the full application, collaborating closely with the founder, design team, and other engineers.
- Design and implement systems for memory, retrieval, proactivity, and AI responsiveness.
- Integrate real-time video generation and audio synthesis models — both internal and third-party.
- Set the bar for engineering quality and play an active role in recruiting world-class talent.
- Extensively use the product yourself to ensure real user value and quality.
What We're Looking For
- Required: Computer Science degree from a top university.
- Required: 2–7 years of professional software engineering experience (not a new grad).
- Required: Strong CS fundamentals and a track record of technically complex side projects.
- Required: High energy, entrepreneurial spirit — prior startup or fast-moving environment experience strongly valued.
- Required: Proficiency in Python, including typed scientific Python.
- Bonus: Experience with real-time media, vision/video model training or deployment, memory systems, or audio synthesis.
- Bonus: Familiarity with agentic coding or AI-assisted development workflows.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary: $175,000 – $225,000 USD annually
- Visa sponsorship available
Location
This role is fully on-site in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be willing and able to work in-person full-time.