About the RoleAs a Founding Engineer, you'll operate in high-ambiguity environments where both the problem and solution are evolving. You'll be responsible for taking ideas from initial concept through to working product and real-world validation. Owning decisions across the stack along the way.
This is a hands-on role with meaningful ownership. Your work will directly shape product direction, technical foundations, and whether a venture gains traction.
What You'll Do- Take concepts from zero to a working product and real-world validation
- Own full-stack development: frontend, backend, APIs, and data layers
- Shape product direction alongside venture leads and PMs, not just execute against specs
- Design and build rapid validation loops to test assumptions and de-risk ideas early
- Architect and implement core systems, models, and integrations from scratch
- Use AI as a force multiplier across development and product capabilities
- Make deliberate tradeoffs between speed and durability based on venture stage
- Operate effectively with incomplete, evolving, or imperfect inputs to get to working solutions quickly
- Work directly with stakeholders to validate workflows and refine solutions
- Identify and mitigate technical and product risks early
- Contribute across multiple ventures, applying patterns and learnings to accelerate future builds
- Maintain a high bar for technical quality while moving with urgency
How You'll Operate- You move fluidly across the stack and don't rely on narrowly defined ownership boundaries
- You turn unclear ideas into concrete implementations without waiting for full direction
- You know when to prioritize speed and when to invest in structure
- You bias toward action - building, testing, and iterating to create clarity
- You're comfortable abandoning approaches that don't show signal and redirecting quickly
- You think in terms of outcomes and user impact, not just technical output
- You can context switch across multiple problems without losing momentum
You Should Have- 6+ years of software engineering experience, including time in early-stage 01 environments
- Proven ability to build and ship full-stack applications end-to-end
- Strong judgment around speed vs scalability tradeoffs in early-stage systems
- Demonstrated use of AI to accelerate development or product capabilities
- Comfort operating in ambiguous environments where both the problem and solution are evolving
- Ability to work with incomplete or messy inputs to arrive at practical solutions
- Strong communication skills and the ability to influence decisions
What Sets You Apart- You've operated in environments where there was no clear playbook
- You're comfortable owning entire systems rather than components
- You identify leverage - reusable patterns, shortcuts, and ways to move faster across efforts
- You focus on building things that work in real-world conditions, not just ideal ones
- You take responsibility for outcomes, not just implementation
This Role Is Not For You If- You prefer strictly defined ownership (frontend-only, backend-only, etc.)
- You need well-defined requirements and stable roadmaps
- You want to focus on maintaining and scaling existing systems
- You rely on structured environments to do your best work
Location: Strong preference for candidates local to our HQ in Santa Monica
Work Environment: Hybrid schedule
