Live roles / clera
Compatibility brief · Discovered by NoBoards 3h ago

Founding Engineer

clera · San Francisco
Sponsorship unavailableOn-siteHiring geography needs source review3+ years requested
Direct source excerpts
Eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
This role is on-site in San Francisco, CA.
Extracted role summary · not eligibility evidence

Founding Engineer role at an early-stage San Francisco startup to own product features end-to-end and shape the technical direction.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We're looking for a Founding Engineer to join a fast-growing, early-stage startup in San Francisco. This is a rare opportunity to get in at the ground floor — you'll work directly with the founding team, own significant product surface area, and help shape the technical direction of the company from day one. You'll be a true 0-to-1 builder: someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, and cares deeply about both code quality and product outcomes.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

  • Design, build, and ship full-stack features end-to-end — from database schema to polished UI
  • Own large areas of the product with minimal oversight, making key technical and product decisions
  • Collaborate closely with founders and early team members to define and execute on the product roadmap
  • Establish engineering foundations: architecture, tooling, processes, and best practices
  • Contribute meaningfully to product direction, not just implementation
  • Iterate quickly based on user feedback, data, and business priorities

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Required

  • 3–7 years of full-stack software development experience
  • Proven experience building products 0-to-1 at an early-stage startup — including owning product in a small team
  • Strong proficiency in both frontend and backend development
  • CS degree from a top-20 university program
  • Strong product sense and the ability to think like a product owner, not just an implementer
  • Based in San Francisco, CA or willing to relocate
  • Eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship

Nice to Have

  • Experience at a high-growth startup or a large-scale technology company (FAANG-equivalent)
  • Comfort operating in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

  • Salary: $200,000 – $300,000 USD annually (dependent on experience)
  • Equity participation as an early founding team member

LOCATION

This role is on-site in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be located in San Francisco or willing to relocate. No visa sponsorship is available for this position.