Founding Engineer (Full Stack)

About the role

About the Role Join a small, high-output team at a seed-stage AI startup tackling one of construction's hardest problems: automated blueprint reading, material takeoffs, and cost estimation. Using the latest computer vision and AI techniques, this company is helping builders and estimators move dramatically faster and with greater accuracy. As a Founding Engineer , you'll be a core product builder from day one — shaping architecture, shipping features, and working directly with users to iterate quickly. What You'll Do Build polished, intuitive UIs that surface computer vision model outputs to end users Work with geometries, streaming data, and design complex, high-fidelity user interactions Ship initial prototypes rapidly, then refine them based on real user feedback Own and contribute across the full stack — from React/TypeScript frontend to Python backend services Collaborate closely with a tight-knit founding team in a fast-paced, in-person environment What We're Looking For Must-haves: Demonstrated experience building and deploying real products from 0 to 1, ideally with paying customers or significant user adoption Strong frontend engineering skills — React and TypeScript are central to this role Full-stack capabilities with comfort working across the entire product stack Experience as an early employee or founding engineer at a startup Willingness to work in-person in San Francisco 5 days/week Exceptional communication skills, with an emphasis on empathy and honesty Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field — or a strong alternative portfolio/project record Ability to think deeply about open-ended, math-oriented problems and devise creative solutions Nice-to-haves: Proficiency in Python Background or familiarity with construction, PDF processing, or real estate technology (e.g. tools like Autodesk) Previous startup founder experience or an impact-driven mindset Construction industry domain knowledge Exceptional new graduates who demonstrate strong hustle and quick learning are welcome to apply. There is no strict seniority ceiling — senior candidates are evaluated for adaptability to a fast-moving, ambiguous environment. Compensation & Benefits Salary: $100,000 – $180,000 USD annually, depending on experience Early-stage equity as a founding team member Visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Location This is a fully on-site role based in San Francisco, CA . The team works together in person 5 days a week — in-person collaboration is a core part of how this team operates.