Founding Engineer (Applied AI)
Full-time
On-site
San Francisco, CA
$120k - $200k
About this role
Our client's automated software that reads construction blueprints and extracts material and cost data for builders. We make housing and building cheaper by automating work spent on manual blueprint processing and material cost estimation.
We need someone with 2+ years of full-stack engineering experience who has built something real from 0 to 1. You should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, lab-like environment and have a track record of solving complex algorithmic problems. Bonus points if you have computer vision/ML experience or previous startup/founding experience.
What you'll do:
Build and train custom computer vision models and fine-tune LLMs for construction automation
Take ownership of the intelligence layer and drive algorithmic solutions rather than just application plumbing
Work closely with the founding team to orchestrate multiple AI models into cohesive systems
Architect full-stack solutions using Python, React/TypeScript, and our unique tech stack (Prefect, Supabase)
Lead technical projects from conception to deployment that directly impact construction industry workflows
Design and implement complex systems that require creative problem-solving beyond standard algorithms
Day-to-day example:
You might start your week debugging a computer vision model that processes construction blueprints, work with the team to orchestrate 7 different AI models into a unified workflow, and spend time designing algorithms to automate tedious manual processes. Last month, our team tackled automating blueprint analysis that typically takes hours of manual work, and the person in this role would have built the core ML pipeline and full-stack interface to make it production-ready. This is the kind of challenging, intelligence-focused work you'd thrive in.
Our Tech Stack
Backend: Python, FastAPI, Prefect (workflow orchestrator)
Frontend: React, TypeScript
Infrastructure: Supabase (database + edge functions)
AI/ML: Custom computer vision models, LLM fine-tuning, multi-model orchestration
Development: Heavy use of Claude, Cursor, and other AI coding tools
What Success Looks Like:
You've built a product that people actually used (10K+ users or paying customers)
You can solve our math-heavy technical interview better than our founder
You can quickly onboard to our unique tech stack and contribute meaningfully
You're excited about doing the "fun part" of engineering - algorithms and intelligence rather than just plumbing
Interview Process
15-minute phone screen
45-minute technical screen (open-ended problem solving, not leetcode)
~20-hour take-home project (full-stack problem that mimics our real work) -- can be live technical instead as well
Multi-day onsite (flexible on length based on signal strength)
2+ years of experience
professional applied AI/CV engineer, ideally at startups or early-stage companies. Exceptional new graduates who are quick learners and demonstrate strong 'hustle' are also considered.
Salary
$120k - $200k
Equity
0.5%-2.0%
Visa sponsorship not available
No visa sponsorship
On-site work policy
Work is on-site in San Francisco, CA. The team operates with a startup mindset, expecting a work schedule of approximately 9 AM to 7 PM, five to six days a week, with optional half-days on Saturdays for employees.