Founding Engineer
At a glance
Mid-level Software Engineering role at Clera. San Francisco · full-time · $200,000–$300,000 base.
techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build and release full-stack product features from an early starting point
- Make product calls and help founders decide what should take priority on the roadmap
- Establish initial engineering practices, architecture choices and development standards
- Use user feedback and business needs to guide quick product iterations
What you bring
- Three to seven years developing software across the full stack
- A computer science bachelor's degree, or an equivalent credential from a top-twenty CS program
- You bring strong product judgment and can take ownership of decisions on a small team
Who this fits
This role suits a mid-level engineer comfortable shaping product and technical choices in an early founding team. You must work on-site in San Francisco, or relocate there, and be eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.
From the employer
About the Role
A fast-moving, early-stage startup in San Francisco is looking for a Founding Engineer to join as one of the first technical hires. This is a rare opportunity to work directly with the founding team, own product decisions end-to-end, and help shape the technical direction of the company from day one. You'll wear multiple hats, move fast, and have a direct impact on what gets built and how.
What You'll Do
Build and ship full-stack features across the product in a 0-to-1 environment
Own product decisions and contribute to roadmap prioritization alongside founders
Set early engineering standards, architecture decisions, and development practices
Collaborate cross-functionally in a small, high-trust team with minimal hierarchy
Iterate rapidly based on user feedback and business needs
What We're Looking For
Required:
3–7 years of full-stack software development experience
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent from a top-20 CS program
Strong product sense and comfort owning decisions in a small, cross-functional team
Ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-paced founding-team environments
Based in San Francisco, CA or willing to relocate
Must be legally eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
Nice to Have:
Experience at a FAANG-scale organization and/or an early-stage startup (a mix of both is ideal)
Prior experience shipping products in a 0-to-1 context
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $200,000 – $300,000 USD annually
Equity and additional benefits commensurate with a founding-team role
Location
This role is on-site in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be based in San Francisco or willing to relocate. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Software Engineering work from LinkedIn, X, Reddit and Upwork, in one list.
Each morning you get everything that fits, strongest first.
Software Engineering$200k+
Find me workBy the team behind techroles.