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Founder Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Harper Group

Future AI Founder

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$125K - $170K/yr

Future AI Founder Harper is an AI-native commercial insurance company in San Francisco. We're not bolting AI onto insurance - we're rebuilding the entire business as software, on a simple bet ...

IBMC

Founder Web Development Venture

New York, NY · On-site

It is a founder-track opportunity for an experienced web development professional who wants to build and lead their own company, supported by capital, operational infrastructure, and an active ...

C10 Labs

Founder in Residence

Cambridge, MA · On-site +1

Founder in Residence Department: Studio Employment Type: Full Time Location: Cambridge Description C10 Labs is seeking Founders in Residence (FIRs) to build the next generation of AI-driven ...

Cache Ventures

Founder in Residence

The endgame being that you work with us as a co-founder on a new venture, take a leadership role with one of our portfolio companies, or depart to start your own thing. Responsibilities * Work ...

Cold Start Ventures

Founder in Residence

New York, NY · On-site

Cold Start Ventures is looking for our next Founder in Residence (FIR) to launch and lead a venture-backed startup. If it is a good fit, we will get back to you in $2B portfolio , with highlights ...

C10 Labs

Founder in Residence

New York, NY · On-site +1

Founder in Residence Department: Studio Employment Type: Part Time Location: New York City Description Founder in Residence About C10 Labs C10 Labs is a venture studio and early-stage fund focused on ...

Formlabs

Startup Founder

Somerville, MA · On-site

$250K/yr

You are a tinkerer and/or an ex-co-founder who thrives on complexity and doesn't wait for permission. You get results. * Proven Entrepreneurial Experience: You have previously built a business or ...

C10 Labs

As a Founder in Residence, you will work directly with the C10 Labs team to: * Identify and validate high-impact problems in healthcare, biology, and scientific systems * Develop and test new venture ...

Forum Ventures LLC

Robotics Middleware Founder

Boston, NY · On-site +1

$250K/yr

Forum derisks and accelerates the Founder path by: * A $250K USD investment, and an end-to-end fundraising playbook and network to raise your seed and Series A * A validation partner with proven ...

C10 Labs

Founder in Residence

New York, NY

Founder in Residence About C10 Labs C10 Labs is a venture studio and early-stage fund focused on building and backing applied AI startups tackling critical challenges across healthcare, life sciences ...

Cotera

Future Founder - Engineering

Manhattan, NY · On-site

Cotera is looking to hire a future founder, specifically on the engineering side. The role involves building product directly with the engineering team, working closely with the CEO on high-priority ...

healthybaby

Chief of Staff to Founder

Aspen, CO · On-site

Chief of Staff to Founder About the Role We are seeking a highly capable Chief of Staff to partner with a founder, entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and mother in a deeply integrated executive and ...

Formlabs

Startup Founder

Somerville, MA

$250K/yr

You are a tinkerer and/or an ex-co-founder who thrives on complexity and doesn't wait for permission. You get results. * Proven Entrepreneurial Experience: You have previously built a business or ...

Dust

Founder's Office (US)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$130K - $200K/yr

Summary The Founder's Office at Dust exists to increase the operating leverage of the company during a period of hypergrowth. This role is designed for high-agency problem solvers who want to work on ...

Cold Start Ventures

CTO Co-Founder

New York, NY · On-site

You'll join as a true co-founder - with the equity, influence, and expectations that come with it. If there's a fit, you'll hear from us within 24 hours . At Cold Start, we incubate companies at the ...

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Founder information

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How much do founder jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for founder in the United States is $32.47, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.75 and $44.95 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are founders?

Founders are individuals who start a new business, organization, or venture. They are responsible for developing the initial idea, assembling a team, and securing resources to launch the company. Founders often take on multiple roles in the early stages, such as product development, marketing, and fundraising. Their vision and leadership are critical to shaping the direction and culture of the organization. Over time, founders may continue to lead the company or transition into different roles as the business grows.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Founder, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Founder, you need strong business acumen, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of your target market, often supported by experience in entrepreneurship or relevant industry expertise. Familiarity with financial management tools, project management platforms, and digital marketing systems is typically necessary. Exceptional leadership, resilience, and the ability to communicate and inspire teams are vital soft skills for success in this role. These skills and qualities enable Founders to effectively launch, grow, and sustain a business in competitive environments.

Is a founder a CEO?

A founder is the person who starts a company or organization, while the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) is the top executive responsible for managing the company's operations and strategy. Although some founders become CEOs, they are distinct roles, and a founder does not automatically hold the CEO position.

Does founder mean to fail or sink?

A founder is someone who starts a business or organization, and the role does not imply failure or sinking. Many founders face challenges, but success depends on various factors such as strategy, execution, and market conditions. The term simply refers to the individual who initiates and leads a new venture.

What is the difference between Founder vs Entrepreneur?

AspectFounderEntrepreneur
RoleCreates and establishes a new company or product from scratchIdentifies opportunities and starts new businesses, which may include founding or managing multiple ventures
CredentialsOften has industry knowledge, business skills, and sometimes technical expertiseRequires business acumen, risk management skills, and often industry experience
Work EnvironmentTypically involved in startup development, innovation, and early-stage business activitiesEngages in business planning, funding, and scaling across various industries

While both founders and entrepreneurs are involved in starting new ventures, a founder specifically establishes a company or product, often as the original creator. An entrepreneur may start multiple businesses or pursue opportunities across industries, focusing on growth and innovation. The roles overlap but differ mainly in scope and focus.

Is The Founder worth watching?

The Founder is a biographical film about Ray Kroc and the creation of McDonald's, not a job role. If you are referring to a job titled 'Founder,' it is a leadership position typically involving starting and managing a new business, requiring entrepreneurial skills, strategic planning, and often long hours. Whether it's worth pursuing depends on your interest in entrepreneurship and business development.

What are some common challenges founders face in the early stages of building a company?

Founders often encounter challenges such as securing initial funding, building a reliable team, and finding product-market fit. Balancing multiple responsibilities—from business development to product management—can be overwhelming, especially with limited resources. Additionally, founders must quickly adapt to feedback and pivot strategies as needed, all while maintaining a clear vision and motivating their team. Building strong networks and seeking mentorship can help navigate these hurdles and increase the chances of early success.

What is the definition of a founder?

A founder is an individual who establishes a company or organization, often taking on initial responsibilities such as developing the business idea, securing funding, and building the team. Founders typically play a key role in shaping the company's vision and strategy from inception.
More about Founder jobs
What cities are hiring for Founder jobs? Cities with the most Founder job openings:
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Who are the top companies hiring for Founder jobs? The top employers for Founder jobs are:
What states have the most Founder jobs? States with the most job openings for Founder jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Founder jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Founder jobs are:
What are popular job titles related to Founder jobs? For Founder jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Founder jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founder job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 3% As Needed, 85% Full Time, and 12% Part Time. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $67,531 per year, or $32.5 per hour.
Future AI Founder

Future AI Founder

Harper Group

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$125K - $170K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

Future AI Founder
Harper is an AI-native commercial insurance company in San Francisco. We're not bolting AI onto insurance - we're rebuilding the entire business as software, on a simple bet: turning expert human judgment into compute is one of the largest transitions left to make, and a trillion-dollar industry still run 90% by hand is the place to prove it. We've grown ~100x in the last year and we move at that speed - on-site, in person, long days, very high standards. Almost no one joins Harper for insurance; they join to build the company that replaces how it works.
The role
To turn human judgment into software, you first have to do the human work - at a molecular level. The exceptions, the precedents, the decision traces that live only in an operator's head don't get automated until someone writes them down. That someone is you.
This is an operator rotation, not a title. You spend 6-18 months on the front line - taking sales calls, processing applications, handling customer service, working alongside underwriters - and you document every edge case as you go. Then you turn that tribal knowledge into structured templates, workflows, and specs that engineering builds on top of. You learn the business by running it, and you make everyone after you faster.
Be clear-eyed about what this is: it is not an analyst role, and "Future AI Founder" is not a founder title, an equity story, or a strategy seat. It's a hard, execution-heavy frontline job with an unusually steep learning curve. The name describes where the path can lead for the people who are exceptional at the work - not a shortcut around it.
Three entry tracks: Business Development, Sales, or Customer Service.
What you'll do
  • Do the frontline work. Take sales calls, process applications, handle customer service, sit with underwriters. Real volume, real customers, every day.
  • Document the reality. Capture every process, decision, and edge case you hit - the stuff no one ever wrote down.
  • Turn knowledge into systems. Build the templates and workflows that convert what you learned into structured data the rest of the company can use.
  • Build with AI tools. Everyone here has agency to build. Use Claude Code, Cursor, Lovable. Don't wait for permission to fix something.
  • Hand it to engineering. Translate what you've learned into automation that outlasts you.

Who you are
  • Early in your career but already exceptional - recent grad, or 0-2 years with standout results.
  • High agency. You build things and fix things without being told to.
  • Willing to go deep before you go wide. You'll do the unglamorous work first.
  • A pattern-spotter who can't see a broken process without wanting to redesign it.
  • Comfortable with AI tools, or fast to get there.

Nice to have: you've started something (a company, a project, a community); a technical background; prior customer-facing experience.
The honest day-to-day
This is the part most "founder track" postings hide, so we'll say it plainly:
  • The job is execution, not analysis or strategy. You will be on the phone, in the queue, processing applications. If you're looking for a seat where you advise rather than do, this isn't it.
  • The title is a destination, not a description. Nobody hands you a company. You earn the next thing by being undeniable at this thing first.
  • The hours are long and the days are on-site. Mon-Fri, roughly 5 AM-8 PM. The learning curve is steep on purpose.
  • The payoff is real for the right person. Twelve months of this is closer to five years of normal experience, and it's a genuine launching pad - into leadership at Harper, or to go start your own thing later. But that payoff is on the other side of the grind, not instead of it.

Compensation & logistics
  • Salary: $125,000-$170,000 (depending on experience) + performance bonuses & equity
  • Location: San Francisco, in-office. Based in SF or willing to relocate.
  • Schedule: Monday-Friday, very early morning start, in-office 5 days a week.
  • Benefits: Uber commuter benefits; breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided; snacks, drinks, and coffee daily; free gym membership; health, dental, and vision insurance.

Process
  1. 15-min founder call - alignment on mission and pace
  2. Case study / problem-solving exercise - show us how you think
  3. On-site day - meet the team, see the operation

To apply
Send your resume and a few sentences on why Harper. If you want to compress years of learning into months - and you're not too good to do the frontline work to get there - we want to talk.

Apply