Founding Ai Engineer At Falconer, we're transforming how engineers create, access, and share knowledge with each other and their AI agents. We're looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help us build ...
Founding Ai Engineer At Falconer, we're transforming how engineers create, access, and share knowledge with each other and their AI agents. We're looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help us build ...
Founding AI Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$200K - $300K/yr
We're looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help us build an AI-powered knowledge platform that companies love. As a founding engineer, you'll have a major impact on our product development ...
Founding AI Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$200K - $300K/yr
We're looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help us build an AI-powered knowledge platform that companies love. As a founding engineer, you'll have a major impact on our product development ...
Founding AI Engineer Weave (YC W25) is building the definitive platform for understanding and improving how engineering teams work. We believe the way engineering output is measured today is ...
Founding AI Engineer Weave (YC W25) is building the definitive platform for understanding and improving how engineering teams work. We believe the way engineering output is measured today is ...
Founding AI Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $250K/yr
About the Role As a Founding AI Engineer, you will own the core intelligence of Bronco's agents. That means designing the training pipelines, reward models, and evaluation harnesses that will make ...
Founding AI Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $250K/yr
About the Role As a Founding AI Engineer, you will own the core intelligence of Bronco's agents. That means designing the training pipelines, reward models, and evaluation harnesses that will make ...
About the Role As a Founding AI Engineer, you will own the core intelligence of Bronco's agents. That means designing the training pipelines, reward models, and evaluation harnesses that will make ...
About the Role As a Founding AI Engineer, you will own the core intelligence of Bronco's agents. That means designing the training pipelines, reward models, and evaluation harnesses that will make ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
New
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
New
Founding AI Engineer
New York, NY · On-site
$160K - $220K/yr
THE ROLE This is an AI engineering role, not an ML engineering role. You won't be training models ... You'll work directly with the founding team and your work reaches patients immediately. WHAT YOU'LL ...
Founding AI Engineer
New York, NY · On-site
$160K - $220K/yr
THE ROLE This is an AI engineering role, not an ML engineering role. You won't be training models ... You'll work directly with the founding team and your work reaches patients immediately. WHAT YOU'LL ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer
$160K - $250K/yr
Founding AI Engineer (Research & Systems) Target: PhDs & Research Masters from Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, CMU focused on AI, ML, NLP, Agents. Location: San Francisco, CA | On-Site Compensation: $160K ...
Founding AI Engineer Openmart is currently seeking a Founding AI Engineer with experience in search engine and AI agents. We are building a Google-like search engine for B2B unstructured data ...
Founding AI Engineer Openmart is currently seeking a Founding AI Engineer with experience in search engine and AI agents. We are building a Google-like search engine for B2B unstructured data ...
Founding AI Engineer New York City (Union Square). In-person. $200,000 to $250,000 plus equity & token budget. What We Do Voiceops is the intelligence layer for consumer-facing businesses. We turn ...
Founding AI Engineer New York City (Union Square). In-person. $200,000 to $250,000 plus equity & token budget. What We Do Voiceops is the intelligence layer for consumer-facing businesses. We turn ...
AI Engineer AI engineers build and improve the AI agents powering Parahelp - applying the latest techniques, running evaluations, building retrieval pipelines, and optimizing for speed and cost. You ...
AI Engineer AI engineers build and improve the AI agents powering Parahelp - applying the latest techniques, running evaluations, building retrieval pipelines, and optimizing for speed and cost. You ...
Founding Ai Engineer information
See salary details
$25.48 - $30.14
1% of jobs
$30.14 - $34.79
5% of jobs
$34.79 - $39.44
9% of jobs
$43.46 is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$39.44 - $44.10
12% of jobs
$44.10 - $48.75
10% of jobs
The median wage is $53.08 / hr.
$48.75 - $53.41
15% of jobs
$53.41 - $58.06
15% of jobs
$61.36 is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$58.06 - $62.72
13% of jobs
$62.72 - $67.37
10% of jobs
$67.37 - $72.03
10% of jobs
$72.03 - $76.68
2% of jobs
$25
$53
$76
How much do founding ai engineer jobs pay per hour?
As of Jun 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for founding ai engineer in the United States is $53.63, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $43.27 and $62.26 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What is a Founding AI Engineer?
A Founding AI Engineer is an early member of a startup's technical team, responsible for designing, building, and implementing artificial intelligence systems that form the core of the company's product or service. This role often involves working closely with company founders to set technical direction, make key architectural decisions, and develop scalable machine learning solutions from the ground up. Founding AI Engineers are expected to wear multiple hats, contribute to both research and engineering efforts, and help establish best practices as the company grows. They play a crucial role in shaping the company's technology culture and long-term vision.
What are some unique challenges a Founding AI Engineer might face in an early-stage startup environment?
As a Founding AI Engineer in a startup, you'll often be responsible for both building core AI systems and setting up foundational engineering practices. Unique challenges include balancing rapid prototyping with long-term scalability, working with limited resources, and defining the technical roadmap alongside product priorities. You'll likely collaborate closely with founders, product managers, and sometimes even customers, making adaptability and strong communication essential. This role offers significant autonomy but also requires comfort with ambiguity and frequent shifts in direction as the company grows.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Founding AI Engineer, and why are they important?
To thrive as a Founding AI Engineer, you need deep expertise in machine learning, software engineering, and algorithm development, typically supported by an advanced degree in computer science or a related field. Proficiency with frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP), and version control systems is essential, along with experience deploying AI models to production. Strong problem-solving, adaptability, and entrepreneurial mindset distinguish top performers in this role. These skills are vital for building innovative AI solutions from the ground up, shaping product direction, and driving early-stage company success.
What is the difference between Founding Ai Engineer vs AI Engineer?
| Aspect | Founding Ai Engineer | AI Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Required Credentials | Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, AI, or related fields; experience in AI development | Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, AI, or related fields; experience in AI development |
| Work Environment | Startup or early-stage company, often in a founding or core team role | Established companies, tech firms, or startups with ongoing AI projects |
| Employer & Industry Usage | Founding AI roles are common in startups and new ventures | Widely used across industries including tech, finance, healthcare, and more |
The main difference is that a Founding AI Engineer is typically an early team member in a startup, often involved in shaping the company's AI strategy from the ground up, whereas an AI Engineer generally works within established organizations on ongoing AI projects. Both roles require similar technical credentials but differ in scope, environment, and level of responsibility.
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Retirement
Posted 22 days ago
Job description
Founding Ai Engineer
At Falconer, we're transforming how engineers create, access, and share knowledge with each other and their AI agents. We're looking for a Founding AI Engineer to help us build an AI-powered knowledge platform that companies love.
As a founding engineer, you'll have a major impact on our product development, technical direction, and culture.
Key responsibilities:
- Participate in the entire product development lifecycle, including architecture, coding, testing, and deploying
- Research and apply best practices in terms of Knowledge Graph, embeddings, vector and graph RAG search, fine-tuning, and model optimization
- Develop and maintain backend systems including API services, databases, and server-side logic
- Optimize tech stack and applications for maximum precision and speed
- Write clean, efficient, and well-documented code, following industry best practices— the Falconer platform will help you!
- Stay updated with emerging technologies in web development and make recommendations for adopting new tools and practices
Who you are:
- Advanced degree in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or equivalent work experience
- Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in developing ML data pipelines
- Experience with text embeddings, RAG systems, and similarity search
- Familiar with Entity and Relationship recognition models
- Skilled at prompt engineering
- Ability to implement backend systems in Python and/or Node.js
- You can evaluate tradeoffs and propose the most appropriate storage solution (SQL, NoSQL, Vector DBs, Graph databases)
- You enjoy hard problems and open-ended assignments
- You use data to make decisions, and experiment your way around hard problems
Bonus points:
- You've developed products with LLMs before (extra if you've already built your own agents)
- You have fine-tuned foundational models to tailor responses to specific data use cases
- You have experience with LlamaIndex and Memgraph to produce knowledge graphs
Perks and benefits:
- Generous equity package
- Competitive salary and benefits
- 401(k) retirement account
- The best equipment and tools, like a spec'd out MacBook, and dev prod tools like Cursor, Claude, and Linear to help you move fast
- Flexible work arrangements with in-office work or hybrid work for the right candidate
- Our current office is in San Francisco, just steps from Caltrain
At Falconer, we value diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. If you are passionate about technology and thrive in a challenging environment, come join our team and help us shape the future of work communication.