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Founding Data Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

Layer Health

Solutions Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$180K - $200K/yr

Layer Health's diverse founding team brings expertise across machine learning, UI/UX, large ... Perform initial exploratory data analysis (EDA), working with our ML and data science teams to make ...

Layer Health

Solutions Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$180K - $200K/yr

Layer Health's diverse founding team brings expertise across machine learning, UI/UX, large ... Perform initial exploratory data analysis (EDA), working with our ML and data science teams to make ...

Nametag

Senior Backend Engineer

Boston, MA

$120K - $190K/yr

Build and harden authentication, authorization, and data-protection systems. * Design for ... Nametag is a founding member of the Open Imperative and is committed to pay equity in technology.

Medium

Aeronautical Test Engineer

Burlington, MA · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Analyze post‑flight data, generate reports, and provide actionable feedback to design and systems ... The founding team brings experience from leading organizations such as American Robotics ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Watertown, MA · Hybrid

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Watertown, MA · Hybrid

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Boston, MA · Hybrid

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Boston, MA · Hybrid

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

VHB

Entry Level Traffic Engineer

Boston, MA · Hybrid

$80K - $84K/yr

Safety studies and data analysis * Active transportation assessments * Transportation planning and ... Since our founding, we have intentionally fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, supported ...

Diffraqtion

Optical Engineer I

Somerville, MA · On-site

$70 - $110/hr

Run experiments and collect data using lab instrumentation such as beam profilers, power meters ... Direct, day-to-day mentorship from senior optical engineers and the founding team. * A ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsFounding Data Engineer JobsFounding Data Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA

Founding Data Engineer information

See Boston, MA salary details

$48.3K

$140.9K

$192.8K

How much do founding data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding data engineer in Boston, MA is $140,924.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $124,400.00 and $149,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a founding data engineer?

Founding Data Engineers are among the first technical hires at a startup, responsible for designing, building, and scaling the company's data infrastructure from the ground up. They work closely with founders and early team members to define data architecture, set up data pipelines, and ensure data quality and accessibility for product development and business insights. This role often requires a blend of software engineering, data modeling, and strategic decision-making skills, as well as the flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing priorities in a startup environment.

What are the unique challenges and opportunities of being a founding data engineer at an early-stage startup?

As a Founding Data Engineer, you'll face the challenge of building data infrastructure from scratch, often with limited resources and evolving requirements. You’ll work closely with founders and cross-functional teams to define data strategies, implement pipelines, and ensure data quality. This role offers significant influence over technical decisions and architecture, and you'll likely wear multiple hats, contributing to both backend engineering and data analytics. The fast-paced environment fosters rapid skill development and provides substantial opportunities for career growth as the company scales.

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

To thrive as a Founding Data Engineer, you need strong expertise in data architecture, database design, and software engineering, often backed by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with cloud platforms (like AWS or GCP), ETL frameworks, programming languages (such as Python or Scala), and data warehousing tools is typically required. Exceptional problem-solving, adaptability, and collaboration skills set standout candidates apart in this role. These abilities are crucial for building scalable data systems and shaping the technical foundation of an early-stage company.

What is the difference between Founding Data Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectFounding Data EngineerData Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in CS, experience in startup environmentsBachelor's or higher in CS, relevant data tools experience
Work EnvironmentEarly-stage startups, high flexibility, broad responsibilitiesEstablished companies, specialized roles, structured teams
Employer & Industry UsageFounding teams, startups, tech companiesTech firms, finance, healthcare, large organizations
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding startup data roles, early-stage responsibilitiesStandard data engineering roles, career progression

The main difference between a Founding Data Engineer and a Data Engineer lies in their work environment and responsibilities. Founding Data Engineers typically work in startups, handling broad tasks and building data infrastructure from scratch, while Data Engineers in established companies focus on specific data pipelines within structured teams. Both roles require similar technical skills and educational backgrounds, but their scope and context differ significantly.

What are popular job titles related to Founding Data Engineer jobs in Boston, MA?

For Founding Data Engineer jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Founding Data Engineer jobs in Boston, MA look for?

The top searched job categories for Founding Data Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:

What cities near Boston, MA are hiring for Founding Data Engineer jobs?

Cities near Boston, MA with the most Founding Data Engineer job openings:

Founding Data Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Data Engineer job openings in Boston, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,924 per year, or $67.8 per hour.

Member of the Technical Staff

Absentia Labs

Boston, MA • Remote

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Job description

We are always looking for exceptional engineers interested in building the future of AI-enabled drug development, predictive biology, and computational safety infrastructure. If you are excited about working at the intersection of AI, biotech, translational medicine, and scalable scientific systems, we would love to hear from you.


About the Role

Absentia Labs is building AI-driven mechanistic toxicology and translational safety infrastructure designed to improve how biological risk and organ-level toxicity are understood earlier in drug development. Our platform integrates large-scale biological, chemical, and experimental datasets to support predictive, human-relevant safety assessment and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).

We are looking for highly motivated engineers with broad backgrounds who are excited to solve technically challenging problems in AI, biology, infrastructure, and scientific computing. This is a general application for candidates who may fit current or future engineering needs as the company grows.


Areas of interest may include:

  • Machine learning and AI infrastructure

  • Computational biology and bioinformatics

  • Backend and distributed systems

  • Data engineering and data platforms

  • Scientific software engineering

  • Full-stack product engineering

  • Cloud infrastructure and MLOps

  • Applied AI research

  • Visualization and scientific interfaces


What We Look For

  • Strong technical fundamentals and problem-solving ability

  • Interest in mission-driven work within biotechnology and healthcare

  • Ability to operate in fast-moving, ambiguous startup environments

  • Curiosity, ownership, and willingness to learn across disciplines

  • Experience building scalable systems, models, or products

  • Strong communication and collaboration skills

Nice to Have

  • Experience in biotech, healthcare, life sciences, or scientific computing

  • Familiarity with machine learning workflows or biological datasets

  • Startup or early-stage company experience

  • Interest in translational medicine, toxicology, or computational drug development

Location

Hybrid and remote-friendly depending on role. Preference for candidates open to working closely with the founding team in Boston.


Why Absentia Labs

  1. Work on scientifically meaningful problems with real-world impact

  2. Help shape a foundational platform at the intersection of AI and biology

  3. Collaborate with pharmaceutical, academic, and regulatory stakeholders

  4. Early-stage ownership and opportunity for outsized impact

  5. Mission-driven team focused on improving translational safety and reducing unnecessary animal testing