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Founding Data Engineer Jobs in Phoenix, AZ (NOW HIRING)

EQL Tech

Founding GTM Engineer

Phoenix, AZ

$120K - $170K/yr

Founding GTM Engineer (Series A Fintech / EdTech) Location: San Francisco, CA or Phoenix, AZ (In ... Data Rigor: You will instrument funnels, set up tight feedback loops, and analyze cohort/retention ...

EQL Tech

Founding GTM Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$120K - $170K/yr

Founding GTM Engineer (Series A Fintech / EdTech) Location: San Francisco, CA or Phoenix, AZ (In ... Data Rigor: You will instrument funnels, set up tight feedback loops, and analyze cohort/retention ...

EQL Tech

Founding Marketplace Operations Lead

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$120K - $170K/yr

With $16M raised from top-tier VCs, the team is composed of elite engineers and operators from ... Dig into real transaction data to identify categories and purchase flows that matter most by ...

Accenture

Applied AI Engineer, Founding Team

Scottsdale, AZ · On-site

$73K - $218K/yr

This is a founding team, these first hires will shape the culture, the systems, and the trajectory ... We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry ...

Moove

Principal Software Engineer

Phoenix, AZ

$134K - $179K/yr

Exposure to logistics, fleet, mobility, or data-intensive SaaS platforms. * Prior experience in founding engineer or early platform team roles. Working in AV Fleet & Depot Ops Tech You'll be building ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

Phoenix, AZ

$125K - $175K/yr

The Core Team: You will work alongside top talent, including a founding engineer who did AI ... Read data and fix mistakes: diagnose real-world AI failures by going directly into the data, making ...

EQL Tech

AI Engineer

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$125K - $175K/yr

The Core Team: You will work alongside top talent, including a founding engineer who did AI ... Read data and fix mistakes: diagnose real-world AI failures by going directly into the data, making ...

American Express

Sr AI Engineer I

Phoenix, AZ · On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

Strong engineering fundamentals across backend systems, APIs, data pipelines, and cloud ... Experience as a founding engineer or early technical contributor in high-growth environments.

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All JobsFounding Data Engineer JobsFounding Data Engineer Jobs in Phoenix, AZ

Founding Data Engineer information

See Phoenix, AZ salary details

$44.2K

$128.8K

$176.2K

How much do founding data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding data engineer in Phoenix, AZ is $128,797.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $113,700.00 and $136,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 popular job titles related to Founding Data Engineer jobs in Phoenix, AZ? For Founding Data Engineer jobs in Phoenix, AZ, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Data Engineer jobs in Phoenix, AZ look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Data Engineer jobs in Phoenix, AZ are:
Founding Data Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Data Engineer job openings in Phoenix, AZ as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 64% Full Time, 33% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $128,797 per year, or $61.9 per hour.

Founding GTM Engineer

EQL Tech

Phoenix, AZ

$120K - $170K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted yesterday

Job description

Founding GTM Engineer (Series A Fintech / EdTech)

Location: San Francisco, CA or Phoenix, AZ (In-Person, Full Time) | Seniority: Founding / Senior IC | Equity: Meaningful Founding Stake

The Mission: Architecting the Financial Rails for the $900B School Choice Movement.

We are an exclusively retained partner for a high-growth startup building the infrastructure for Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Currently, the $900B US public education budget is being unlocked, giving parents direct control of ~$7,500 per child, per year.

This company is building the specialized charge card, reimbursement engine, and vendor marketplace that makes this autonomy possible. With $16M raised from top-tier VCs and a team that has already rejected acquisition offers, this is a "life's work" commitment for a founding operator.

The Team: High-Density Talent & Intensity

You will join a full-time in-person culture in San Francisco or Phoenix. You will work alongside:

  • Founders: A former Goldman Sachs Quant and an engineer who built global-scale computer vision systems at age 19.
  • Engineering & Risk: Former leads and AI researchers from Stripe, Mercury, SpaceX (Ad Astra), Microsoft, and Circle.
  • Policy & Community: The former Deputy Director of a gold-standard state ESA department and leading national school choice advocates.
The Role: GTM as an Engineering Discipline

This is not a traditional sales or marketing role. We are looking for a Founding GTM Engineer to build a community-led growth engine from hundreds of families to tens of thousands.

  • Engineer Acquisition Loops: Move beyond paid acquisition to build compounding, community-led flywheels through homeschool co-ops, education pods, and micro-influencers.
  • Live in the Parent Psyche: You will spend real time in the field with families to understand what drives trust and triggers adoption - converting those insights into concrete GTM decisions, not decks.
  • Data Rigor: You will instrument funnels, set up tight feedback loops, and analyze cohort/retention curves with the precision of a software engineer.
  • Own Onboarding Conversion: You will be the primary owner of the onboarding funnel, driving toward a critical 500-account target and beyond

Requirements

Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for a rare combination of top-tier pedigree and scrappy, high-output execution.

  • Pedigree Signal: Academic background from a premier institution (Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, MIT Sloan, or equivalent).
  • Experience: 3-6 years in consumer growth or GTM ops at a high-growth company (e.g., Duolingo, Chime, ClassDojo, or equivalent).
  • Quantitative Depth: Expert in funnel analysis and cohort modelling who "lives in the data".
  • Field Orientation: You "get on the plane" - you value in-person interactions and are willing to do the ground-level work at events and home visits that move metrics.
  • Mission Alignment: A genuine respect for family autonomy in education and an understanding of the high-stakes trust dynamics involved in education spending

Benefits

Commitment, Compensation & Benefits

This will be a big commitment, and we're aiming high. It needs to be something you are energised about taking on, or this isn't the team for you.

  • Competitive Salary: $120,000 - $170,000 per year, commensurate with experience.
  • Generous Founding Equity: We compensate you well with equity.
  • Top-Tier Backing: We've raised $16M from top-tier VCs and angels.
  • Relocation Support: You are willing to relocate to San Francisco, CA, or Phoenix, AZ, and travel to visit customers. We're an in-person company and are in the office together.
  • Comprehensive Visa Sponsorship: If you do not have a visa, we can support you.
  • Unmatched Impact: The rare opportunity to directly shape how the $900B US Public Education budget is being opened up for parents to take control of their portion (avg. $7.5k/kid/year).

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