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Founding Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Career Launch

Founding Engineer - Fullstack

Chicago, IL · On-site

$110 - $170/hr

THE ROLE As a Founding Engineer - Fullstack, you may work on projects that require strong execution, communication, analytical judgment, and the ability to move quickly in ambiguous environments.

Clera

Founding Engineer ($3M pre-seed)

Chicago, IL · On-site

We're building the future of recruiting with AI - and we need an exceptional engineer to join our founding team in our San Francisco hackerhouse. We just raised a $3M pre-seed from top-tier investors ...

Raydar

Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$200K - $300K/yr

The role and why it matters This is a founding Forward Deployed Engineer role with direct access to the co-founders and Head of AI. You will build and deploy applied-AI products across multiple ...

Acceler8 Talent

Research Engineer

Mundelein, IL · On-site

$300K/yr

Founding Research Engineer - AI & Defence 📍 San Francisco | Onsite I'm working with a highly ambitious defense AI startup building technology to detect and conduct a novel class of AI-powered ...

Career Launch

Founding Backend Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

THE ROLE As a Founding Backend Engineer, you may work on projects that require strong execution, communication, analytical judgment, and the ability to move quickly in ambiguous environments. This ...

Qumis Inc

Founding Staff AI Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

About the Role We're hiring a Founding Staff AI Engineer to build and ship production-grade AI that powers the core workflows of Qumis. You'll partner closely with the CTO and co-founders to design ...

Cyclotron, Inc.

AI-Native Product Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$120K - $149K/yr

This person should operate less like a ticket-based contractor and more like a founding engineer assigned to a product area. The ideal candidate can understand user needs, define effective workflows ...

Denari

Founding Forward Deployed Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$120 - $180/hr

You should be able to think like an engineer--breaking down ambiguity, understanding systems ... As our founding FDE, you'll also help define the function itself: how we scope engagements ...

Readdy

Founding AI PM

Mundelein, IL · On-site

$200K - $250K/yr

As our Founding Product Manager , you will be one of the earliest product hires, working directly ... Be a strong thought partner to engineering -- not just a ticket writer * Drive quality improvements ...

BioTalent

Founding Scientific Lead

Mundelein, IL · On-site

Founding Scientific Lead Location: US-based | Onsite, hybrid, or flexible working arrangements ... You will partner closely with engineering, AI, and product teams to define scientific standards ...

Kato

Founding GTM Operator

Mundelein, IL · On-site

About the Job Founding go-to-market role at a profitable, venture-backed B2B AI startup. Own our ... Former Software Engineer at Google and Engineering Manager at Brex Kato is backed by institutional ...

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Founding Engineer information

See Illinois salary details

$29.1K

$67.2K

$114.3K

How much do founding engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding engineer in Illinois is $67,213.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,900.00 and $76,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a founding engineer?

A Founding Engineer is one of the first technical hires at a startup, responsible for building the company's core products and setting the foundation for its technology stack. They work closely with the founders, making key architectural decisions, writing production-ready code, and often wearing multiple hats across engineering, product, and strategy. This role requires a mix of deep technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced, early-stage environment.

What are the biggest challenges a founding engineer typically faces at an early-stage startup?

As a Founding Engineer, you’ll often be tasked with building a product from the ground up while balancing rapid development with long-term technical vision. Resource constraints and evolving product requirements can require creative problem-solving and the ability to prioritize effectively. You’ll work closely with the founding team, making pivotal decisions that shape both technology and culture, so adaptability and a hands-on approach are important. While the environment can be demanding and ambiguous, it also offers unique opportunities to learn, take ownership, and have a major impact on the success of the company.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the founding engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Founding Engineer, you need deep expertise in software development, system architecture, and product design, typically backed by experience with startups or building products from scratch. Familiarity with modern programming languages, cloud platforms, and agile tools such as Git, AWS, and Jira is often essential. Exceptional problem-solving, strong ownership mentality, and the ability to communicate clearly in fast-paced, unstructured environments set standout candidates apart. These skills are crucial because Founding Engineers must quickly turn vision into reality, adapt to changing needs, and help establish the technical foundation of a new company.

What are popular job titles related to Founding Engineer jobs in Illinois?

For Founding Engineer jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Founding Engineer jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Founding Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What cities in Illinois are hiring for Founding Engineer jobs?

Cities in Illinois with the most Founding Engineer job openings:

Founding Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Engineer job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $67,213 per year, or $32.3 per hour.

Founding Engineer - Fullstack

Career Launch

Chicago, IL • On-site

$110 - $170/hr

Other

This job post has expired 2 days ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

ABOUT CAREER LAUNCH

Career Launch is hiring for this role and related opportunities. We review candidate profiles across active roles and use resumes/profiles to understand which backgrounds may be a fit.


THE ROLE

As a Founding Engineer - Fullstack, you may work on projects that require strong execution, communication, analytical judgment, and the ability to move quickly in ambiguous environments.


This posting is intended for candidates who want to be considered for this role type and closely related opportunities.


WHAT YOU MAY WORK ON

  • Own projects, workflows, research, execution, or stakeholder-facing work related to the role.

  • Turn messy information into clear next steps, concise updates, and practical recommendations.

  • Collaborate across product, operations, growth, strategy, technical, or customer-facing teams depending on the role.

  • Build evidence of your skills through resume/profile context that helps recruiting teams evaluate fit.


WHO THIS IS FOR

This is a strong fit for candidates who are actively exploring new roles and want their resume reviewed for relevant Career Launch opportunities.

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