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Founding Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Zero21

Founding Engineer - Full Stack

Washington, DC · On-site

We are looking for a Founding Engineer to join the team as we build out a product that will help to shape the physical future for America in the 21st century. The Why CloudRig will transform the ...

Zero21

Founding Engineer - Full Stack

Washington, DC · On-site +1

We are looking for a Founding Engineer to join the team as we build out a product that will help to shape the physical future for America in the 21st century. The Why CloudRig will transform the ...

C10 Labs

Founding Product Designer

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$40 - $50/hr

Founding Product Designer Department: Buckstop Employment Type: Contract Location: Washington, DC ... You will work directly with the founders, engineers, and customers to create intuitive workflows ...

C10 Labs

Founding Product Designer

Washington, DC

$40 - $50/hr

Our founding team brings together leaders from manufacturing, logistics, reverse supply chains ... You will work directly with the founders, engineers, and customers to create intuitive workflows ...

Humana

Lead, Offensive Security

Washington, DC · Remote

... its founding engineer. As Lead, Offensive Security (AI & Tooling), you will own the in-house AI agent platform that powers our penetration testing and red team operations, and build the AI-driven ...

Humana

Lead, Offensive Security

Washington, DC · Remote

... its founding engineer. As Lead, Offensive Security (AI & Tooling), you will own the in-house AI agent platform that powers our penetration testing and red team operations, and build the AI-driven ...

Humana

Lead, Offensive Security

Washington, DC · Remote

... its founding engineer. As Lead, Offensive Security (AI & Tooling), you will own the in-house AI agent platform that powers our penetration testing and red team operations, and build the AI-driven ...

GRVTY

Senior Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site +1

$125K - $165K/yr

We've been supporting this customer on many different sub-projects of this program since our founding in 2013. We've grown on this effort by providing the customer with Engineers who have done ...

STAHL

Senior Systems Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$118K - $162K/yr

Senior Systems Engineer WHO WE ARE: STAHL Companies provides the Program Management for its Channel ... The Channel's founding Technical Board Members include former government leaders and IT executives ...

Stahl Companies

Senior Systems Engineer

Washington, DC

$118K - $162K/yr

Description Senior Systems Engineer WHO WE ARE: STAHL Companies provides the Program Management for ... The Channel's founding Technical Board Members include former government leaders and IT executives ...

Integral

Network Engineer

Tysons, VA · On-site

Overview The Network Engineer administers, maintains, secures, and accredits the Defense Nuclear ... Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to ...

Integral

Network Engineer

Tysons Corner, VA

The Network Engineer administers, maintains, secures, and accredits the Defense Nuclear Facilities ... Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to ...

Integral

Software Engineer III

Tysons, VA · On-site

$58 - $78/hr

Overview The Software Engineer III provides comprehensive software engineering support for the ... Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to ...

Integral

Systems Engineer III

Tysons Corner, VA

The Systems Engineer III provides comprehensive Systems Engineering support for the Product Manager ... Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to ...

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Founding Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$34K

$78.6K

$133.6K

How much do founding engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding engineer in Washington is $78,559.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,300.00 and $88,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 is a Founding Engineer job?

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 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 the most commonly searched types of Founding Engineer jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Founding Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Founding Engineer jobs in Washington? For Founding Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Engineer jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Founding Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Founding Engineer job openings:
Founding Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Engineer job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $78,559 per year, or $37.8 per hour.

Founding Engineer - Full Stack

Zero21

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Hi, thanks for checking out our job board!

If you're an entrepreneurial-minded builder who loves to work with great people to solve wicked problems that have a meaningful impact, read on to see if this position might be a good fit for you!

The Mission
Infrastructure means everything for economic growth and opportunity. Roads, bridges, dams, and airports dictate our ability to reduce poverty, fight climate change, and lower crime. The government chases these benefits to the tune of $320B every year.

The results aren't pretty. Infrastructure construction companies deliver 75% of projects late. 50% turn down work due to labor shortages. And ancient, inadequate software prevents them from getting faster or more efficient.

About CloudRig
That's where CloudRig comes in. We're a venture-backed software company building a modern construction management platform to help infrastructure construction companies win more jobs and deliver them on time and under budget.

We embrace a culture of initiative, service, and humility. We're taking on a big problem with the potential for big impact. We challenge ourselves every day to make the lives of those in infrastructure construction exponentially better.

We are looking for a Founding Engineer to join the team as we build out a product that will help to shape the physical future for America in the 21st century.

The Why
CloudRig will transform the working lives of the 100,000 people who build our critical infrastructure, and, in turn, the hundreds of millions who rely on this infrastructure to open new businesses, go to work, travel, see friends and family, and climb the socioeconomic ladder. If you're looking for purpose in your work and a new challenge to spark personal and professional growth, there's no better opportunity. Apply now.
The Opportunity
    • Work directly with customers to define the product for our MVP and beyond
    • Make foundational architectural decisions that will help our system scale and rapidly adapt to customer needs
    • Own product features that delight the customer end-to-end from defining the scope all the way through development 
    • Influence the culture of the company and guide the processes and tooling of the engineering team
    • Work directly every day with the CTO and the founding team
The Intangibles
    • We believe that in order to be successful as a Founding Engineer at CloudRig, you:
    • Take initiative and crave ownership
    • Take pleasure in driving outcomes and seeing your projects succeed
    • Have the ability to make thoughtful decisions quickly especially in ambiguous situations
    • Have strong opinions that are loosely held
    • Are curious and a self-learner
    • Embrace the creative problem-solving that comes with working on small teams and the ultimate responsibility that comes with driving outcomes on your own
Your Experience
    • We think having the right experience is necessary for success. That may include:
    • 5+ years of experience as a full-stack developer ideally working at at B2B software company
    • You have led large projects from ideation through development, launch, and support, influencing both product and architectural decisions
    • You are proficient in implementing projects across the stack (ideally in React for the frontend and Node for the backend)
    • You have worked in a small, agile team environment and delivered software products rapidly

About Zero21
As recruiters helping to build the next generation of industry disruptors, we are committed to expanding the startup ecosystem so that exceptional talent from diverse communities can gain greater access to more early stage companies.

We work only with equal opportunity employers who welcome candidates from underrepresented, underestimated, and traditionally overlooked communities to further diversity, equity, and inclusion in the next cohort of industry-disrupting unicorns.

To all recruitment agencies: Zero21 does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias or our team members. Zero21 is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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