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Founding Full Stack Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Purple Unicorn, on behalf of SalesPatriot , is hiring an Full Stack Engineer . Non-negotiable: ALL ROLES ARE ON-SITE IN SAN FRANCISCO. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED YOU MUST BE LOCAL OR WILLING TO MOVE

They are seeking a Full Stack Engineer to build end-to-end features that enhance the business operations of their users. The role involves participating in the full process of feature development ...

Full Stack software engineer Location: San Diego, CA Clearance Level: Secret We are looking for a Full Stack software engineer who can join our team and make an immediate impact through their ...

Full Stack software engineer Location: San Diego, CA Clearance Level: Secret We are looking for a Full Stack software engineer who can join our team and make an immediate impact through their ...

About the Role Join an early-stage, Y Combinator-backed AI marketing automation startup as a Founding Engineer (Full-Stack) . You'll be one of the first engineers on the team, taking full ownership ...

Full Stack Engineer Location: Hollywood, LA, Califonia (Onsite) Duration: 6 Months (Contract-to-Hire) Required Skills * Strong experience with Swift, SwiftUI, and AppKit (NSCollectionView ...

We're looking for Full Stack Engineers with 2-8 years of experience in full stack engineering who has hands-on experience building AI agents and utilizing LLMs effectively. You should be comfortable ...

About the Role Join an early-stage, Y Combinator-backed AI marketing automation startup as a Founding Engineer (Full-Stack) . You'll be one of the first engineers on the team, taking full ownership ...

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $210K/yr

Title: Full Stack Engineer Client: AI ERP Company Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA (Hybrid - 4 Days Onsite) Job Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire | Permanent Position Overview: ***** is seeking a ...

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

Full Stack Engineer: We are in search of a dynamic Full-Stack Engineer to work as part of our product and backend engineering initiatives within Dot Earth, a thriving incubator. .Erth is presently ...

Sr. Full Stack Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$80K - $180K/yr

Why You're Here As a Sr. Full Stack Engineer, you'll operate with autonomy in a small, fast-moving ... Build and ship key features across the stack with the founding team * Own complex systems such as ...

About the Role A Y Combinator-backed AI startup is looking for a Founding Engineer - Full Stack to join a small founding team at the ground floor. The company operates at the intersection of AI ...

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

Full Stack Engineer: We are in search of a dynamic Full-Stack Engineer to work as part of our product and backend engineering initiatives within Dot Earth, a thriving incubator. .Erth is presently ...

Sr. Full Stack Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

$80K - $180K/yr

Why You're Here As a Sr. Full Stack Engineer, you'll operate with autonomy in a small, fast-moving ... Build and ship key features across the stack with the founding team * Own complex systems such as ...

About the Role A Y Combinator-backed AI startup is looking for a Founding Engineer - Full Stack to join a small founding team at the ground floor. The company operates at the intersection of AI ...

The Full Stack Engineer will be responsible for architecting mission-critical software and delivering user-centric solutions in a fast-paced startup environment. Responsibilities : • Join our ...

Full Stack Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

We're looking for a (Human) Member of Technical Staff specializing in full-stack engineering. We're seeking sharp engineers who value high-quality code, thrive in collaborative teams, and are excited ...

Showing results 41-60

Founding Full Stack Engineer information

What is a founding full stack engineer?

A Founding Full Stack Engineer is an early, core technical team member at a startup who is responsible for building both the front-end and back-end of the company's product. This role goes beyond typical engineering, often involving product decisions, architecture design, and collaborating directly with the founders. Founding Full Stack Engineers help shape the company's culture, technical direction, and can have significant equity stake. Their work is crucial in taking the business from idea to launch, often in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a founding full stack engineer?

To thrive as a Founding Full Stack Engineer, you need expertise in both front-end and back-end development, deep knowledge of programming languages like JavaScript, Python, or Ruby, and experience with scalable architectures, often backed by a degree in computer science or equivalent experience. Familiarity with frameworks (React, Node.js, Django), version control systems (Git), cloud platforms (AWS, GCP), and DevOps practices is typically required. Strong problem-solving, initiative, adaptability, and excellent communication distinguish successful candidates, enabling effective collaboration in a startup environment. These skills and qualities are crucial for building robust products rapidly and influencing the company's technical direction from its early stages.

What is the difference between Founding Full Stack Engineer vs Full Stack Engineer?

AspectFounding Full Stack EngineerFull Stack Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires proven full stack development experience, sometimes with startup or early-stage company involvementRequires relevant full stack development skills, often with formal education or certifications
Work EnvironmentEarly-stage startups or founding teams, often wearing multiple hatsEstablished companies or startups, focused on project delivery
Employer & Industry UsageFounding teams, startups, tech entrepreneursTech companies, agencies, startups, corporate IT teams

Founding Full Stack Engineers are key players in early-stage startups, often involved in building core products from scratch and shaping company technology. Full Stack Engineers work across various company sizes, focusing on developing and maintaining applications. The main difference lies in the startup environment and level of involvement in founding the company.

What unique challenges might a founding full stack engineer face when joining an early-stage startup?

As a Founding Full Stack Engineer at an early-stage startup, you'll often balance building core product features with setting up foundational technical infrastructure. This role typically requires wearing multiple hats, from architecting systems and writing code to making critical technology decisions and collaborating closely with non-technical founders. You may encounter challenges such as ambiguous requirements, shifting priorities, and limited resources, but you'll also have significant influence over the company's technical direction. The dynamic environment encourages rapid learning and offers accelerated career growth, particularly for those who thrive in fast-paced, collaborative settings.
What cities in California are hiring for Founding Full Stack Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Founding Full Stack Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Founding Full Stack Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 5% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Full-Stack Engineer

Purple Unicorn Career Coaching

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 26 days ago


Job description

Purple Unicorn, on behalf of SalesPatriot, is hiring an Full Stack Engineer.
Non-negotiable: ALL ROLES ARE ON-SITE IN SAN FRANCISCO. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED YOU MUST BE LOCAL OR WILLING TO MOVE
*** Must be authorized to work in the US***
The Mission
America's industrial base runs on systems built in the 1980s.
Billions of dollars in critical components (F-35 parts, industrial assemblies, electronics, bolts, and hoses) still move through email threads, excel sheets, and disconnected ERPs.
We're replacing that with an AI-native platform that makes defense, aerospace, and industrial supply-chain operations nearly autonomous. Faster quoting. Faster procurement. Full visibility. Real operational intelligence for the companies our nation depends on.
Quick Facts
  • YC W25 company. Top 5% growth in batch
  • Raised $10M+ from investors including Paul Graham, SV Angel, Pear VC, and CRV
  • Team of 20 co-live in our SF & Warsaw Hacker Houses
  • 7 figure ARR transacting ~$50M a week through our system
The Role
Our Full Stack Engineers work closely with other engineers on the platform team and customer-facing forward deployed teams to design, build, and maintain robust full-stack systems that integrate with complex legacy environments and support high-value, high-impact supply chain systems.
  • Full time, in-person in SF. This is not a remote role.
  • Backend-leaning fullstack role using Svelte/Typescript/Postgres.
  • Design, develop, and maintain full-stack application functionality, including:
  • Organize, keep track of, and deliver multiple projects in parallel
What We're Looking For
  • Absolute grinder. Interested in co-living (though not required).
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change.
  • Track record of shipping fast.
  • Experience architecting systems independently
  • Motivated by taking an unknown problem, sinking your teeth in, and coming up with a plan of attack.
  • Experience in shipping projects and products. Be ready to show us at least one full-stack project (GitHub repo / web app / Loom demo video).
  • Proficiency in TypeScript, JavaScript, and at least one frontend library (React, Svelte, Next etc).
  • Knowledge of SQL databases, preferably Postgres.
  • Proficiency in writing, optimizing, and troubleshooting complex SQL queries for data extraction, transformation, and integration.
  • Strong understanding of software engineering best practices, including version control, testing, and documentation
  • Ability to work effectively in fast-paced, high-accountability environments
  • Low ego, curiosity, and intellectual honesty - focused on outcomes, not "being right"

Salary & Benefits
  • $120-$150K
  • Medical (Partially paid)
  • PTO
  • 401K pending