Founding Software Engineer As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll have end-to-end ownership over projects pushing the frontier of AI evaluation. This isn't a narrow role. One week you might ...
Founding Software Engineer As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll have end-to-end ownership over projects pushing the frontier of AI evaluation. This isn't a narrow role. One week you might ...
An innovative startup is hiring for a Founding Software Engineer to join their small but growing team on-site in downtown San Francisco. This SaaS company has grown from 1 to 70+ clients in the last ...
An innovative startup is hiring for a Founding Software Engineer to join their small but growing team on-site in downtown San Francisco. This SaaS company has grown from 1 to 70+ clients in the last ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$130K - $200K/yr
About the Role A well-funded, seed-stage B2B SaaS startup in the supply chain integrations space is looking for a Founding Software Engineer to help shape the architecture, culture, and product ...
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Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$130K - $200K/yr
About the Role A well-funded, seed-stage B2B SaaS startup in the supply chain integrations space is looking for a Founding Software Engineer to help shape the architecture, culture, and product ...
Founding Software Engineer - TruTec About TruTec TruTec is an AI-powered construction takeoff platform that is revolutionizing a $17 billion industry . We automate the tedious, manual process of site ...
Founding Software Engineer - TruTec About TruTec TruTec is an AI-powered construction takeoff platform that is revolutionizing a $17 billion industry . We automate the tedious, manual process of site ...
Founding Software Engineer - TruTec About TruTec TruTec is an AI-powered construction takeoff platform that is revolutionizing a $17 billion industry . We automate the tedious, manual process of site ...
Founding Software Engineer - TruTec About TruTec TruTec is an AI-powered construction takeoff platform that is revolutionizing a $17 billion industry . We automate the tedious, manual process of site ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$130K - $200K/yr
About the Role A well-funded, seed-stage B2B SaaS startup in the supply chain integrations space is looking for a Founding Software Engineer to help shape the architecture, culture, and product ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$130K - $200K/yr
About the Role A well-funded, seed-stage B2B SaaS startup in the supply chain integrations space is looking for a Founding Software Engineer to help shape the architecture, culture, and product ...
As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll have end-to-end ownership over projects pushing the frontier of AI evaluation. This isn't a narrow role. One week you might prototype a new RL environment from ...
As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll have end-to-end ownership over projects pushing the frontier of AI evaluation. This isn't a narrow role. One week you might prototype a new RL environment from ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $200K/yr
About the role As a founding software engineer at Bronco AI, you will be building world-class intelligent reasoning systems for chip verification. You'll own the product from pushing the frontier of ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $200K/yr
About the role As a founding software engineer at Bronco AI, you will be building world-class intelligent reasoning systems for chip verification. You'll own the product from pushing the frontier of ...
Founding Software Engineer
$144K - $190K/yr
Founding Senior Software Engineer (SF In-Person Preferred) Posted We are hot Tech Startup building the AI-native intelligence layer for physical operations, starting with trucking carriers. We are a ...
New
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Founding Software Engineer
$144K - $190K/yr
Founding Senior Software Engineer (SF In-Person Preferred) Posted We are hot Tech Startup building the AI-native intelligence layer for physical operations, starting with trucking carriers. We are a ...
New
Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent
$140K - $180K/yr
Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent View all jobs Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent San Mateo EPD Hybrid Full-time ROE is a startup building Cursor for Financial Crimes. Today, ROE is trusted by ...
New
Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent
$140K - $180K/yr
Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent View all jobs Founding Software Engineer, AI Agent San Mateo EPD Hybrid Full-time ROE is a startup building Cursor for Financial Crimes. Today, ROE is trusted by ...
New
About the role This is a founding engineering role. You'll own entire systems end to end - the ... About you * 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a track record of ...
About the role This is a founding engineering role. You'll own entire systems end to end - the ... About you * 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a track record of ...
Join Onton as a Founding Engineer and set the foundation for our Engineering Team * Design, scope ... If you're a builder at heart who shares our values and is passionate about making software tools ...
Join Onton as a Founding Engineer and set the foundation for our Engineering Team * Design, scope ... If you're a builder at heart who shares our values and is passionate about making software tools ...
Founding Software Engineer
$160K - $210K/yr
THE ROLE This is a true founding-engineer seat. You'll work directly with therapists, ship real features that land in production, and own problems end-to-end -- from the first line of code through ...
Founding Software Engineer
$160K - $210K/yr
THE ROLE This is a true founding-engineer seat. You'll work directly with therapists, ship real features that land in production, and own problems end-to-end -- from the first line of code through ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$175K - $240K/yr
Join Onton as a Founding Engineer and set the foundation for our Engineering Team * Design, scope ... If you're a builder at heart who shares our values and is passionate about making software tools ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$175K - $240K/yr
Join Onton as a Founding Engineer and set the foundation for our Engineering Team * Design, scope ... If you're a builder at heart who shares our values and is passionate about making software tools ...
Founding Software Engineer
$160K - $210K/yr
THE ROLE This is a true founding-engineer seat. You'll work directly with therapists, ship real features that land in production, and own problems end-to-end -- from the first line of code through ...
Founding Software Engineer
$160K - $210K/yr
THE ROLE This is a true founding-engineer seat. You'll work directly with therapists, ship real features that land in production, and own problems end-to-end -- from the first line of code through ...
About the Role We're building an AI motion design platform and this is our founding engineering hire. You'll work closely with the founders to shape the technical foundation, own end-to-end ...
Quick apply
About the Role We're building an AI motion design platform and this is our founding engineering hire. You'll work closely with the founders to shape the technical foundation, own end-to-end ...
Founding Backend Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $300K/yr
We are hiring a Founding Software Engineer in San Francisco. We are building a small, talent-dense team. This role will define the engineering archetype at Unsiloed AI and set the ceiling for the ...
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Founding Backend Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $300K/yr
We are hiring a Founding Software Engineer in San Francisco. We are building a small, talent-dense team. This role will define the engineering archetype at Unsiloed AI and set the ceiling for the ...
About the Role We're building an AI motion design platform and this is our founding engineering hire. You'll work closely with the founders to shape the technical foundation, own end-to-end ...
About the Role We're building an AI motion design platform and this is our founding engineering hire. You'll work closely with the founders to shape the technical foundation, own end-to-end ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $250K/yr
They are hiring a full-stack software engineer to help shape the future of healthcare. This engineer will be on the front lines of the most ambitious product bets-owning development of core features ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · On-site
$150K - $250K/yr
They are hiring a full-stack software engineer to help shape the future of healthcare. This engineer will be on the front lines of the most ambitious product bets-owning development of core features ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · Remote
$150K - $250K/yr
They are hiring a full-stack software engineer to help shape the future of healthcare. This engineer will be on the front lines of the most ambitious product bets-owning development of core features ...
Founding Software Engineer
San Francisco, CA · Remote
$150K - $250K/yr
They are hiring a full-stack software engineer to help shape the future of healthcare. This engineer will be on the front lines of the most ambitious product bets-owning development of core features ...
Founding Software Engineer information
See California salary details
$62.7K - $75.4K
2% of jobs
$75.4K - $88.1K
4% of jobs
$88.1K - $100.9K
6% of jobs
$100.9K - $113.6K
8% of jobs
$120.5K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$113.6K - $126.4K
7% of jobs
$126.4K - $139.1K
18% of jobs
The median wage is $142.1K / yr.
$139.1K - $151.8K
16% of jobs
$151.8K - $164.6K
2% of jobs
$169.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$164.6K - $177.3K
26% of jobs
$177.3K - $190.1K
1% of jobs
$190.1K - $202.8K
8% of jobs
$62.7K
$145.6K
$202.8K
How much do founding software engineer jobs pay per year?
As of Jun 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding software engineer in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What are Founding Software Engineers?
Founding Software Engineers are among the first technical hires at a startup or newly formed company. They play a critical role in building the initial product, setting up the technical foundation, and often shaping the company's engineering culture and processes. In addition to coding, they may also be involved in architecture decisions, hiring, and even strategic business discussions. This role typically requires broad technical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to work in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
What are some unique challenges faced by Founding Software Engineers in an early-stage startup environment?
Founding Software Engineers in early-stage startups often navigate rapidly shifting priorities and must wear multiple hats, from architecting core systems to handling on-call troubleshooting. The role typically requires balancing the need for quick feature delivery with building scalable, maintainable code. Close collaboration with co-founders and other early team members is essential, as decisions made at this stage have a lasting impact on the product and company culture. Adaptability, strong communication, and ownership are key, as resource constraints and ambiguity are common.
What is the difference between Founding Software Engineer vs Software Engineer?
| Aspect | Founding Software Engineer | Software Engineer |
|---|---|---|
| Required Credentials | Bachelor's or higher in CS or related field; startup experience often preferred | Bachelor's degree in CS or related field; entry to mid-level experience |
| Work Environment | Early-stage startup, high responsibility, flexible roles | Established companies or startups, structured teams, defined roles |
| Employer & Industry Usage | Founding teams of startups, tech companies | Tech firms, corporations, startups |
| Search & Comparison Intent | Understanding startup roles, early-stage responsibilities | Standard software development roles, career progression |
The main difference is that a Founding Software Engineer is an early team member in a startup, often taking on broader responsibilities and helping shape the company's technical foundation. A Software Engineer typically works within established teams on specific projects, with more defined roles and responsibilities.
What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Founding Software Engineer, and why are they important?
To thrive as a Founding Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software architecture, full-stack development, and problem-solving, often demonstrated by a strong technical background and relevant degrees. Familiarity with cloud platforms, version control systems (like Git), and modern programming languages or frameworks is essential, along with startup exposure or experience. Initiative, adaptability, and outstanding communication are crucial soft skills for shaping the product vision and collaborating in a small, fast-moving team. These capabilities are vital for efficiently building robust products from scratch and driving early-stage company growth.
What are popular job titles related to Founding Software Engineer jobs in California? For Founding Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Founding Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Founding Software Engineer job openings:
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Posted 10 days ago
Job description
Founding Software Engineer
As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll have end-to-end ownership over projects pushing the frontier of AI evaluation. This isn't a narrow role. One week you might prototype a new RL environment from a research paper, the next you'll deploy distributed experiments on Kubernetes, and the week after you'll improve Next.js dashboards or build Kafka pipelines for annotator analytics. One of your first projects will be designing and scaling an AI interviewer platform to handle tens of thousands of interviews monthly. Requirements 0 - 3 years of experience as a full stack SWE Design and build scalable systems: RL environments, APIs, and human-in-the-loop platforms Collaborate across research, product, and design to ship features quickly Solve real-world scalability and reliability challenges Contribute to core infrastructure powering data for leading AI labs Write clean, maintainable code and participate in code reviews Benefits Equity: 0.5% to 1% Visa sponsorship available On-site work policy: 5 days a week in San-Francisco office