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Founding Software Engineer Jobs in New Jersey (NOW HIRING)

Logiqal

Software Engineer - Control Systems

Princeton, NJ · On-site

$150 - $235/hr

Based in Princeton, NJ our founding physics team has decades of combined research experience at ... About the Role As a Software Engineer on the controls side, you will develop and own components ...

SageSure

Senior Software Engineer

Jersey City, NJ · On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

SageSure, a leader in catastrophe-exposed property insurance, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer ... Since its founding in 2009, SageSure has experienced exceptional growth while generating ...

Ruxlo

Senior Software Engineer, QA

Manasquan, NJ · On-site

$125 - $150/hr

This is a software engineer first, with a quality mindset -- not a traditional QA seat. You ... Founding-team or early-stage experience building a quality function from zero on a lean team.

Ruxlo

Senior Software Engineer, QA

Manasquan, NJ · On-site

This is a software engineer first, with a quality mindset -- not a traditional QA seat. You ... Founding-team or early-stage experience building a quality function from zero on a lean team.

Integral

Software Developer

Picatinny Arsenal, NJ · On-site

The Software Developer provides lifecycle software development support for the Nuclear Biological ... Since our founding in 1998, we have helped clients leverage existing and emerging technologies to ...

Logiqal, Inc

Optical Systems Engineer

Princeton, NJ · On-site

$125/hr

Based in Princeton, NJ our founding physics team has decades of combined research experience at ... them, and with software engineers to integrate your systems into the control stack. After ...

Logiqal

Optical Systems Engineer

Princeton, NJ · On-site

$125 - $200/hr

Based in Princeton, NJ our founding physics team has decades of combined research experience at ... them, and with software engineers to integrate your systems into the control stack. After ...

Logiqal

FPGA Engineer - Control Systems

Princeton, NJ · On-site

$150 - $200/hr

Based in Princeton, NJ our founding physics team has decades of combined research experience at ... You'll be working directly with physicists, software engineers, and the rest of the team to turn ...

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All JobsFounding Software Engineer JobsFounding Software Engineer Jobs in New Jersey

Founding Software Engineer information

See New Jersey salary details

$64.5K

$149.8K

$208.6K

How much do founding software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding software engineer in New Jersey is $149,771.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $121,800.00 and $175,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a founding software engineer?

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 the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a founding software engineer?

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 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?

AspectFounding Software EngineerSoftware Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in CS or related field; startup experience often preferredBachelor's degree in CS or related field; entry to mid-level experience
Work EnvironmentEarly-stage startup, high responsibility, flexible rolesEstablished companies or startups, structured teams, defined roles
Employer & Industry UsageFounding teams of startups, tech companiesTech firms, corporations, startups
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding startup roles, early-stage responsibilitiesStandard 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.

How much do founding software engineers make?

Founding software engineers often receive higher compensation than standard engineers, including equity or stock options, as they help establish the company's technology. Salaries typically range from $100,000 to $200,000 or more, depending on the company's size, funding stage, and location, with early-stage startups sometimes offering lower salaries but greater equity potential.

What does a founding software engineer do?

A founding software engineer is a key early team member responsible for designing, developing, and implementing the core software products of a startup or new project. They often work closely with founders to establish technical architecture, write code, and set development standards, typically using programming languages like Python, Java, or JavaScript. This role requires strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

What are popular job titles related to Founding Software Engineer jobs in New Jersey?

For Founding Software Engineer jobs in New Jersey, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Founding Software Engineer jobs in New Jersey look for?

The top searched job categories for Founding Software Engineer jobs in New Jersey are:

Founding Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Software Engineer job openings in New Jersey as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 88% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,771 per year, or $72 per hour.

Software Engineer - Control Systems

Logiqal

Princeton, NJ • On-site

$150 - $235/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Re-posted 18 days ago

Job description

About the Company

Logiqal is on a mission to build the first scaled quantum computer, deploying millions of qubits to tackle the world’s most important problems. Our thesis is that you have to build a full scale machine to learn what the actual hard parts are, just like you have to build a full scale rocket before the first launch. We’re looking for a few visionary scientists and engineers to join our team, to move fast and blow stuff up.

Based in Princeton, NJ our founding physics team has decades of combined research experience at leading academic and industry labs including Princeton, Harvard, Yale, MIT and Google Quantum. Our approach is based on neutral atom qubit technology developed in research labs at Princeton by the founding team. Our scalable systems are composed of manufacturable sub-modules, controlled by state-of-the-art CMOS optoelectronics, and designed around a unique computer architecture.

If you’re excited to build something that’s never existed before at the cutting edge of physics and engineering—together with an awesome team with deep technical expertise—come build with us!

About the Role

As a Software Engineer on the controls side, you will develop and own components that enable nanosecond-level timing of laser modulation signals, precision acquisition from high-speed cameras, and complex system-of-systems monitoring and diagnostics. We are looking for candidates who can work across the software/hardware boundary with strong backgrounds in hardware-in-the-loop testing, data pipelines for calibration and operations, and distributed infrastructure monitoring and control. You will collaborate with atomic physicists and other controls engineers to establish and monitor performance benchmarks that ensure our controls stack sustains robust, distributed quantum computations.

This position requires hands‑on instrumentation work and strong software fundamentals. It benefits from experience integrating technologies such as high‑speed cameras, RF signal generators, GPUs, and Linux kernel customizations. A physics background is a plus but not essential — we find that engineers from adjacent fields bring valuable perspective. No knowledge of quantum computing is not required, though we’re happy to teach you.

__________

Compensation consists of a base salary and equity. The salary range for this role is $150-235k, commensurate with experience. We also provide comprehensive benefits, including fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for our employees and highly subsidized benefits for spouses and dependents, a 401k and FSA.

__________

Logiqal is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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