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Founding Software Engineer Jobs in New York (NOW HIRING)

Highbeam, Inc

Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$200K - $275K/yr

About this role We're looking for software engineers to join us in building the future of business ... Chance to join the founding team of a well-funded startup chasing a huge opportunity * Competitive ...

Arch

Senior Software Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$134K - $177K/yr

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will develop and maintain core components of the platform ... startup or on a founding engineering team. • Exposure to building internal tools or ...

Lava INC

Software Engineer

New York, NY

Software Engineer (NYC) Lava: the connector to every LLM, API, and MCP. Join Lava's team in shaping ... Pair with founding engineers to learn the codebase and take on more independent ownership ...

Lava

Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Software Engineer (NYC) Lava: the connector to every LLM, API, and MCP. Join Lava's team in shaping ... Pair with founding engineers to learn the codebase and take on more independent ownership ...

Essen Medical Associates

Senior Software Engineer

Bronx, NY · On-site

$150K - $180K/yr

Senior Software Engineer The role: We're hiring Software Engineers to join our founding engineering team. You'll take well-scoped technical work from our principal engineers and ship it, end to end ...

Lava

Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Software Engineer (NYC) Lava: the connector to every LLM, API, and MCP. Join Lava's team in shaping ... Pair with founding engineers to learn the codebase and take on more independent ownership ...

Lava

Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

Software Engineer (NYC) Lava: the connector to every LLM, API, and MCP. Join Lava's team in shaping ... Pair with founding engineers to learn the codebase and take on more independent ownership ...

Essen Medical Associates

Senior Software Engineer

Bronx, NY

$127K - $168K/yr

Senior Software Engineer The role: We're hiring Software Engineers to join our founding engineering team. You'll take well-scoped technical work from our principal engineers and ship it, end to end ...

Arch

Staff Software Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

As a Staff Software Engineer, you will serve as a technical leader, owning complex systems and ... as a founding or early-stage engineer at a fast-growing startup. • Background in building ...

Take2 AI

Senior Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$140K - $200K/yr

About The Role Take2 AI is hiring a hands-on Senior Software Engineer to lead and scale the ... Build and deliver end-to-end AI applications in close collaboration with product and founding teams

Shaped

Senior Software Engineer (Cloud)

Brooklyn, NY · On-site

$100K - $150K/yr

We are looking for a software engineer with cloud infrastructure experience - preferably within the ... You will be a founding engineer that works on cutting-edge technologies and research, and applies ...

Shaped

Senior Software Engineer (Cloud)

Brooklyn, NY · On-site +1

$100K - $150K/yr

We are looking for a software engineer with cloud infrastructure experience - preferably within the ... You will be a founding engineer that works on cutting-edge technologies and research, and applies ...

Braintrust

Software Engineer, Systems

New York, NY · On-site

$189K - $224K/yr

About the role We're looking for a software engineer who loves to build high performance data ... Our founding team has deep expertise in database and ML systems, and you'll be empowered to both ...

Rubie

Software Engineer

New York, NY · On-site

$150K - $215K/yr

About Rubie Rubie helps companies with complex software configure and launch with their customers ... our Founding Engineers, the reality of being an early hire at a startup is that you'll have an ...

HigherPeople

Software Engineer

New York, NY

$150K - $215K/yr

Rubie helps companies with complex software configure and launch with their customers faster. ERPs ... our Founding Engineers, the reality of being an early hire at a startup is that you'll have an ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsFounding Software Engineer JobsFounding Software Engineer Jobs in New York

Founding Software Engineer information

See New York salary details

$69.5K

$161.4K

$224.8K

How much do founding software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for founding software engineer in New York is $161,396.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $131,300.00 and $189,300.00 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 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 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 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 a combination of salary, equity, and benefits, with base salaries typically ranging from $100,000 to $150,000 annually depending on the company and location. Equity stakes can significantly increase total compensation, especially in early-stage startups where founders and early employees often hold substantial ownership shares. Compensation varies based on experience, company funding stage, and technical skills such as proficiency in coding languages and development tools.

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 popular job titles related to Founding Software Engineer jobs in New York? For Founding Software Engineer jobs in New York, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Software Engineer jobs in New York look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Software Engineer jobs in New York are:
Founding Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Software Engineer job openings in New York as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% In-person, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $161,396 per year, or $77.6 per hour.

Software Engineer

Highbeam, Inc

New York, NY • On-site

$200K - $275K/yr

Full-time

Medical, PTO

Re-posted 20 days ago

Job description

Highbeam is building the future of business banking and cash management.
Our platform combines AI agents, automated financial workflows, and integrated financial products that save brands time and money.
Customers have generated billions in sales and include well-known brands such as Cuts, Tushy, NYON, Sabah, Still Here, Alice Mushrooms, Original Grain, birddogs, and more.
Our team includes alumni of Shopify, Square, Toast, Rippling, and McKinsey.
We've raised $42M in equity from Acrew, FirstMark, Mayfield, and Two Sigma Ventures.
About this role
We're looking for software engineers to join us in building the future of business banking and cash management. You'll work closely with other engineers, product, and design to design, build, and iterate on core products used by businesses every day.
You'll own projects end-to-end: from scoping to building, testing, shipping, and refining based on real-world feedback.
Our stack: Kotlin, TypeScript / React, PostgreSQL, Google Cloud. Check out our open-source Kotlin toolkit Kairo.
On AI use
A strong Highbeam engineer uses AI as a powerful tool - for exploration, design, and implementation - while maintaining full ownership of the outcome. AI can accelerate thinking and execution, but it does not replace judgment, taste, or accountability.
We expect engineers to use AI extensively and still care deeply about code quality. That means reviewing outputs carefully, refining them, understanding the trade-offs, and ensuring the final result meets a high bar for clarity, correctness, and maintainability.
Shipping working code is not enough. You should understand what you ship and be able to defend the decisions behind it.
Qualifications
  • 4+ years of professional software engineering experience (startup or small-team experience is a plus)
  • Proven ability to lead and deliver technically challenging, cross-functional projects
  • Comfortable with designing APIs, debugging complex systems, and writing tests
  • Strong product sense and ability to make thoughtful tradeoffs in scope and functionality
  • Interest in (or willingness to learn) basic financial concepts relevant to small businesses

You'll thrive at Highbeam if...
  • You love working in-person with a high-performing team
  • You enjoy working in an idea-meritocratic, low-ego environment
  • You are proactive and self-directed, and you excel in ambiguous, fast moving environments
  • You care about delivering a polished customer experience
  • Bonus: You have experience working in fintech, AI or early-stage startups

What we offer
  • Chance to join the founding team of a well-funded startup chasing a huge opportunity
  • Competitive salary and meaningful equity
  • Great location: Our NYC office is in NoHo, a short walk from the A,C,E • B,D,F,M • N,Q,R,W • 1 • 6 trains. Our Toronto office is downtown near St. Andrew Station.
  • Generous PTO
  • Comprehensive health & benefits package
  • Stipends for lunch, commute, wellness, and purchasing customer products
  • Yearly offsite-last year we went to Mexico City!

Apply