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Senior Founding Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Casa, Inc

Senior iOS Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$164K/yr

About the role We're hiring a founding Senior iOS Engineer to help us design, develop, and ship best-in-class mobile applications that deliver exceptional value to our members. You'll work closely ...

Idler

Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100K - $150K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

You'll work alongside senior engineers and the founding team, learning how to design systems that are both technically sound and philosophically robust. A big part of our work is thinking critically ...

Casa

Senior iOS Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$164K/yr

About the role We're hiring a founding Senior iOS Engineer to help us design, develop, and ship best-in-class mobile applications that deliver exceptional value to our members. You'll work closely ...

Casa, Inc

Senior Backend Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

About the role We're hiring a founding Senior Backend Engineer to help us design, develop, and ship robust backend systems that deliver exceptional value to our members. You'll work closely with our ...

Revive

Senior Engineering Lead (Founding Team)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$120 - $160/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Role We're looking for a Senior Engineering Lead to join as a founding member of our engineering team. You'll help define (Re)vive's technical foundation, build core systems from the ground up ...

Casa

Senior Backend Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

They are seeking a founding Senior Backend Engineer to design, develop, and ship robust backend systems that deliver exceptional value to their members, working closely with founders, engineers, and ...

Revive

Senior Engineering Lead (Founding Team)

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $220K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Role We're looking for a Senior Engineering Lead to join as a founding member of our engineering team. You'll help define (Re)vive's technical foundation, build core systems from the ground up ...

idler

Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$100K - $150K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

  • PTO

You'll work alongside senior engineers and the founding team, learning how to design systems that are both technically sound and philosophically robust. A big part of our work is thinking critically ...

3Y

Senior Software Engineer, Frontend

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$175K - $205K/yr

Ideal candidates may have experience as a founding engineer or founder and bring a bias toward ownership, speed, and continuous iteration. This role requires a dynamic individual who can drive ...

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All JobsFounding Engineer JobsSenior Founding Engineer JobsSenior Founding Engineer Jobs in California

Senior Founding Engineer information

What is the difference between Senior Founding Engineer vs Lead Software Engineer?

AspectSenior Founding EngineerLead Software Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor's or master's in computer science or related field, with extensive experienceSimilar educational background, often with several years of software development experience
Work EnvironmentEarly-stage startups or new company divisions, often wearing multiple hatsEstablished teams within companies, focusing on project leadership and technical guidance
Industry UsageCommon in startups, tech companies, and entrepreneurial venturesWidely used across tech firms, especially in mid to large-sized organizations
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles in startup environments, founding responsibilitiesClarifying leadership roles in software development teams

The main difference is that a Senior Founding Engineer is typically an early team member in a startup, often involved in building the product from the ground up, while a Lead Software Engineer usually operates within established organizations, leading project teams and overseeing technical execution.

What is a senior founding engineer?

Senior Founding Engineers are experienced technical professionals who join a startup at its earliest stages, often as part of the founding team. They are responsible for designing and building the initial product architecture, making critical technical decisions, and setting engineering best practices. In addition to hands-on coding, they often help shape the company's culture, contribute to hiring, and may participate in strategic business decisions. Their work significantly impacts the company's trajectory and future growth.

How does a senior founding engineer balance hands-on technical work with strategic decision-making in an early-stage startup?

As a Senior Founding Engineer, you’ll often juggle direct coding responsibilities with broader technical leadership tasks, such as setting architectural direction and influencing early product decisions. In a small, agile team, you’ll collaborate closely with other founders, designers, and sometimes initial customers to iterate rapidly on features while ensuring scalability and maintainability. The role demands adaptability—shifting between solving immediate technical problems and long-term planning to support growth. This dual focus is both a challenge and an opportunity for career development, as it provides visibility into all aspects of building a product and company from the ground up.

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

To thrive as a Senior Founding Engineer, you need deep expertise in software engineering, product development, and startup environments, usually demonstrated by a strong technical background and experience launching products from scratch. Familiarity with modern programming languages, cloud platforms, version control (e.g., Git), and agile development tools is essential, and experience with system architecture or DevOps is highly valued. Leadership, adaptability, and excellent problem-solving skills set standout candidates apart, as does the ability to communicate complex ideas to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. These skills are crucial for driving technical innovation, building scalable products, and shaping the culture and success of an early-stage startup.

What are the most commonly searched types of Founding Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Founding Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Founding Engineer jobs in California?

For Senior Founding Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Founding Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Founding Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Senior Founding Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Senior Founding Engineer job openings:

Senior Founding Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Founding Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Senior Sensors Engineer

OSI Engineering, Inc.

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

$75 - $95/hr

Other

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

Senior Sensors Engineer (Contract)

Company Overview

Sabi is developing a next-generation AI wearable that combines ultra-high-density neural sensing with a Brain Foundation Model to decode neural signals and convert thought into text without surgery. The company is focused on advancing noninvasive brain-computer interface (BCI) technology through an EEG-powered wearable platform.

Position Summary

This person will own the end-to-end non-EEG sensor architecture, hardware, and algorithms for a sensor-rich wearable platform. The primary focus is PPG sensing systems, including optical hardware, heart rate, HRV algorithms, and sensor fusion across multiple sensing modalities. This is a highly visible leadership role reporting into the Head of Hardware and working closely with the CEO and CTO.

Key Requirements

• 10+ years of sensor or wearable hardware development experience.
• Deep expertise with PPG sensor systems (highest-priority skill set).
• Experience owning a sensing system from architecture through product launch.
• Strong analog front-end design experience.
• Experience with sensor selection, validation, calibration, characterization, and BOM ownership.
• Experience with heart rate and HRV algorithms in real-world wearable environments.
• Experience integrating multiple sensor modalities including optical, inertial, temperature, and environmental sensing.
• Strong cross-functional experience partnering with EE, Firmware, Mechanical Engineering, and Product Design teams.
• Comfortable working hands-on in the lab and collaborating with overseas CMs.

Preferred Background

• Sensor Systems Architect experience.
• SpO2, ECG, EDA, EMG, or additional health-sensing experience.
• Sensor fusion and multimodal sensing expertise.
• Human physiology or biomechanics knowledge.
• Consumer wearable startup or founding engineer experience.
• Experience leading sensor teams and subsystem development.

Location: Palo Alto, CA (Hybrid Schedule, 2 days/week in office)
Duration: 12-month contract with extension/conversion possibilities
Pay Rate Range: $75 to $95/h (DOE)

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