Founding Engineer
Founding Engineer (Full‑Stack / Backend‑Leaning)
Early‑Stage AI SaaS | Sydney (Hybrid)
I’m partnering with an early‑stage AI SaaS startup at a genuinely formative moment. This is a Founding Engineer opportunity for someone who wants real ownership, influence, and skin in the game.
This is not a role where you wait for requirements or inherit a polished platform. You’ll be stepping into an active prototype, taking ownership of an existing codebase, and becoming the technical backbone of the business alongside the founders.
Package
- $160k–$200k base (depending on experience)
- Meaningful equity (10–20%)
- Hybrid working (Sydney)
The Opportunity
- Brand‑new AI‑driven SaaS product (pre‑revenue, post‑MVP)
- Small founding team, fast decisions, no bureaucracy
- You will own the platform end‑to‑end
- Immediate impact from week one
- Strong runway and clear plans to scale
This role suits someone who enjoys ambiguity, moves fast, and takes responsibility for outcomes—not just code.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Taking full ownership of an existing full‑stack codebase
- Shipping features at pace while maintaining platform stability
- Making core architectural and infrastructure decisions
- Transitioning early infrastructure toward AWS as the product scales
- Building and maintaining AI‑powered workflows in production
- Working closely with founders on product and technical direction
- Laying foundations for future engineering hires
Tech Environment (Current & Near‑Term)
- React / Next.js
- TypeScript
- Node.js
- Full‑stack role (backend‑leaning preferred)
- Supabase (database & auth)
- Vercel / Railway (early infra, speed‑first)
- AWS (planned migration)
- AI workflow orchestration already in use (e.g. N8N or similar)
You don’t need to have used every tool—but you must be confident owning systems like this in production.
This Role Is a Strong Fit If You:
- Have built and shipped SaaS products in early‑stage startups
- Are comfortable inheriting code and making independent decisions
- Can balance speed with long‑term thinking
- Have strong full‑stack fundamentals (especially backend)
- Are confident working with AI‑driven systems beyond demos
- Want equity, responsibility, and genuine influence
This Role Is Not a Fit If You:
- Prefer large teams and well‑defined processes
- Need extensive handover or direction
- Are only interested in frontend or narrow IC scope
- Want a “safe” startup experience
If this sounds like the kind of challenge you’d enjoy—or you know someone who fits—feel free to reach out directly for a confidential conversation.