Founding Engineer

Founding Engineer (Full‑Stack / Backend‑Leaning)

Early‑Stage AI SaaS | Sydney (Hybrid)

$160k–$200k base + Meaningful equity (10–20%)

We are partnered with an early‑stage AI SaaS startup at a pivotal moment. This is a Founding Engineer role for someone who wants real ownership, influence, and skin in the game.

You won't be waiting on requirements or inheriting a polished platform. You'll step into an active prototype, own the codebase, and become the technical backbone of the business alongside the founders.

The Opportunity

• Brand‑new AI‑driven SaaS product (pre‑revenue, post‑MVP)
• Small founding team — fast decisions, no bureaucracy
• End‑to‑end platform ownership from day one
• Strong runway with clear plans to scale

This role suits someone who thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, and takes responsibility for outcomes — not just code.

What You'll Be Doing

• Owning and shipping features across a full‑stack codebase at pace
• Making core architectural and infrastructure decisions
• Transitioning early infrastructure toward AWS as the product scales
• Building and maintaining AI‑powered workflows in production
• Partnering with founders on product and technical direction
• Laying the foundations for future engineering hires

Tech Environment (Current & Near‑Term)

React / Next.js · TypeScript · Node.js · Supabase · Vercel / Railway · AWS (planned) · AI workflow orchestration (N8N or similar)

Full‑stack role, backend‑leaning preferred. You don't need to have used every tool — but you must be confident owning systems like this in production.

Strong Fit If You

• Have built and shipped SaaS products at early‑stage startups
• Are comfortable inheriting code and making independent decisions
• Can balance speed with long‑term thinking
• Want equity, responsibility, and genuine influence

Not a Fit If You

• Prefer large teams and well‑defined processes
• Need extensive handover or direction
• Are looking for a narrow or "safe" scope

If this sounds like the challenge you've been looking for, reach out to ***email_hidden***