Job Description
Job DescriptionAbout the Role
We're a small, high-ownership product team building real-world AI and automation products. As a Backend-Leaning Product Engineer, you'll own customer-facing features end-to-end — from design through shipping and iteration. This is a foundational role where you'll make real product and engineering trade-offs, navigate messy integrations, and move fast with strong judgment. You'll work closely with founders and customers in a hybrid San Francisco environment.
This role is a great fit if you thrive in ambiguity, love shipping things that matter, and want outsized ownership at an early-stage startup.
What You'll Do
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Own features end-to-end from initial design through launch and iteration.
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Make product and engineering decisions independently, without heavy PM support.
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Build and maintain backend systems, APIs, data models, and automation pipelines.
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Integrate with external tools, legacy systems, and messy third-party services.
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Design workflows and orchestration layers for AI/automation-driven products.
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Debug production issues and apply strong engineering judgment under pressure.
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Balance full-stack work when required, with a clear emphasis on backend ownership.
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Collaborate closely with founders, customers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
What We're Looking For
Required:
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Backend-focused software engineering experience — you can design, implement, and ship customer-facing backend features independently.
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Proven track record of owning the full lifecycle of customer-facing features: ideation, implementation, and iteration based on feedback.
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Experience in early-stage startup or high-ambiguity environments (founding engineer, early engineer, or equivalent).
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Strong cross-functional collaboration and communication skills.
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Must be legally eligible to work in the US without employer visa sponsorship.
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Based in San Francisco or willing to relocate — hybrid/in-office required.
Nice to Have:
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Experience integrating with external systems, third-party APIs, or legacy platforms.
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Applied AI or workflow/orchestration experience: agentic workflows, RAG pipelines, or LLM-enabled features.
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Python proficiency; modern web/backend stacks are welcome — engineering quality matters more than specific stack.
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0-to-1 product building experience.
Not a fit if you are: frontend-only, data/internal-tools-only, pure DevOps/SRE without product ownership, or pure research/ML without a shipping track record.
Compensation & Benefits
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Base salary: Up to $275,000 depending on experience
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Equity: Meaningful early-stage equity package
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Visa sponsorship: Not available — must be authorized to work in the US
Location
This role is on-site / hybrid in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be based in SF or willing to relocate.