Founding Engineer (AI, DevOps and Platform Architecture)

Hirello.ai is a Silicon Valley-based AI startup building the coaching, training, and productivity tools that actually move the needle for job seekers. As the Founding Engineer, you will transform a founder-led product into a scalable, secure, and operationally mature SaaS platform while balancing rapid feature shipping with long-term architecture.

Responsibilities:

• Architect and build production-grade agentic AI features, leveraging Google Gemini LLMs, advanced RAG frameworks, Pinecone vector databases, and fine-tuned server logic
• Write robust, clean Python backend services and seamlessly integrate them with slick, highly responsive Vue.js front-ends
• Establish the cloud infrastructure, deployment strategies, and environments required for optimal operational maturity. Own environment management, automated CI/CD pipelines, release management, and observability
• Function as a high-speed builder. Successfully construct, test, and ship complete iterations of functionality within aggressive, zero-to-one delivery timelines (typically 3–4 days per sprint loop)
• Implement rigorous security best practices to protect sensitive user data while building modular systems designed for hyper-growth and resilience
• Drive engineering accountability, establish code standards, manage technical debt, and collaborate directly with the co-founding team to support investor storytelling and fundraising prep

Requirements:

• Experience: Senior / Principal Software Engineer
• AI Development & Innovation: Architect and build production-grade agentic AI features, leveraging Google Gemini LLMs, advanced RAG frameworks, Pinecone vector databases, and fine-tuned server logic
• Full-Stack Product Engineering: Write robust, clean Python backend services and seamlessly integrate them with slick, highly responsive Vue.js front-ends
• Platform Architecture & DevOps: Establish the cloud infrastructure, deployment strategies, and environments required for optimal operational maturity. Own environment management, automated CI/CD pipelines, release management, and observability
• Velocity & Iteration: Function as a high-speed builder. Successfully construct, test, and ship complete iterations of functionality within aggressive, zero-to-one delivery timelines (typically 3–4 days per sprint loop)
• Security & Scale: Implement rigorous security best practices to protect sensitive user data while building modular systems designed for hyper-growth and resilience
• Technical Leadership: Drive engineering accountability, establish code standards, manage technical debt, and collaborate directly with the co-founding team to support investor storytelling and fundraising prep
• The Zero-to-One Mindset: You are looking for a co-founder equity stake rather than a traditional corporate salary. You are energized by ambiguity, chaotic early-stage environments, and the challenge of building from scratch
• Deep AI Framework Tooling Expertise: Highly proficient with cutting-edge AI acceleration tools (such as Codex, Claude Code, or Cursor) to amplify your development speed by 10x
• Consumer-Obsessed Thinker: You possess a deep obsession with user experience. You naturally look at technical features from the outside-in, ensuring that every piece of infrastructure directly delights and solves a problem for job seekers
• Proven Technical Foundation: A strong senior-level track record in software engineering, distributed systems, data privacy, and modern DevOps pipelines