At a Glance
- Tasks: Architect and build an AI-native legal service platform from scratch.
- Company: Join a stealth startup backed by top-tier European tech investors.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £250k and the chance to shape a new industry.
- Other info: Dynamic startup environment with opportunities for growth and innovation.
- Why this job: Be the first technical hire and make a real impact in legal tech.
- Qualifications: Experience in building AI-native products and strong engineering judgement required.
The predicted salary is between 81000 - 99000 £ per year.
This role is with one of Dex's trusted partner companies.
We work closely with their teams to truly understand their culture, goals, and what they're looking for, so we can match you with the right opportunity and give you context about the role before you commit to a process.
Dex is an AI recruiter agent that helps you run your job search.
Tell Dex your stack, seniority, and what you want to build.
We will manage your applications and surface other opportunities that are a fit.
The role
Most legal AI startups sell software to legacy law firms, leaving the client with the same slow, expensive service while the firm pockets the margin.
Backed by a $7m pre-seed from top-tier European tech investors and founders, this stealth startup flips the model by launching as an AI-native, fully regulated legal service.
Their agentic layer embeds directly into customer workspaces like Slack, Notion, and email to proactively catch legal needs and automate 90% of the prep work, with elite in-house lawyers providing final judgement, sign-off, and liability.
As the first technical hire, you will own architecture, the initial product build, and technical hiring from an entirely clean slate.
This is a true zero-to-one builder role, not a maintenance gig or a hands-off management track.
You will partner directly with an experienced non-technical founder and veteran corporate lawyers to decide what to automate first, define the MVP, and recruit the founding engineers who join after you.
- The work
- Architect and build the core agentic platform from scratch, enabling proactive triage, context gathering, and workflow automation across tools like Slack, Notion, and CRM systems.
- Make every foundational stack and infrastructure decision, balancing rapid MVP velocity with the reliability and security required of a regulated firm taking full liability for its output.
- Sit alongside elite in-house lawyers and active design customers to translate ambiguous legal processes into deterministic, highly automated production workflows.
- Recruit, interview, and onboard the founding engineering team while establishing engineering culture, code quality standards, and technical direction.
What You Bring
- Track record of shipping production-grade AI-native or agentic products from zero to one within a venture-backed startup.
- Staff-level systems and software engineering judgement, including experience building deep integrations into platforms like Slack, Notion, email, or modern CRMs.
- A pragmatic builder mindset with proven ability to scope tight MVPs, ship without over-engineering, and back architectural trade-offs with clear reasoning.
- Experience setting technical direction, hiring, and mentoring other engineers, paired with a commitment to staying predominantly hands-on in the codebase.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Founding Engineering Lead (up to £250k) in London employer: Dex
At Dex, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our London-based team enjoys a hybrid working model, competitive benefits, and ample opportunities for professional growth, all while contributing to cutting-edge technology in the healthcare sector. Join us to make a meaningful impact in real-time systems and edge deployment, surrounded by a supportive team dedicated to excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineering Lead (up to £250k) in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Dex or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Dex.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Dex.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Dex that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineering Lead (up to £250k) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Dex.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Dex and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dex
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Dex uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
