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- Tasks: Join a pioneering team to build AI-driven products and influence tech architecture.
- Company: Elite tech startup with world-class talent and groundbreaking research.
- Benefits: Top-tier salary, equity stake, and flexible hybrid working model.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI while collaborating with leading experts in the field.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in scalable machine learning systems, React, Python, and cloud development.
- Other info: Dynamic startup environment with significant career growth and mentorship opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Founding Engineer – AI/ML (Stealth Start-Up) Location: Fully Remote (UK) Salary: £120,000 1.25% equity Company Overview: A stealth-mode e-commerce AI start-up is building a conversational AI sales agent that acts like a knowledgeable in-store salesperson online. Unlike static browsing or basic recommendation systems, this AI engages in real conversations, understands product attributes, compatibility, visual features, and domain expertise, and provides genuinely expert guidance. Every interaction generates high-intent data on customer needs, objections, and unmet demand. This intelligence powers segmentation, product development, and personalisation — far beyond traditional analytics. Long-term, the company is building the cognitive core for future robotic sales agents: the mind that makes expert guidance possible. The founding team brings deep experience: one founder is a 3x founder, investor, and executive with 14 years building software, consumer, and supply chain start-ups, and the other is an ex-FAANG engineer with deep technical expertise. Role Overview: As the Founding Engineer – AI/ML, you will be at the forefront of developing the intelligence that powers the AI agent. You will design, build, and scale the AI models, data pipelines, and cognitive systems that drive conversational recommendations and insights. This is a unique opportunity to shape the core AI and influence the company\’s product strategy from day one. Responsibilities: Design, develop, and optimise AI/ML models for conversational understanding, product recommendation, and decision-making. Build pipelines and systems to capture and leverage high-intent customer interaction data. Collaborate closely with founders to define technical roadmap and product strategy. Contribute to designing the memory, reasoning, and cognitive architecture for expert-level AI guidance. Implement scalable solutions that can operate in real-world commerce settings. Requirements: Strong expertise in AI/ML, NLP, and recommendation systems. Proven experience building scalable AI systems end-to-end. Ability to work in an early-stage, high-autonomy environment. Interest in product intelligence, customer experience, and cognitive AI systems. Excellent problem-solving skills, growth mindset, and passion for building cutting-edge AI. Perks & Benefits Competitive salary: £120,000 1.25% equity Fully remote within the UK Ground-floor opportunity in a stealth start-up Significant impact on AI architecture, product strategy, and company direction
Founding Engineer employer: Explore Group
Contact Detail:
Explore Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who are already working at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to insider info and even referrals that could get your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those involving React and Python. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practicing common technical questions and coding challenges. Use platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to sharpen your skills. The more confident you are, the better you'll perform when it counts!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who take the initiative. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves from our hiring team.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and engineering shine through. We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology and contribute to our founding team.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience, especially in scalable machine learning systems and frontend development with React. We love seeing how your background aligns with what we’re looking for, so don’t hold back!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past work and how it relates to the responsibilities listed in the job description. We appreciate a personal touch!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Explore Group
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in React and Python, as well as any relevant frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. Brush up on your knowledge of large-scale model training and MLOps best practices, as these will likely come up during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous roles, especially those involving scalable machine learning systems. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your entrepreneurial mindset.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Experience
Since this role involves working closely with researchers and product strategists, be ready to share examples of how you’ve successfully collaborated in the past. Talk about how you’ve contributed to team projects and influenced outcomes through effective communication.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the company’s technology and vision. Inquire about their approach to scaling AI-driven products or how they envision the engineering culture evolving. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also helps you gauge if it’s the right fit for you.