Founding Engineer

Founding Engineer

Full-Time 100000 - 100000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
RedTech Recruitment

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Transform a prototype into a scalable AI SaaS platform and shape its technical direction.
  • Company: Join an innovative AI start-up in Cambridge with a world-class founding team.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, equity opportunities, and flexible remote work.
  • Other info: Great career growth potential and direct collaboration with industry experts.
  • Why this job: Be the first engineering hire and make a real impact in AI development.
  • Qualifications: Strong full-stack experience with modern tech and a passion for AI-driven products.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 100000 £ per year.

An exceptional opportunity for a Founding Engineer to join a highly innovative, early-stage AI start-up in Cambridge, working alongside a world-class founding team to build a next-generation enterprise AI platform from prototype to production. This company is led by industry-leading experts whose mission is to help organisations identify, prototype, and deploy AI solutions, becoming a trusted partner for enterprise AI transformation.

You will be the first full-time engineering hire, taking ownership of a working prototype and transforming it into a scalable, secure, enterprise-grade SaaS platform. This is a true full-stack role with equal weighting across frontend, backend, and infrastructure, with significant influence over architecture, tooling, and long-term technical direction.

Location: Cambridge (1 day per week in office / 4 days remote – easily commutable from London)

Salary: £100,000 per annum

Requirements for Founding Engineer:

  • Strong academic background with a degree in Computer Science or a related discipline
  • Proven experience building production-grade web applications, ideally for enterprise or B2B environments
  • Strong full-stack experience with modern technologies, including JavaScript/TypeScript and Python
  • Experience with React (frontend) and backend frameworks such as FastAPI or similar
  • Experience designing and implementing scalable data pipelines and database structures
  • Hands-on experience with cloud infrastructure, ideally AWS
  • Strong understanding of security and compliance considerations including ISO 27001 and GDPR
  • Ability to work autonomously and make high-impact technical decisions in an early-stage environment
  • A genuine interest in building AI-driven products that enhance human decision-making

Responsibilities for Founding Engineer:

  • Take ownership of an existing prototype and evolve it into a production-ready SaaS platform for enterprise customers
  • Build and maintain a secure, scalable backend capable of handling sensitive enterprise data
  • Design and develop high-quality frontend interfaces that make complex AI outputs intuitive and actionable for users
  • Build and maintain deployment pipelines, testing frameworks, monitoring, and observability systems
  • Design and implement secure data pipelines with appropriate access controls and auditability
  • Ensure the platform meets enterprise-grade security and compliance requirements (ISO 27001, ISO 42001, GDPR)
  • Collaborate directly with the founders to define technical architecture and engineering best practices
  • Contribute to the development of agentic AI workflows that underpin the platform
  • Lay the foundations for future engineering team growth, with scope to progress into a leadership role

What this offers:

  • A rare opportunity to join an early-stage AI start-up as the first engineering hire
  • Direct collaboration with a high-profile, deeply experienced founding team
  • Significant equity upside with strong potential for long-term growth
  • A genuinely impactful role shaping both product and technical direction from day one

Applications: If you are a full-stack engineer looking to step into a founding role within a high-potential AI start-up, we would love to hear from you. Please send an up-to-date CV via the relevant link. We’re committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require reasonable adjustments for your application or during the review process, please highlight this by emailing applications@redtech-recruit.com.

RedTech Recruitment Ltd focuses on finding roles for Engineers and Scientists. Even if the above role isn’t of interest, please visit our website to see our other opportunities. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at RedTech.

Founding Engineer employer: RedTech Recruitment

Join a pioneering AI start-up in Cambridge as a Founding Engineer, where you'll collaborate with a world-class founding team to shape the future of enterprise AI solutions. Enjoy a flexible work culture with one day in the office and four days remote, alongside significant equity opportunities and the chance to influence both product and technical direction from the outset. This role not only offers a competitive salary but also the potential for rapid personal and professional growth in a dynamic environment dedicated to innovation and inclusivity.
RedTech Recruitment

Contact Detail:

RedTech Recruitment 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 the industry, attend meetups, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to AI and full-stack development. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical skills and understanding the company’s mission. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in building scalable SaaS platforms.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we’re all about making the process as smooth as possible for you.

We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer

Full-Stack Development
JavaScript
TypeScript
Python
React
FastAPI
Cloud Infrastructure (AWS)
Data Pipeline Design
Database Structure Implementation
Security Compliance (ISO 27001, GDPR)
Autonomous Decision-Making
AI Product Development
SaaS Platform Development
Technical Architecture Definition
Monitoring and Observability Systems

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Skills: Make sure your CV highlights your full-stack experience and any relevant projects you've worked on. We want to see how you’ve tackled challenges in building production-grade web applications, especially in enterprise settings.

Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic CV! Tailor it to reflect the specific skills and experiences that match our job description. Mention your experience with technologies like JavaScript, Python, and React, and how they relate to the role.

Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who’s genuinely interested in AI-driven products, so share your passion and any relevant experiences that showcase this interest.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at RedTech Recruitment

✨Know Your Tech Stack

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and React. Brush up on your knowledge of backend frameworks like FastAPI and cloud infrastructure, especially AWS. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with these tools will show that you're ready to take ownership of the prototype.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous projects, particularly in building production-grade web applications. Think about how you designed scalable data pipelines or ensured security compliance. This will demonstrate your ability to make high-impact technical decisions in an early-stage environment.

✨Understand the Company’s Mission

Familiarise yourself with the company’s goals around AI solutions and enterprise transformation. Be ready to articulate how your skills and interests align with their mission. Showing genuine enthusiasm for building AI-driven products can set you apart from other candidates.

✨Prepare Questions for the Founders

Since you'll be collaborating directly with the founding team, come prepared with insightful questions about their vision for the platform and the technical direction. This not only shows your interest but also helps you gauge if the role aligns with your career aspirations and values.

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