Founding Engineer

Clera
New York, NY
Remote

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for engineers with full-stack product experience who have built AI agents and can balance technical and user priorities, in a hybrid New York-based setting with a small, product-focused team.

Best fit for

  • Engineers with 3+ years of full-stack product experience and production AI agent expertise
    — “At least 3 years of experience building and shipping full-stack products”
  • Candidates who have worked in both startups and established companies, with a solid academic foundation
    — “A strong academic foundation or startup experience, along with experience at an established company”

Things to consider

  • Hybrid work arrangement requires in-office presence most days, limiting remote flexibility
    — “Hybrid in New York City, with in-office work expected most days”
  • Visa sponsorship is not available, which may restrict non-US candidates
    — “Visa sponsorship is not available”

How to stand out

  • Highlight production AI agent work and full-stack ownership in your resume and interviews
    — “Build and improve AI agent systems that power the core product”
  • Showcase experience with infrastructure and distributed systems in your portfolio or projects
    — “Experience with infrastructure and distributed systems”
  • Emphasize your ability to balance technical and product considerations in decision-making
    — “Make product decisions with the founding team, balancing technical feasibility with user needs”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • building AI agent systems
  • designing scalable backend systems
  • contributing to platform infrastructure
Typical background
software engineeringAI development

Skills & requirements

Required

Full-stack DevelopmentAI SystemsBackend ServicesApisFrontend InterfacesInfrastructureDistributed Systems

Preferred

InsuranceFinancial Services

Stack & domain

AI Agent SystemsFull-stack DevelopmentBackend ServicesApisFrontend InterfacesInfrastructureDistributed SystemsInsuranceFinancial Services

About the role

Original posting from Clera via Ashby

ABOUT THE ROLE

Join a small, product-focused team as its first full-time engineering hire, shaping the technical direction of an early-stage company in the insurance sector. You will build AI agent systems and help turn meaningful product and infrastructure challenges into solutions for users.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

  • Build and improve AI agent systems that power the core product.
  • Own full-stack development across backend services, APIs, and frontend interfaces.
  • Make product decisions with the founding team, balancing technical feasibility with user needs.
  • Design scalable backend systems that support AI workloads.
  • Contribute to platform infrastructure as the team grows.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

  • At least 3 years of experience building and shipping full-stack products, with strong backend and product engineering skills.
  • Hands-on experience building AI agents, ideally with AI or machine learning systems in production.
  • Experience with infrastructure and distributed systems, and the ability to own work from product decisions through delivery.
  • A strong academic foundation or startup experience, along with experience at an established company.
  • Insurance or financial services experience is helpful.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base salary: $150,000 to $190,000 annually, depending on experience, plus 1% to 3% equity. Visa sponsorship is not available.

LOCATION

Hybrid in New York City, with in-office work expected most days and some flexibility.

Source: Clera careers (Ashby)

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