US-based Founding Engineer – Stealth-Mode Cyber & AI Startup Job at Hire5, California

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  • Hire5
  • California

Job Description

Location: San Francisco Bay Area (flexible, but must be US-based).

Compensation: Competitive salary + equity.

We are a stealth-mode cyber and AI startup in California (name withheld till the interview stage) backed by top-tier VCs and industry-leading angels from the top of the cyber industry. Founded by cybersecurity experts from Microsoft and Tesla , our team is on a mission to redefine the industry with breakthrough products that deliver entirely new capabilities in the cyber realm.

The Role

We are looking for a top-tier technical leader who thrives in startup environments—someone who can architect, build, and ship a highly complex application from zero to launch . This is a founding engineering hire , responsible for selecting the tech stack , leading the development , and turning our vision into reality .

You will be working alongside a highly experienced CTO , who comes from a strong research background and has managed large teams but is not deeply hands-on in development. Your role will be to lead the technical execution, while also hiring and mentoring a second engineer over time.

Many startups are creating beautiful and meaningful products. However, in this role, you will have the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind product that will literally define a new set of capabilities in the cyber realm.

What you’ll do

  • Build from scratch: Architect, develop, and deploy a scalable, secure, high-performance system in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

  • Own the tech stack: Make key technical decisions independently, balancing speed and scalability. The stack is flexible—problem-solving skills matter most.

  • Hands-on development: This is an execution-heavy role—be a true builder, not just a manager.

  • Optimize for speed: Help launch an MVP in 2-2.5 months for internal testing while maintaining high-quality standards.

  • Work closely with founders: Shape the product roadmap and broader company strategy.

  • Thrive in ambiguity: Operate in an evolving, unstructured startup setting, taking ownership of challenges and driving solutions.

What we’re looking for

  • Fast-growth experience: Prior work in a high-growth startup (zero-to-one or one-to-hundred scale) is strongly preferred over experience in large, slow-moving corporations.

  • Lead by example: Architect and build complex web systems from concept to launch.

  • Technical problem solver: Make smart, scalable decisions without rigid dependencies on specific tech stacks.

  • Innovate processes: Implement efficient development workflows, including CI/CD pipelines and version control best practices.

  • Cloud expertise: Strong AWS experience required (GCP/Azure is a bonus).

  • Agentic AI & Scalability: Experience with agentic AI workflows and scalable infrastructure is a plus.

  • Hands-on leadership: Roll up your sleeves, solve real problems, and set a high technical bar.

  • Strong communication: Not just a genius coder—someone who can collaborate, lead, and contribute to a strong team culture.

  • Reliability & commitment: Adaptability, follow-through, and dependability are critical.

  • US-based: Preferably in Seattle or the Bay Area (we will have an office soon but remain flexible on remote work).

What we’re looking for:

  • 8+ years of experience developing complex web systems.

  • Deep expertise in AWS development.

  • Experience with building agentic AI workflows and scalable infrastructure is a huge plus.

  • A strong believer in teamwork and collaboration.

  • Excellent communication skills.

  • An unyielding drive to build the next breakthrough in cybersecurity.

  • An independent, positive mindset and a willingness to push hard every day.

Why Join Us?

  • Huge impact : Your work will define the next era of cybersecurity .

  • High equity : Be a founding team member with meaningful ownership.

  • Elite backing : Work with top-tier investors and cybersecurity leaders.

  • Real customers : Fortune 500 enterprises are already lined up for our product.

This is a high-intensity, high-reward opportunity for someone who wants to be at the core of something groundbreaking. If you’re up for the challenge, let’s talk!

Job Tags

Remote job, Flexible hours,

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