Hire a Founding Engineer
Zero-to-one builders who are comfortable making architectural decisions early, with incomplete information and no existing team to lean on.
At a glance
- Dedicated
- From $1,499 / month
- Direct hire
- From 15% of first-year salary
- Trial
- Two weeks, risk-free
- Replacement
- Free within 90 days
- Notice
- 30 days, month-to-month
No upfront cost. Exact rates are confirmed in writing before anything is charged.
Start Hiring01What they do
The work this role actually takes on.
- 01Standing up the first version of a product and its infrastructure
- 02Choosing a stack you will not regret at ten times the scale
- 03Working directly with founders rather than through a spec
- 04Setting the engineering conventions the next hires will inherit
02Tools & stack
What they work with.
- TypeScript
- Python
- Next.js
- Postgres
- Cloud platforms
- CI/CD
Indicative, not a checklist. We match on the stack you actually run. Tell us yours in the brief.
03How we vet
You only interview people we would hire ourselves.
Technical depth
A working interview on the substance of the role, not a quiz on syntax.
A live build
A work sample or build task, so the skill is demonstrated rather than described.
Communication
English fluency, and the ability to explain a decision to people who did not make it.
Identity & references
Verification and reference checks, so the person you interview is the person who starts.
04Common questions
Founding Engineer, answered.
What should we look for in the interview?
Judgement over breadth. Ask about a decision they got wrong early and what it cost to unwind. The answer tells you more than a stack list.
Can a remote hire really be a founding engineer?
It depends on your working style, and it is worth being honest with yourself about that before you hire. Meaningful timezone overlap matters more here than in any other role.
How quickly can we start?
Most teams see an interview-ready shortlist within 48 hours to 3–5 business days, and finalise a hire within one to two weeks. The pace mostly comes down to how quickly you can review profiles and run interviews.
What does it cost?
Dedicated talent starts from $1,499/month per hire and scales with seniority and whether the role is part-time or full-time. Direct-hire placement is a one-time fee from 15% of first-year salary. Both are quoted in writing before you commit, with no upfront cost and no setup fee.
What if the hire is not right?
Dedicated hires carry a two-week risk-free trial and a free replacement within 90 days. Direct-hire placements carry a replacement window of 60 to 180 days depending on seniority. The full terms are on our Refund Policy page.
Need a founding engineer?
Tell us the role and the outcome you are after. We come back within one business day, and if we are not the right fit, we will say so.