Founding Frontend Engineer

Location: San Francisco, CA

Working Model: In-office, 5 days per week

Compensation: $180,000–$235,000 base + 0.10%–1.25% equity

About the Company

We’re working with a well-funded, YC-backed AI startup tackling one of the hardest problems in AI which teaching AI to become genuinely reliable and highly capable at creative work, starting with UI design. The company is deliberately small, with a team of just eight people, giving engineers an unusual level of ownership and influence. The founding team brings experience from some of the most demanding engineering environments in technology, alongside a content leader who has helped scale a product from zero to more than $100M in revenue.

This is an opportunity to join at the ground floor and play a defining role in building the product and engineering culture from the beginning.

The Role

We’re looking for a Founding Frontend Engineer to take full ownership of the frontend.

You’ll work directly with the founders and have significant influence over the product’s architecture, user experience, design and technical direction. You’ll be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, make strong technical and product decisions, and take ideas from concept through to production. This is an ideal role for someone who enjoys building from scratch, cares deeply about product quality and wants their work to have a visible impact.

What We’re Looking For

4–10 years of experience in frontend engineering
Strong experience designing and building systems end-to-end
Proven ability to work independently and take ownership without requiring significant direction
Expert-level experience with React and Next.js
Deep understanding of the DOM, browser architecture and browser internals
Strong understanding of modern frontend architecture and application development
Excellent product and design instincts
Ability to create polished, intuitive and visually compelling interfaces without relying on a designer for every decision
Computer Science degree or equivalent hands-on technical experience

What You’ll Be Doing

Own the frontend engineering function from the ground up
Architect and build core product experiences using React and Next.js
Work closely with the founders to translate product ideas into high-quality user experiences
Make decisions across frontend architecture, performance, usability and technical direction
Build polished interfaces with a strong focus on design and user experience
Help shape engineering standards, processes and culture as the company scales
Have direct ownership over technology that will become central to the company’s product

Why Join?

Founding-level impact: Join a team of eight where your work will have a direct and visible impact on the product.
Real ownership: You’ll own the frontend rather than becoming one engineer within a large existing team.
AI at the cutting edge: Work on a genuinely difficult problem at the intersection of AI, software and creative work.
Strong compensation: $180K–$235K base + 0.10%–1.25% equity, with flexibility for exceptional candidates.
High-calibre team: Work directly alongside engineers and product leaders with experience operating at the highest levels of technology and growth.
In-person environment: Collaborate directly with the founders and team in a high-quality San Francisco office, five days per week.

Location & Visa

San Francisco-based or willing to relocate
5 days per week in-office
New H-1B sponsorship is not currently available
H-1B transfers, OPT and TN status are supported

If you’re a frontend engineer who wants genuine ownership, enjoys building from first principles and wants to help define the product at an early-stage AI company, we’d love to hear from you.

SmartChoice International GCC jobs

Frontend Developer