Founding Applied AI Engineer – AI Hardware Engineering

AI coding assistants changed how software gets built. Who's doing the same for the engineers behind jet engines?

A seed-stage startup in stealth is building an AI engineer for companies that make complex hardware. Building an engine, a car or an aircraft still runs on spreadsheets shared by thousands of engineers, and they're out to change that. The starting point is engineering compliance: helping engineers check their designs against regulations that translate into hard requirements. Backed by top-tier investors and advisors from aviation, transport regulation and heavy industry, and already under signed contracts with several of the world's largest manufacturers.

You'd be engineer number four, next to the CTO and two founding engineers who all founded companies before. Where you focus depends on your strengths:

• The priority: a new product line in system modeling, mapping how an engine's hardware, software, mechanical, electrical, fluid and thermal parts fit together, based on design files, requirements and engineering data
• Growing a live pilot with around 100 users at a major manufacturer
• Deciding on product together with customers; you join sales calls and customer meetings from the first day
• Some on-prem infrastructure work for defense customers

• Exceptional raw ability and a fast learning curve, which count for more than years (roughly 3–5; outstanding juniors welcome)
• A clear spike: truly excellent at hardware, infrastructure, or product and strategy
• Good judgment: engineering intuition, product sense, and the trade-offs a founder would make
• Product-minded first, infra second
• Real curiosity about physical AI and hardware
• Founder DNA or genuine startup experience; trustworthy, low ego, all in

• You've founded a company
• Impressive work hidden behind an understated title
• Hands-on with hardware or robotics
• Olympiad or research achievements

• $180k–$250k base + equity
• A seat on a team of former founders, right as a new product line starts
• Visa sponsorship available

• Full-time, in person in San Francisco
• Process: intro → screen → round with the CTO → on-site → offer. Be ready to talk about the hardest technical problem you've solved and the toughest call you've made.

Does this sound like you? If you're a match, we'll be in touch within 3 working days.