> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2946377-founding-software-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2946377-founding-software-engineer). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Founding Software Engineer - **Company:** Palo Alto, Inc. - **Location:** Palo Alto, CA, United States - **Salary:** $150,000.0 - $220,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** 3D Visualization, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Amazon Web Services, User Authentication, Automation of Tests, Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Computer Programming, Databases, Continuous Delivery, Continuous Integration, Data Recovery, Data Systems, Relational Databases, Database Schema, Software Debugging, Programming Tools, Distributed Systems, Systems Theories, Design of User Interfaces, Monitoring of Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Identity and Access Management, Python (Programming Language), Key Management, OAuth, Open Source Technology, OpenID, Reliability Engineering, Cloud Services, Software Engineering, Spatial Data Infrastructures, Systems Integration, TypeScript, Web Applications, Web Services, Scripting, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Google Cloud, ReactJS, Caching, Indexer, Backend, Usage Tracking, Information Technology, Low Latency, Deployment Automation, Data Management, Front End Software Development, Multiaccess Edge Computing, Api Design, Stream Processing, Data Pipelines, Serverless Computing, Golang - **Published:** September 16, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/founding-swe-palo-alto-ca--aedd1bfb-7b35-4ba3-8331-5ad3a1c8b1a0 ## About the Role They care more about exceptional problem-solving ability and demonstrated systems depth than credentials or a specific career path. You are the kind of engineer who can move between an algorithm, a profiler trace, a distributed failure mode, and a product decision without losing rigor. * Experience shipping software end to end, with strong backend skills and enough frontend fluency to independently deliver a complete customer workflow. * Strong programming ability in a backend language such as Python, TypeScript, Go, or Rust, and practical experience with React, TypeScript, or a comparable frontend stack. * Hands-on experience deploying and operating cloud services, including serverless functions, containers, networking, identity and access management, and infrastructure as code. * Sound judgment around API design, authentication, database schemas, storage, asynchronous processing, and security boundaries. * The ability to debug across the stack-from a confusing UI interaction to a slow query, failed deployment, or unreliable data pipeline. * Comfort choosing established tools, understanding their limits, and building custom components when the problem warrants it. * Founder-level ownership: you can work through ambiguity, communicate tradeoffs, and take responsibility for software after it ships. You do not need to have used every technology listed here. They are looking for technical range, depth in backend engineering, and the ability to learn quickly. Especially Relevant Experience * Taking an early-stage product from prototype to production and supporting its first customers. * Robotics, edge computing, IoT, geospatial systems, 3D visualization, or high-volume sensor data. * Deployments across multiple cloud providers, customer cloud accounts, or hybrid environments. * Integrating ML inference, GPU workloads, streaming systems, or developer tools into a production product. Robotics experience is a plus, but it is not required. Show us a product, platform, open-source contribution, or technically ambitious project you helped bring to life. Preferred Qualifications They value evidence of unusual technical range and persistence, but no single signal is required. Examples include medalist or finalist performance in ICPC, IOI, the Putnam, national mathematics or informatics olympiads, Codeforces, AtCoder, Topcoder, or similar competitions; exceptional open-source work; published systems research; or building a database, compiler, operating-system component, distributed system, or high-scale platform from scratch. If your strongest work does not fit a conventional resume, show it to us., Accounting, Algorithms, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Application Programming Interface (API), Architectural Services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Authentication, Backend as a Service (BaaS), Cloud Computing, College Level Faculty, Computer Programming, Computer Security, Continuous Deployment/Delivery, Continuous Integration, Data Formats, Data Management, Data Modeling, Data Recovery, Database Technology, Debugging Skills, Distributed Computing, Emergency Response, GCP (Good Clinical Practices), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Go Programming Language (Golang), Identity Data Management, Informatics, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Internet Application, Internet of Things, Mathematics, Memory Hardware, Microsoft Windows Azure, Needs Assessment, OAuth, Onboarding, Open Source, Performance Management, Production Support, Programming Tools, Prototyping, Python Programming/Scripting Language, React.js, Reliability Engineering, Robotics, Software Engineering, Spatial Data, Telemetry, Test Automation, User Interface/Experience (UI/UX) ## Description They are hiring a Founding Software Engineer to help take this platform from zero to one. You will build across the product: cloud infrastructure, backend services, APIs, authentication, storage, databases, and the frontend experiences that make these capabilities useful to customers. This is a generalist role with a strong backend emphasis, approximately 75% backend and infrastructure, and 25% frontend. You should be comfortable designing a system, deploying it, building the interface around it, and working directly with users to understand what needs to improve. You will help turn ambitious research and robotics capabilities into a dependable software product, making foundational technical decisions while shipping working software. Responsibilities Build the systems that make us fast, trustworthy, and programmable - from bytes in memory to a production API used by critical real-world applications. Depending on your background, this may include: * Backend and infrastructure (approximately 75%) * Cloud infrastructure: Build and operate infrastructure across cloud providers such as AWS, GCP, and Azure. Use infrastructure as code, automated deployments, and clear environment boundaries to support development, production, and customer deployments. * APIs and services: Design serverless APIs, containerized services, background jobs, and event-driven workflows. Choose the right execution model for each workload, balancing latency, throughput, reliability, and cost. * Authentication and authorization: Implement user and machine identities, API keys, OAuth/OIDC, role-based access, tenant isolation, and secure secrets management. Make it straightforward for customers to connect their teams, applications, and devices. * Storage and databases: Select and integrate relational databases, object storage, caches, and specialized data systems where needed. Own data modeling, indexing, schema migrations, retention, backups, and recovery. * Robotics and spatial data pipelines: Build reliable ingestion and processing for sensor streams, 3D data, telemetry, and model outputs. Connect edge systems to cloud services, accounting for intermittent connectivity, retries, backpressure, and evolving data formats. * Product foundations: Build the services behind organizations, projects, device management, configuration, usage tracking, and customer onboarding. Integrate research and ML components into APIs and workflows customers can use. * Production readiness: Establish CI/CD, practical automated testing, observability, security controls, and incident diagnostics. Identify performance bottlenecks and improve reliability and cloud costs as usage grows. * Frontend and product (approximately 25%) * Build customer-facing web applications and internal tools for onboarding, configuring integrations, managing access, and monitoring systems. * Create interfaces for exploring spatial data, inspecting processing results, and understanding device or service health. * Own features from API to interface, including loading states, errors, permissions, and responsive behavior. Work directly with users and the team to turn complex technical capabilities into clear workflows. * As a founding engineer * Help decide what to build, what to buy, and where custom engineering creates meaningful product value. * Turn ambiguous requirements into focused milestones, ship the smallest useful solution, and strengthen it as real usage reveals what matters. * Work closely with research, robotics, and product teammates to move prototypes into production. * Shape engineering practices, document consequential decisions, and help recruit the early team. ## Related Videos - [Keeping applications secure by evolving OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100152-keeping-applications-secure-by-evolving-oauth-2-0-and-openid-connect) - [Go with the Flow: Stop the Leaks Before Your Memory's a Waterfall!](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100073-go-with-the-flow-stop-the-leaks-before-your-memory-s-a-waterfall) - [Shipping Faster with Less: Render on Cloud Hosting, AI Workloads, and the Future of DevOps](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1894-shipping-faster-with-less-render-on-cloud-hosting-ai-workloads-and-the-future-of-devops) - [Get started with securing your cloud-native Java microservices applications](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/123-get-started-with-securing-your-cloud-native-java-microservices-applications) - [Retooling and refactoring - an investment in people.](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/371-retooling-and-refactoring-an-investment-in-people) - [Delay the AI Overlords: How OAuth and OpenFGA Can Keep Your AI Agents from Going Rogue](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1637-delay-the-ai-overlords-how-oauth-and-openfga-can-keep-your-ai-agents-from-going-rogue) ## Related Articles - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers) - [How to Answer the Interview Question: “Why Do You Want to Be a Software Engineer?”](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/392-how-to-answer-the-interview-question-why-do-you-want-to-be-a-software-engineer)