Founding Engineer

Founding Engineer - AI / Fintech Startup

📍 Remote (Ireland )
💰 Up to 150k + Equity (1-1.5%)

The Opportunity

I'm working with a very early-stage, well-backed startup building an AI-native platform in the fintech space.

They've recently closed funding, launched their MVP, and are now working closely with early design partners while refining product-market fit.

This is a genuinely rare opportunity to join as a Founding Engineer and take full ownership of engineering as the product evolves.

What You'll Be Doing

• Taking ownership of the engineering function from day one
• Working closely with the founding team to shape product and technical direction
• Assessing an existing MVP and evolving / rebuilding it where needed
• Designing and building a scalable, production-ready system
• Contributing to early product decisions and customer-facing conversations
• Helping define future engineering hires and team structure

What They're Looking For

This isn't a role for someone who just wants to manage , they need a hands-on builder.

You will need to have:

• Experience operating as a Senior or Principal Engineer (Backend or Fullstack)
• A track record of building and shipping real products
• Experience in fintech, enterprise SaaS, or regulated environments
• A solid understanding of:
  • system design
  • reliability and scalability
  • security and data handling

Exposure to AI / LLM-based systems is a strong plus, but you don't need to be a specialist.

More important is the ability to build robust systems and apply new technologies thoughtfully.

Tech (Current Stack)

• TypeScript / React
• Postgres / modern backend tooling
• Cloud-native infrastructure
• LLM integrations (model-agnostic approach)

That said, stack is flexible. You'll have real influence over technical decisions moving forward. If you currently work with different technologies, this is not a blocker.

Why This Role Stands Out

• True Founding Engineer position with real ownership
• Opportunity to shape both product and engineering culture
• Strong equity offering at an early stage
• Backed founders with deep domain expertise
• A real-world problem space (not just "AI for the sake of AI")
• High autonomy, low bureaucracy

Things to Know

• Fully remote, with a preference, for candidates based in Ireland
• Early-stage environment - things will move quickly and change often

Next Steps

If you're interested, apply directly or reach out for a confidential conversation.

I'm happy to walk you through the company, product, and team in more detail.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, submit your CV via the application form provided. Alternatively, to speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity, please contact Jack Tyrrell via j.tyrrell@mcsgroup.jobs

Disclaimer

If you have a disability which means you require assistance at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us directly to discuss. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity to all.

Please note, we are receiving an exceptionally high number of applications at present and will be unable to shortlist candidates who are not meeting the specific requirements for this role. Due to the high volume of applications, we may be unable to provide individual feedback. We thank you in advance for your understanding.