Founding Engineer
clera · San Francisco · onsite
ABOUT THE ROLE
Join an early-stage electronics design automation startup as a Founding Engineer, building AI-assisted PCB design tools and an EDA automation platform from the ground up. This software-first role combines full-stack engineering with hands-on electronics and manufacturing work, helping teams move circuit board designs toward production.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Build and ship AI-assisted PCB design tools and EDA automation features.
- Integrate manufacturing pipelines and support the hardware-to-production workflow.
- Own problems across backend systems and user-facing platform tools.
- Work with the founding team to shape product direction and technical strategy.
- Ship quickly, incorporate user feedback, and resolve emerging technical and operational blockers.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
- At least 3 years of experience shipping software products, including at least one physical or hardware product shipped to end users.
- Hands-on experience with PCB design, KiCad, schematic review, or electronics hardware.
- Experience building and shipping embedded systems or firmware, with proficiency in C, C++, Rust, or Go.
- Strong software engineering fundamentals in algorithms, data structures, and systems design.
- An active portfolio of side projects, open-source contributions, or personal hardware builds.
- Comfort working in a startup or founder environment, with experience in EDA tools, manufacturing workflows, hardware supply chains, or AI integration considered useful.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Salary range: $120,000 to $200,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
LOCATION
On-site in San Francisco, California, United States.