We are looking for a hands-on, product-driven Founding Engineer to join as the first full-time technical hire at an early-stage fintech startup. This role is ideal for a backend-leaning engineer who thrives in zero-to-one environments and wants significant ownership over architecture, product direction, and team build-out. You will work directly with the founder and external contractors to deliver the MVP, while shaping long-term technical strategy and infrastructure decisions. The position requires strong systems thinking and experience building high-throughput, auditable financial systems. Over time, you will transition from individual contributor to technical leader, helping recruit and mentor the internal engineering team. This is a high-impact role for someone excited to build modern payment rails integrating stablecoins and working capital solutions.
Details
Location: NYC (preferred) or Remote (US / LATAM)
Work Model: Remote / Hybrid (NYC-based candidates preferred)
Employment Type: Full-time
Seniority Level: Founding / Early Technical Leader
Start Date: ASAP
Industry: Fintech / Payments / Stablecoin Infrastructure
Key Responsibilities
Partner closely with the founder and external contractors to deliver the MVP (first 3–6 months)
Own backend architecture and inform both high-level and low-level system design
Review and deliver production-grade code with strong quality standards
Manage external engineering contractors and ensure milestone-based delivery
Design and implement fintech/payment systems including ledgers, reconciliation, stablecoin payouts, and coverage checks
Build distributed data models with strong auditability and separation of concerns
Maintain high standards for performance, compliance, and system integrity
Help recruit, onboard, and mentor future engineering hires
Collaborate cross-functionally with product, compliance, risk, and go-to-market stakeholders
Ship fast, iterate based on partner feedback, and improve continuously
Requirements
2–7 years of engineering experience with a backend focus
Strong experience with Node.js and TypeScript
Experience with Next.js (React knowledge is a plus)
Experience launching and scaling v1 fintech or payment products
Experience building high-throughput, auditable financial systems
Strong understanding of distributed systems and backend architecture
Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous early-stage environments
Experience managing external vendors or contractors is a plus
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
Nice to Have
Experience with Rust or TigerBeetle
Background working with modern fintech/payment infrastructure providers
Experience building payment ledgers, reconciliation systems, or stablecoin payout infrastructure
Prior founding or early-stage startup experience
Interview Process
Intro Meeting (30 minutes – qualitative fit)
Product Fit Interview (1 hour)
Engineering Fit Interview (1 hour)
In-person Fit Meeting (1+ hour)