职位描述

About Orthogonal

Orthogonal, a YC W26-backed startup located in San Francisco, is building a foundational infrastructure layer that enables AI agents to discover, access, and transact APIs. The initial focus is on APIs that enhance outbound operations, data enrichment, and growth strategies. The founding team consists of two technical cofounders based in San Francisco.

Role Overview

The Founding Engineer will be instrumental in designing, developing, and deploying solutions across the entire software stack. Responsibilities include building backend services that support a unified API, handling high-throughput processes, ensuring system reliability and performance, and crafting the front-end user interface tools and dashboards using Next.js and React. This role demands versatility in working between backend infrastructure and frontend user experience, close collaboration with the founding team, and contributing to development best practices, testing frameworks, and system observability. This is a full-time onsite position based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Key Responsibilities

Produce production-grade code, conduct code reviews, contribute to design discussions, and help shape technical architecture.
Ownership of feature development end-to-end across frontend (Next.js/React) and backend (TypeScript/Node.js, Postgres).
Develop API integrations, developer tools, and core platform functionalities.
Adapt fluidly between frontend refinement and backend systems engineering as required.
Partner closely with founders to translate user requirements into durable software features.
Influence the engineering culture and system architecture as one of the earliest engineering hires.

Candidate Profile

Solid grounding in Computer Science fundamentals including data structures, algorithms, and systems.
Proficient full-stack developer comfortable managing features spanning databases to UI.
Experience designing and implementing REST APIs, microservices, and data-driven applications.
Skills in modern frontend technologies including Next.js, React, and TypeScript.
Experience in server-side programming with languages like TypeScript/Node.js or Python.
Competence in testing, debugging, monitoring, and optimizing distributed systems performance.
Ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-moving startup environment.
Bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical expertise.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior exposure to AI/ML infrastructure, agent frameworks, or developer tooling platforms.
Familiarity with cloud hosting platforms such as Vercel or Render and CI/CD processes.
Experience founding or developing startup products.
Contributions to open source projects.

Additional Details

Position located in San Francisco, CA – full-time onsite role.
Compensation ranges from $150,000 to $220,000 annually, plus equity.
Seed stage backed by YC W26.
Direct reporting line to company founders.

Founding Engineer