Founding Head of Engineering – Stealth AI Startup
AI Startup in Stealth Mode, New York, NY, United States
Founding Head of Engineering – Stealth Mode
Agentic Commerce | Category-Defining Platform
The way people discover, decide, and buy is being rewritten. I've spent my career at the platforms that defined commerce and AI — and I've never seen a shift this fundamental move this fast. The infrastructure layer is being laid right now, and the team that gets it right in the next 18 months owns the category. I'm looking for one person to build it with me.
– Jacqueline Karlin, Founder & CEO
Company Snapshot Status
: Stealth
Stage
: Formation / Pre-Seed
Category
: Agentic Commerce
Market
: ~$1.3T projected by 2030
Location
: (flexible)
We are building a company at the frontier of Agentic Commerce, where AI becomes the primary interface for discovery, decision-making, and transactions. This is a once-per-cycle platform shift—comparable to mobile and cloud—that requires new technical primitives, architectures, and systems of trust.
Role Overview We are seeking a Founding Head of Engineering to partner directly with the founder as a true technical counterpart and co-creator—owning the technical execution, architectural foundations, and engineering culture of a category-defining platform.
This is a 0→1 founding role. You will be standing up the entire product engineering stack when you join. You will make early, high‑leverage decisions that shape the company for years, balancing speed with durability and ambition with rigor. The role requires deep systems thinking, strong product taste, and hands‑on execution—paired with the judgment to know when not to overbuild.
The ideal candidate operates with founder-level ownership — low ego, high accountability, and a bias toward action. They've navigated real platform or interface shifts across commerce and AI, built systems that scale, and have the judgment to know which conventions are worth breaking and which are worth preserving.
What You’ll Own
Technical execution & architecture: Define the core technical strategy and platform architecture from first principles
Agent-native foundations: Design and build systems that support AI-driven discovery, decisioning, and transactions—optimized for trust, extensibility, and interoperability
0→1 execution: Translate an early thesis into real, working product quickly, keeping things simple while we seek PMF
Protocol fluency: Architect for emerging agent-to-agent standards (MCP, A2A) and build for interoperability before it’s required.
Judgment under uncertainty: Navigate tradeoffs between speed, quality, and durability in a stealth environment without hiding behind process or perfectionism
Engineering culture & talent bar: Hire early engineers, set the technical and cultural bar, and model ownership, clarity, and accountability from day one
Founder-level collaboration: Operate as a thought partner to product and GTM leadership, shaping what gets built—not just how it’s built
Long-term defensibility: Build systems that accrue durable advantage through data, workflows, and ecosystem integration over time
Who We’re Looking For Required
15+ years of experience building and scaling complex platforms and systems
Proven 0→1 engineering leadership
Deep background in commerce platforms, AI-driven systems, marketplaces, or distributed systems
Strong architectural judgment in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
Founder mentality: high ownership, comfort with responsibility, and willingness to make irreversible decisions early
Strong Preference
Experience operating at startup velocity within the Fintech, AI and/or Commerce Verticals
Prior founder, co-founder, early-stage CTO experience or 0‑1 platforms in large enterprises
Demonstrated ability to lead with low ego, strong convictions, and clear decision-making
Pattern recognition from prior platform or interface shifts (e.g., marketplaces, cloud, AI)
Strong technical foundation in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field — through formal training or demonstrated execution.
Exceptional builders come from non-linear paths. We care about judgment and track record — not pedigree.
What Success Looks Like
You are an inspirational leader who sets the cultural bar, brings people together, and builds high-trust, highly collaborative teams.
You turn an early thesis into a credible, scalable, and defensible technical platform
You make early architectural decisions that age well as complexity grows
You enable fast product iteration without compromising long-term integrity
You attract exceptional engineers who value ownership and clarity
You build technical foundations capable of supporting category leadership
Why This Role
Founding-team ownership and leadership in a once-per-generation platform shift
Direct partnership with an experienced founder and former executive at the world’s largest commerce and AI platforms
Opportunity to lead and define the technical backbone of Agentic Commerce
Co‑founder-level equity, influence, and accountability from day one
There is one seat at this table.
Compensation:
Equity + cash (stage‑appropriate)
We are building a small, focused founding team. This search is direct and relationship-driven.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The way people discover, decide, and buy is being rewritten. I've spent my career at the platforms that defined commerce and AI — and I've never seen a shift this fundamental move this fast. The infrastructure layer is being laid right now, and the team that gets it right in the next 18 months owns the category. I'm looking for one person to build it with me.
– Jacqueline Karlin, Founder & CEO
Company Snapshot Status
: Stealth
Stage
: Formation / Pre-Seed
Category
: Agentic Commerce
Market
: ~$1.3T projected by 2030
Location
: (flexible)
We are building a company at the frontier of Agentic Commerce, where AI becomes the primary interface for discovery, decision-making, and transactions. This is a once-per-cycle platform shift—comparable to mobile and cloud—that requires new technical primitives, architectures, and systems of trust.
Role Overview We are seeking a Founding Head of Engineering to partner directly with the founder as a true technical counterpart and co-creator—owning the technical execution, architectural foundations, and engineering culture of a category-defining platform.
This is a 0→1 founding role. You will be standing up the entire product engineering stack when you join. You will make early, high‑leverage decisions that shape the company for years, balancing speed with durability and ambition with rigor. The role requires deep systems thinking, strong product taste, and hands‑on execution—paired with the judgment to know when not to overbuild.
The ideal candidate operates with founder-level ownership — low ego, high accountability, and a bias toward action. They've navigated real platform or interface shifts across commerce and AI, built systems that scale, and have the judgment to know which conventions are worth breaking and which are worth preserving.
What You’ll Own
Technical execution & architecture: Define the core technical strategy and platform architecture from first principles
Agent-native foundations: Design and build systems that support AI-driven discovery, decisioning, and transactions—optimized for trust, extensibility, and interoperability
0→1 execution: Translate an early thesis into real, working product quickly, keeping things simple while we seek PMF
Protocol fluency: Architect for emerging agent-to-agent standards (MCP, A2A) and build for interoperability before it’s required.
Judgment under uncertainty: Navigate tradeoffs between speed, quality, and durability in a stealth environment without hiding behind process or perfectionism
Engineering culture & talent bar: Hire early engineers, set the technical and cultural bar, and model ownership, clarity, and accountability from day one
Founder-level collaboration: Operate as a thought partner to product and GTM leadership, shaping what gets built—not just how it’s built
Long-term defensibility: Build systems that accrue durable advantage through data, workflows, and ecosystem integration over time
Who We’re Looking For Required
15+ years of experience building and scaling complex platforms and systems
Proven 0→1 engineering leadership
Deep background in commerce platforms, AI-driven systems, marketplaces, or distributed systems
Strong architectural judgment in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
Founder mentality: high ownership, comfort with responsibility, and willingness to make irreversible decisions early
Strong Preference
Experience operating at startup velocity within the Fintech, AI and/or Commerce Verticals
Prior founder, co-founder, early-stage CTO experience or 0‑1 platforms in large enterprises
Demonstrated ability to lead with low ego, strong convictions, and clear decision-making
Pattern recognition from prior platform or interface shifts (e.g., marketplaces, cloud, AI)
Strong technical foundation in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field — through formal training or demonstrated execution.
Exceptional builders come from non-linear paths. We care about judgment and track record — not pedigree.
What Success Looks Like
You are an inspirational leader who sets the cultural bar, brings people together, and builds high-trust, highly collaborative teams.
You turn an early thesis into a credible, scalable, and defensible technical platform
You make early architectural decisions that age well as complexity grows
You enable fast product iteration without compromising long-term integrity
You attract exceptional engineers who value ownership and clarity
You build technical foundations capable of supporting category leadership
Why This Role
Founding-team ownership and leadership in a once-per-generation platform shift
Direct partnership with an experienced founder and former executive at the world’s largest commerce and AI platforms
Opportunity to lead and define the technical backbone of Agentic Commerce
Co‑founder-level equity, influence, and accountability from day one
There is one seat at this table.
Compensation:
Equity + cash (stage‑appropriate)
We are building a small, focused founding team. This search is direct and relationship-driven.
#J-18808-Ljbffr