Founding Engineer (Potential CTO)
WFA Digital Insight
The demand for skilled engineers who can bridge the gap between AI, mobile technology, and healthcare is on the rise, with the digital health market expected to reach new heights in the coming years. Roles like this Founding Engineer position at Clera are at the forefront of this trend, requiring a unique blend of technical expertise, notably in React Native and AI-native infrastructure, and the ability to innovate in the healthcare space. With the market for mobile health applications growing rapidly, candidates with a strong foundation in full-stack development and a keen interest in AI-driven health solutions will find this role particularly compelling. As the tech industry continues to evolve, professionals who can navigate the intersection of technology and healthcare are poised to make significant impacts. Before applying, candidates should be prepared to showcase not only their technical prowess but also their ability to work autonomously and drive innovation in a rapidly changing environment.
Job Description
About the Role
The Founding Engineer role at Clera represents a pivotal opportunity for a skilled and visionary engineer to join a seed-stage, AI-native digital health startup. As a founding member of the technical team, this individual will play a crucial role in shaping the company's engineering culture and stack, driving the development of a groundbreaking AI mobile experience focused on nervous system repair and chronic disease management. This role is central to the company's mission, requiring a deep understanding of both the technical and healthcare aspects of the business.Day-to-day, the Founding Engineer will be responsible for turning the company's bold product vision into reality, overseeing the development of a production-quality AI mobile experience. This involves not only the technical execution but also the strategic planning and decision-making that will define the company's technical direction for years to come. Collaboration with the founding team, whether in Montreal, San Francisco, or New York City, is essential, as the role requires close interaction to ensure the successful integration of technical and business strategies.
The importance of this role cannot be overstated, as it directly impacts the company's ability to deliver on its mission. The ideal candidate will be someone who thrives in environments where autonomy, innovation, and rapid iteration are key, and who is passionate about leveraging technology to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.
What You Will Do
- Serve as the second technical voice at the company, providing critical input on technical direction and strategy.
- Develop and ship the first end-to-end AI coaching experience, integrating React Native, Claude-backed inference, and wearable biosignal data.
- Design, architect, and build an AI-powered nervous system training coach, encompassing model design, prompt engineering, tool use, and evaluation pipelines.
- Translate complex biosignals into a real-time, personalized coaching layer for users.
- Establish and maintain AI-powered QA and testing pipelines to ensure safe and rapid deployment of updates.
- Make decisions across the full stack, including frontend, backend, infrastructure, and AI-native layers, to drive the company's technical vision forward.
- Collaborate with the founding team to integrate iOS/HealthKit and wearable platforms seamlessly.
- Work on-site in Montreal, San Francisco, or New York City as part of the founding team.
- Contribute to the development of the company's engineering culture, fostering an environment of innovation and excellence.
- Stay abreast of the latest advancements in AI, mobile technology, and healthcare to continuously improve the company's offerings.
What We Are Looking For
- Production experience in shipping and operating Claude or similar LLM-based systems, including prompts, tool use, and evaluations.
- Willingness and ability to work in-person in one of the company's locations.
- A minimum of 3 years of experience in mobile or full-stack engineering, with a proven track record of delivering consumer mobile apps to market.
- Deep fluency in React Native, with end-to-end ownership of the mobile lifecycle.
- Experience with AI-native infrastructure, integrating AI functions across all layers.
- Backend development experience in Node.js or Python, with familiarity with PostgreSQL and modern infrastructures like Vercel, Fly, or Render.
- Ability to work fluidly across the full stack with minimal guidance.
- Hands-on experience with HealthKit, wearable APIs, or real-time biosignal data.
Nice to Have
- Experience in building AI-powered testing or evaluation pipelines.
- App Store shipping experience with a consumer mobile app.
- Background or genuine interest in nervous system science, somatics, neuroscience, or trauma research.
- Prior experience as the first or founding engineer at an early-stage startup.
Benefits and Perks
- Competitive base salary.
- Early-stage equity commensurate with founding-team scope.
- High-impact, high-ownership role with a direct path to CTO.
- Opportunity to work on a product that can significantly impact people's health and well-being.
- Collaborative and dynamic work environment in a rapidly growing startup.
- Professional development opportunities in AI, mobile technology, and healthcare.
- Access to the latest tools and technologies in the field.
- Flexible working hours and remote stipend, reflecting the company's commitment to work-life balance.
How to Stand Out
- Ensure your portfolio showcases your ability to work on complex, AI-driven projects, especially those involving mobile technology and healthcare.
- Prepare to discuss your experience with React Native, Claude, and wearable biosignal data, highlighting any relevant projects or achievements.
- Be ready to demonstrate your understanding of AI-native infrastructure and how you've integrated AI functions in previous roles.
- Show a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and healthcare trends, as this role requires continuous innovation and improvement.
- Highlight any experience working in early-stage startups or as part of a founding team, emphasizing your ability to work autonomously and drive technical direction.
- Consider researching Clera's current projects and expressing your genuine interest in the company's mission and how your skills align with its goals.
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