Senior Founding Engineer — Backend / Full Stack

Company Overview

Not specified.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior Founding Engineer to join an early-stage, post-revenue startup focused on building innovative products for the fashion industry. The role involves taking ownership of the product’s architecture and engineering decisions, working closely with the founders to shape the technology and product roadmap. This is a unique opportunity for a hands-on engineer to influence the company's technical foundation and growth trajectory from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop the backend systems and foundational architecture to support scaling the product.
• Own and lead system architecture, technical strategy, and key engineering decisions.
• Collaborate across the tech stack, including backend services and user-facing workflows.
• Partner with the founders to define product direction, prioritize features, and align technical efforts with customer needs.
• Balance immediate delivery requirements with sustainable, forward-looking technical solutions.
• Establish and promote engineering best practices, raising the technical bar as the team expands.

Qualifications

• Approximately 8 years of engineering experience, ideally with a background in startups or early-stage ventures.
• Strong backend engineering skills with a proven track record of designing scalable, reliable systems.
• Demonstrated ability to make end-to-end technical decisions with limited guidance.
• Product-first mindset, with an emphasis on user experience and customer-centric development.
• Comfort working in an early-stage environment where priorities may evolve rapidly.
• Educational qualifications such as BTech, in Computer Science or related fields.
• Proficiency in relevant programming languages and frameworks (e.g., Python, Node.js, Java, etc.).
• Experience with cloud platforms, microservices architecture, and database design.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working in the fashion or retail industry.
• Familiarity with startup product development cycles.
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Leadership qualities with the ability to mentor junior engineers.

Experience

• Around 8+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Prior experience in building scalable backend systems and working in early-stage startup environments.
• Proven track record of technical ownership and delivering impactful products.

Environment

• The role is based in Chennai (preferred), with consideration for Mumbai or Bengaluru.
• The work environment is dynamic and fast-paced, typical of early-stage startups.
• The position may involve remote work or hybrid arrangements depending on location and company policies.
• The role requires adaptability to evolving priorities and a hands-on approach to engineering.

Salary

Not specified.

GrowthOpportunities

Not specified.

Benefits

Not specified.