Head of Engineering - NYC - Early stage AI startup

Head of Engineering | Early-Stage AI Startup | $200k–$250k Equity

Our client is an early-stage startup building an AI-powered collaborative workspace for biopharma’s commercial and clinical teams. Backed by strong funding and led by experienced founders, they are reshaping how research and insights are generated in the industry.

The role

They are seeking a Head of Engineering to join at the founding executive level. This is a pivotal opportunity to define technical vision, drive execution, and scale a world-class engineering organisation from the ground up.

What you’ll do:

• Define and execute the product and technical vision for an AI-native platform
• Translate emerging AI research (LLMs, RAG, multi-step agents, vector DBs, etc.) into product capabilities
• Lead engineering excellence: code reviews, prototypes, architecture, testing, DevOps
• Own cloud-native infrastructure (Kubernetes/EKS, ECS, SQS, VPC networking, etc.)
• Hire, mentor, and lead a high-performing engineering team
• Foster a collaborative, feedback-driven culture of accountability and innovation
• Partner with leadership on company-wide strategy and represent the company with customers, investors, and at industry events

The ideal candidate:

• 6–15 years’ experience as an engineering leader, ideally in early-stage environments
• Strong technical background across React, TypeScript, NodeJS, PostgreSQL, Python, and modern AI systems
• Proven experience building and managing elite engineering teams
• Skilled communicator who thrives in cross-functional leadership roles

What’s on offer:

• Salary: $200k–$250k
• Equity: 0.5%–5%
• Visa sponsorship available (including H1B transfer and TN)
• On-site role in Flatiron, NYC

Why join?

This is a chance to join at the founding executive level of a well-funded AI startup, working directly with proven leaders who have scaled successful companies, built mission-critical systems, and driven significant impact in healthcare and technology.