Founder Associate
- Onsite
- All software engineering jobs
- FullTime
- Engineering
About the role
About the Role
This is a true 0-to-1 operator seat sitting directly alongside the founding team of a fast-growing AI startup reshaping how top talent connects with high-growth companies. You will work across product, growth, operations, and key partnerships, owning whatever moves the company forward fastest. The role matters because the team is scaling rapidly and needs a sharp, hands-on generalist to drive outcomes end-to-end.
What You'll Do
Lead founder-priority projects spanning new market initiatives, strategy, and execution.
Own the candidate experience and funnel, improving conversion, quality, and hiring outcomes.
Design and scale operational processes and systems to keep pace with rapid growth.
Support go-to-market efforts including messaging experiments and partnership development.
Translate real-world candidate and company feedback into actionable product priorities.
Work on ambiguous, high-impact problems across recruiting, operations, and special projects.
What We're Looking For
Approximately 1 to 3 years of relevant professional experience in an early-stage or high-growth environment.
Prior experience as a Founder Associate, Chief of Staff, or comparable startup operator role.
Demonstrated hands-on ownership of operations rather than a primarily product or technical background.
Ability to switch independently across operations, strategy, recruiting, and special projects.
Comfortable in a fast-moving team that values speed, sharp thinking, and high standards.
Motivated by driving real outcomes, not just supporting others.
Background at a high-performing organisation in consulting, operations, or early-stage startups is a strong signal.
Ambitious about a fast track toward founding, general management, or an early executive role.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary: $90,000 to $120,000 USD annually. Visa sponsorship is available.
Location
This role is fully on-site in San Francisco, California. The team works and builds together in person, so candidates must be willing to live and work in San Francisco.
Description as published by Clera.
