Former Technical Founders
Former Technical Founders at Encord — San Francisco, US
- Company: Encord
- Location: San Francisco, US
- Employment type: FULL_TIME
- Posted: 2026-07-17
About this role
About us
Encord is the universal data layer for AI that helps 300+ AI teams train and run models on the right data. Our platform indexes, curates, annotates, and evaluates data across the full AI lifecycle, from development through production.
Trusted by Woven by Toyota, AXA, UiPath, Zipline, and more. We're an ambitious team of 100+ working at the frontier of AI and have raised $60M in Series C funding from Wellington Management, CRV, Next47 and Y Combinator.
The role
We're looking for former technical founders who want to get back to building. If you've experienced the thrill of 0 to 1 — the chaos, the ownership, the outsized impact — and you're hungry to do it again inside a rocketship, this is the role for you.
At Encord, you won't be a cog in a machine. You'll work directly with the founding team, take on high-stakes problems, and help shape the trajectory of the company. We don't care which box you fit into — we care about what you're capable of building.
What you'll do
Work closely with the cofounders to identify and drive some of the highest-leverage opportunities across product, engineering, GTM, or operations
Take ownership of ambitious, ambiguous problems and drive them from zero to shipped
Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to everything — spotting gaps, moving fast, and making things happen with limited resources
Build internal tools, processes, and systems that help Encord scale
Act as a force multiplier across teams, bringing founder-level energy and judgment to whatever you tackle
Who we're looking for
A former founder — ideally technical — who has built and scaled a product or company, and is eager to get back to the early days of 0 to 1
You may have started and exited your business and are ready to experience the journey again in a new context
You may not have AI or B2B experience, but you will have excelled at something incredibly challenging that demonstrates your grit and ability to overachieve
Deeply comfortable with ambiguity — you don't need a job spec to know what needs doing
A builder at heart who thinks from first principles and moves fast without sacrificing quality
Someone who takes extreme ownership and thrives without a safety net
Experience requirements
Proven experience founding or co-founding a technology company
Strong technical background — you've written production code and understand engineering trade-offs
Track record of building and shipping products that users love
Experience hiring, leading, and inspiring small, high-performing teams
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
Why Encord
Competitive salary, commission, and meaningful equity in a high-growth startup
Clear, accelerated growth opportunities as the company scales rapidly
Strong in-person culture: 4–5 days/week in our newly launched North Beach loft office
Flexible PTO to fully recharge
18 paid vacation days in the U.S. plus federal holidays
Annual learning & development budget
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
Frequent travel opportunities across the U.S., London, and Europe
Bi-annual company offsites, twice-weekly team lunches, and monthly socials