Founding Engineer

Company Description

Polyfactor is a lean, fast-growing young AI-native agency and venture builder. We partner with forward-thinking companies to design and engineer next-generation digital products, high-scale platforms, and proprietary software. Backed by a solid client pipeline and active projects, we also build our own high-growth ventures—including DeepMantis, our Pentest-as-a-Service (PaaS) spin-off. We operate with zero bureaucracy, complete transparency, and total technical autonomy, giving builders the ultimate platform to shape products, take ownership, and share real equity upside.

Role Description

As a Founding / Lead Engineer, you will be the core technical builder driving the hands-on development across our active client builds, active projects, and venture portfolio. This is a full-time hybrid position based in the Berlin/Hamburg area with high flexibility for partial remote work.

Working closely with the Managing Partners, you will take direct ownership of product development, system execution, and technical implementation. You will write clean, scalable code, set up robust cloud environments, and harness AI-native tools to ship features at breakneck speed. From rapidly prototyping new concepts to scaling infrastructure for spin-offs like DeepMantis, you will combine high-velocity building with foundational engineering practices.

Qualifications

• Technical Background: 5+ years of hands-on experience in Fullstack Engineering, DevOps, and Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, GCP, or Azure).
• AI-Native Efficiency: Demonstrated expertise using AI-assisted coding tools and LLM workflows (Cursor, Claude, autonomous agents) to accelerate development without sacrificing code quality.
• Full-Stack Execution: Strong skills in modern web development, API integration, database architecture, and security best practices.
• Problem-Solving & Agility: Strong analytical skills to debug complex issues, design pragmatic systems, and turn product requirements into production code quickly.
• Communication & Collaboration: Business-fluent English with the ability to communicate technical decisions clearly to both non-technical partners and clients.
• Ownership Mindset: Highly self-organized with an entrepreneurial itch—eager to work in a fast-paced agency/startup environment with high autonomy and real equity potential.
• Location & Education: Based in (or willing to operate flexibly within) the Berlin or Hamburg area, with a background in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

What We Offer

• Founding Equity (VSOP): Early-team virtual stock option package to participate directly in the long-term value creation of Polyfactor and our venture spin-offs.
• Lean Startup Cash Model: Initial lean salary structure designed for high-runway building, scaling up rapidly as company and client pipeline milestones are hit.
• High-Growth Impact: Immediate full-stack execution on active client projects and high-potential proprietary ventures.
• Autonomy & Speed: Direct co-building with the Managing Partners in a lean, high-velocity engineering culture.
• Workplace Flexibility: Modern hybrid setup (Berlin/Hamburg area + flexible work-from-home options).