Founding AI Engineer Full Time NEW

Tightrope Studio builds AI-powered systems, content infrastructure, and digital products designed to help businesses create momentum, generate demand, and grow more intelligently.

Our work sits at the intersection of AI, content, business systems, and product innovation. One of our core products, Traction by Tightrope Studio, is being developed as a smarter lead generation and revenue engine for service businesses.

We are looking for a highly capable Founding AI Engineer / Technical Partner who wants to help shape not only the product, but the long-term technical foundation of the company.

Role Description

This is a remote early-stage role for a Founding AI Engineer / Technical Partner. This person will help design, build, and optimize the AI systems that power Tightrope Studio’s products and internal tools.

This is not a narrow execution-only engineering role. We are looking for someone who can think strategically, move quickly, and help translate product vision into scalable technical systems.

You will work closely with the founder to build AI-driven features, improve system architecture, guide technical decision-making, and help shape the roadmap for future growth.

What You’ll Work On

• Design and implement AI-powered product features and workflows
• Build and optimize systems involving LLMs, NLP, automation, and intelligent recommendations
• Help architect scalable infrastructure for current and future products
• Contribute to product strategy, technical direction, and prioritization
• Evaluate tools, frameworks, and model approaches for speed, performance, and cost efficiency
• Collaborate cross-functionally on product development, UX, and business goals
• Help create technical systems that support long-term company growth

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering fundamentals and product-building ability
• Experience building AI-powered tools, applications, or workflows
• Familiarity with LLMs, NLP, prompt systems, model orchestration, and automation pipelines
• Experience with modern development frameworks, APIs, and cloud-based tooling
• Ability to think both technically and strategically in an early-stage environment
• Strong problem-solving skills and comfort with ambiguity
• Clear communicator who can collaborate closely with a founder
• Startup, early-stage, or entrepreneurial mindset strongly preferred

Ideal Background

• Experience building SaaS products or internal AI systems
• Experience with recommendation systems, AI copilots, lead intelligence, workflow automation, or content systems
• Ability to rapidly prototype and iterate
• Interest in helping shape a company at an early stage, not just completing assigned tasks

Compensation

Compensation may include a mix of:

• project-based or contract compensation
• performance-based upside
• potential equity for the right long-term technical partner

For the right candidate, this role may be structured as a founding partnership opportunity, with equity participation tied to long-term contribution, ownership, and execution. We are looking for someone interested in helping build the company, not just complete short-term engineering work.