Founding Engineer – Product & Process

About the company

Clera is a talent-matching platform that replaces traditional job applications by connecting candidates and hiring teams through curated introductions.

About this role

ABOUT THE ROLE This is a founding-team engineering role at a seed-stage startup that is building an AI-powered operating platform for the German tax advisory and accounting industry. The company acquires established tax firms and transforms them with proprietary technology — automating operational workflows so that tax professionals can focus on high-value client consultation. As a Founding Engineer – Product & Process, you will turn real-world tax advisory work into executable, scalable systems. You will own the full journey from prototype to hardened production workflow, and directly shape how work flows, where automation adds leverage, and how complex, regulated processes scale across multiple firms. This role is based on-site in Berlin, Germany. Visa sponsorship is not available. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Analyze workflows across accounting, payroll, reporting, and client communication to understand how work actually moves. - Identify bottlenecks, handover points, failure modes, and unnecessary manual effort. - Rapidly design and build minimum-viable prototypes (MEPs/MVPs) to automate and validate workflows. - Implement workflow systems using n8n, Temporal, or custom backend services. - Collaborate closely with tax advisors and engineers in tight, iterative feedback loops. - Own the full transition from early prototype → hardened, production-grade workflow. - Make deliberate decisions about when a UI adds genuine value — and when it's just an implementation detail. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Required: - Based in Berlin, or willing to relocate to Berlin, Germany to work from the office. - Experience with tax, accounting, advisory, or broader professional services workflows — genuine domain knowledge of how these processes work. - Significant experience designing and shipping workflow-heavy or automation-driven systems. - Strong computer science fundamentals paired with a product-minded, deeply technical approach. - Comfort with end-to-end ownership, ambiguity, and iterative prototyping rather than rigid process mandates. Nice to Have: - Hands-on experience with n8n, Temporal, or similar workflow orchestration tools. - Experience hardening early-stage prototypes into robust production systems. - Background working closely with domain experts (e.g. accountants, tax advisors, legal professionals). LOCATION & WORK ARRANGEMENT - Location: Berlin, Germany - Work arrangement: On-site (Berlin office) - Visa sponsorship: Not available