Founding Principal Engineer - Workbench

About this role

General Information: Job Title: Founding Principal Engineer - Workbench Location: Toronto (Onsite/ Hybrid) Job Type: Full-Time Hiring Timeline: Immediate Reporting Line: Head of R&D Existing Vacancy: Yes Application Deadline: Open until Filled Salary Range : $175–$210k CAD per year (negotiable) About Fulfillment IQ (FIQ): Fulfillment IQ is a supply chain engineering and transformation company that helps brands, retailers, and 3PLs design, build, and scale high-performance logistics operations. We work at the intersection of strategy, operations, and technology where we solve complex, real-world problems across warehouse design, automation, order management, transportation, and end-to-end supply chain execution. Our teams combine deep domain expertise with strong technical capability, delivering outcomes through consulting, systems implementation, and proprietary platforms that accelerate time-to-value and reduce delivery risk. If you enjoy working in complex environments, partnering closely with clients, and seeing your work make a tangible impact on how global commerce moves, this is the place where your skills and judgment truly come to life. Role Overview Workbench is a new FIQ platform that automates complex warehouse design: turning real-world requirements, constraints, and operational data into designs that today demand weeks of expert manual work. This is a 0-to-1 founding role. You will be the founding technical owner: designing the core architecture, making the foundational technology decisions, and writing the production code that the early team builds on. As the platform matures, the role evolves into long-term technical ownership and system stewardship. It blends deep engineering execution with architectural responsibility and product-level technical decision-making. Must Have: 10+ years building cloud-native backend or platform systems Proven 0-to-1 delivery: took a product or platform from nothing to production and owned the architecture calls yourself Strong hands-on experience designing and building distributed systems Ability to translate ambiguous business requirements into production-ready systems Modern cloud infrastructure and deployment pipelines Strong fundamentals across system design, performance, reliability, and maintainability Comfort operating in high-ownership, low-process, early-stage environments Proficiency in Python/FastAPI Nice to Have: Experience shipping AI/LLM-driven capabilities in production (requirement extraction, generation pipelines, agentic workflows) Workflow engines, orchestration systems, or DAG-based processing platforms Optimization, simulation, or computational design systems (layout, constraint solving) Supply chain, logistics, or warehouse operations domain Prior founding engineer or early platform team roles Python and TypeScript/Next.js on Azure; you will shape where the stack goes from here Key Responsibilities: Own end-to-end technical design and implementation of the Workbench platform Make foundational decisions on architecture, data models, and technology Build core services, APIs, and the automation workflows at the heart of the product Establish development standards, CI/CD, and engineering practices for the team forming around you Rapidly prototype and validate architectural decisions through real implementations Work directly with domain experts to encode warehouse design knowledge into the platform Identify architectural risks early and prevent technical debt accumulation Serve as the primary technical owner through the platform's early lifecycle What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days: 30: Deep understanding of the product vision and design domain; initial architecture and standards established; foundational design documentation delivered 60: Core platform components or MVP foundation delivered; key architecture decisions validated through working production-grade code 90: Stable platform foundation ready for feature expansion; long-term technical roadmap presented; governance standards for future contributors in place Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Delivery of production-ready platform foundation Stability and reliability of core architecture Reduction of architectural rework and technical debt Engineering velocity enabled by foundational design Why You’ll Love Working Here: At Fulfillment IQ, we don’t just build supply chain solutions. We build careers, friendships, and unforgettable experiences. We believe in giving our senior technical leaders real ownership, real influence, and the opportunity to shape platforms that power real-world logistics operations. As an equal opportunity employer, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. Here’s what makes working with us a rewarding experience: Work That Matters Build systems that directly impact global commerce and supply chain performance. Career Growth That Matters We invest in mentorship, leadership development, learning budgets, and long-term career growth. Flexibility to Thrive We support remote and hybrid work models by offering multiple office locations to help you perform at your best. We Celebrate You From team wins to work anniversaries, we recognize impact, celebrate milestones and reward performance. A Collaborative Culture Work alongside talented engineers, product leaders, and award-winning domain experts who value ownership, transparency, and high standards. Perks you’ll appreciate: Employee Health: Comprehensive health and dental coverage for you and your family Time Off: Competitive paid time off and flexible leave policies Retirement: Retirement savings programs and employer contributions Professional Growth: Dedicated learning and development budget Flexible Work: Remote and hybrid work options Perks: Equipment allowances, internet reimbursements, business travel coverage, and employee stock options (ESOP), where applicable. Community Engagement: Team events, meetups, and company offsites U