Clera is a talent-matching platform that replaces traditional job applications by connecting candidates and hiring teams through curated introductions.
ABOUT THE ROLE This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-growing, Y Combinator-backed AI SaaS startup in the motion design space as its first engineering hire. The company is building an AI-powered platform that dramatically accelerates animation creation — reducing what once took hours into minutes — and has already seen remarkable early traction since launching earlier this year. As a Founding Software Engineer, you'll work shoulder-to-shoulder with the founders to shape the technical foundation of the product, own features end-to-end, and help architect a system built to scale to millions of users. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Partner directly with the founding team to deliver user-centric product solutions from concept to production. - Own end-to-end development of full-stack features with a focus on scalable architecture design. - Build and optimize agentic LLM systems incorporating tool-calling, multi-step reasoning, and MCP protocols. - Design comprehensive LLM evaluation frameworks including automated benchmarks, human-in-the-loop validation, and A/B testing. - Optimize LLM inference performance, cost efficiency, and latency across multiple model architectures. - Develop a high-performance motion graphics engine. - Drive architectural decisions that support scalable growth to millions of users. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Required - 2+ years of software engineering experience with strong CS fundamentals. - Proficiency in TypeScript (dealbreaker requirement). - Hands-on experience building or integrating large language models (LLMs), including tool-calling, multi-step reasoning, and MCP protocols. - Experience designing and implementing LLM evaluation frameworks (automated benchmarks, human-in-the-loop validation, A/B testing). - Demonstrated ability to deliver end-to-end full-stack features with scalable architecture. - Proficiency optimizing LLM inference performance, cost efficiency, and latency across multiple model architectures. - Experience with the full tech stack: TypeScript, React.js, Next.js, PostgreSQL, GCP, AWS. - Prior startup or early-stage company experience with a strong ownership mindset. - Willingness to work on-site in Berlin, Germany. Nice to Have - Background in animation, motion graphics, or creative tooling. - High slope / fast-learning profile with a track record of rapid growth. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS - Salary: €80,000 – €160,000 per year, depending on experience. - Early-stage equity opportunity as the founding engineering hire. - Visa sponsorship: Not available — candidates must already have the right to work in Germany. LOCATION - Berlin, Germany — fully on-site role. - Remote work is not available for this position.