ForgeApply · Job listing
Founding Engineer (Applied AI)
Clera
Apply in about a minute — without sacrificing quality.
ForgeApply autofills this application and tailors your resume to this exact posting. You review everything before it's sent. Free trial, no card required.
About this role
ABOUT THE ROLE
Join an early-stage, seed-funded AI startup in the construction tech space that is automating the process of reading construction blueprints and extracting material and cost data. The company is tackling a massive, largely manual industry problem using cutting-edge computer vision and AI — and this hire will be a core part of the technical foundation. If you love hard problems, shipping quickly, and iterating directly with users, this is the role for you.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Focus on the intelligence layer — ML models, algorithms, and AI systems — rather than the application layer
- Apply the latest computer vision, LLM, and AI techniques to real construction documents (blueprints, plans, specs)
- Ship initial prototypes fast, then iterate based on direct user feedback
- Help design and coordinate a model-garden architecture for blueprint understanding
- Work on object detection models and supporting ML pipelines in production
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
Required:
- Hands-on applied Computer Vision and ML/Deep Learning experience
- Strong Python skills
- Proven 0-to-1 builder — you have shipped AI/ML systems to production
- Growth mindset: we value trajectory over pedigree
- Comfortable with ambiguity, early-stage grind, and getting deep into hard problems
- Communicates with empathy and honesty
Nice to Have:
- Prior founder or startup experience — you've built something people used or paid for
- Background in construction, architecture, or related trades
- Impact-driven mindset aligned with making housing and infrastructure more accessible
COMPENSATION & DETAILS
- Salary: $100,000 – $180,000 USD annually
- Employment: Full-time
- Visa sponsorship: Not available
LOCATION
This role is fully on-site in San Francisco, CA. Candidates must be SF-based or willing to relocate.
Salary insight
The midpoint of this range ($140k) is about 31% below the median disclosed salary for San Francisco roles listed on ForgeApply ($203k across 6,260 jobs).
Based on live postings with disclosed pay on ForgeApply; refreshed daily. Not an estimate of this employer's offer.
Ready to apply to Clera?
Apply in about a minuteSimilar jobs
- Founding Engineer, Applied AI Lead — Equi · New York (on-site)
- Founding Applied AI Engineer — Atlas · San Francisco
- Founding AI Engineer — Falconer · San Francisco, Bay Area
- Founding AI Engineer — Everstar · New York City
- Founding AI Engineer — Clera · San Francisco
- Founding AI Engineer — Bild-ai · San Francisco
- Founding AI Engineer — Kos.ai · San Francisco
- Founding Applied AI Product Engineer — Pear-vc · New York City
More like this: More jobs at Clera · Browse all jobs