Founding Software Engineer (Path to CTO) at CroX

Lisbon, , Portugal -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

06 May, 26

Salary

120000.0

Posted On

05 Feb, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

AI Coding Tools, Full Stack Ownership, Embedded Firmware, Cloud Backend Development, iOS App Development, Systems Thinking, Autonomous Work, Field Testing, Product Shipping, Hardware Collaboration, AgTech, IoT, Swift/SwiftUI, STM32, Low-Literacy UX, AI-First Mindset

Industry

Staffing and Recruiting

Description

Founding Software Engineer (Path to CTO) 📍 Remote (Europe preferred) | ✈️ Regular travel to South America 🏢 Partner Company – AgTech / IoT Startup (Pre-seed) 🧠 This is not a typical engineering role We’re not looking for someone who just wants to write code. We’re looking for a builder — someone excited by ambiguity, ownership, real-world problems, and the opportunity to help build a company from the ground up. You’ll be the sole engineer, working AI-first, shipping a real hardware + software product, and testing it in cattle fields in South America. If you’re looking for a polished corporate environment, a large team, or clearly defined processes from day one, this role is not for you — and that’s completely fine. 🏢 About the Partner Company Our partner is an early-stage AgTech / IoT startup focused on building sustainable, technology-driven solutions with real-world impact. Stage: Pre-seed Focus: Virtual fencing technology for livestock Operations: Europe (founders & HQ) + South America (field operations) Mission: Create sustainable value where progress and responsibility for people and planet go hand in hand Culture: High ownership, AI-first mindset, field-driven problem solving This is a company where one strong engineer + AI is expected to outperform traditional teams. 💼 The Role As Founding Software Engineer, you’ll own and ship the entire technical stack and play a central role in shaping the product, the architecture, and the technical direction of the company. This role offers a clear path to Head of Engineering / CTO, depending on interest and performance. You’ll work directly with the founders and have full technical ownership from day one. 🛠 What You’ll Be Doing Own the entire technical stack: embedded firmware, cloud backend, and iOS app Take over, iterate, and optimise existing STM32-based firmware Design and build cloud infrastructure from scratch (APIs, data, scalability) Build an iOS app designed for low-literacy, non-technical users (UX, visuals, text-to-speech) Collaborate closely with hardware manufacturing partners Use AI coding tools (Cursor, Claude, GitHub Copilot) as core development partners Travel regularly for hands-on field testing and product launches Ship V1 to market in 2025 and continuously improve reliability and usability ✅ What We’re Looking For (Must-Haves) Strong software engineering fundamentals (language-agnostic) Heavy, demonstrated use of AI coding tools in daily development Experience shipping complete products independently iOS development experience (Swift / SwiftUI) Systems thinking across firmware, backend, and mobile Comfort working autonomously as the sole engineer At least 5+ years of hands-on engineering experience ➕ Nice to Have Embedded / firmware experience (C, STM32) IoT protocols (e.g. LoRaWAN) Cloud backend development (any modern stack) Experience with hardware products Spanish language skills AgTech, robotics, or physical-world product exposure 🚫 This Role Is NOT for You If… You need a large team to be productive You’re skeptical about AI-assisted development You prefer highly structured corporate environments You’re looking for feature-only work without ownership You’re uncomfortable with ambiguity, iteration, and field conditions 🧠 Who Thrives in This Role Autonomous, resourceful builders Low-ego, high-ownership mindset Comfortable with uncertainty and responsibility Strong product sense and user empathy Excited by real-world, physical impact 💶 Compensation & Benefits Base salary: €40,000 – €120,000 (depending on equity track and seniority) Equity: Significant founding-team level equity with vesting over 3 years Contract: Full-time employment Vacation: 28 days per year Working model: Remote-first (Europe preferred) with regular travel Upside: Clear path to Head of Engineering / CTO 🧩 Why Join? Founding-team level ownership Full technical control across hardware & software Real-world impact on sustainable agriculture Opportunity to prove the power of AI-first development Build something tangible, meaningful, and challenging

Responsibilities

The Founding Software Engineer will own and ship the entire technical stack, including embedded firmware, cloud backend, and the iOS application, while playing a central role in shaping the product and technical direction. Responsibilities include iterating on existing firmware, building cloud infrastructure from scratch, developing a user-friendly iOS app, and collaborating with manufacturing partners.