Founding CTO (Stealth Startup)

Founding CTO (Stealth Startup) Remote OK | Early Founding Team | Equity We are a quiet, early-stage company building technology centered on empathy, alignment, and human connection. Our work explores how intelligence can support the best parts of who we are, not extract from them. We are looking for a Founding CTO who believes AI can lift the human experience instead of monetizing it. Someone who sees kindness as a transformative force worth strengthening, and who wants to build systems that make people feel more understood, supported, and connected. What you’ll do Architect and own the early technical roadmap Shape the core AI systems and guide key build-vs-integrate decisions Lead engineering with a focus on privacy, safety, and human-centric design Collaborate directly with the founder on product vision, research, and prototyping What you bring Strong technical range across backend, AI integration, and product development A deep interest in human emotion, alignment, or social systems A belief that technology should enhance people’s lives Startup or zero-to-one experience is a plus, but mindset is more important than pedigree Why join You’ll help shape a product and a culture built around care, integrity, and meaningful impact. This is an opportunity to be early, build deliberately, and create something that makes people’s lives better. If this resonates, reach out and say hello. Skills and Experience We’re Looking For Technical Skills Full-stack engineering ability across frontend and backend Strong experience with React and modern web frameworks Backend proficiency in Node, Python, or similar Ability to build secure, scalable APIs and services Experience integrating modern LLMs and AI systems (OpenAI, Anthropic, or open-source models) Comfort with embeddings, vector databases, and retrieval systems Understanding of model fine-tuning, prompting, and AI safety principles Strong architecture and systems design skills Experience designing privacy-conscious, secure applications Product + User Experience Sensitivity to human-centered, emotionally intelligent product design Experience building consumer-facing products Ability to translate well-being or connection-based product goals into technical solutions Collaborative mindset and willingness to work directly with design and research Mindset + Founder Qualities Zero-to-one builder who thrives in uncertainty High integrity and deep care for user well-being Belief that technology should enrich humanity Passion for empathy-driven AI and responsible innovation Strong communication skills and emotional intelligence Desire to build alongside the founder as a true partner Bonus (Not Required) Experience with mobile development (React Native, Flutter, or native) Background in mental wellness, social apps, or behavioral science tools Familiarity with recommendation or personalization systems Early-stage hiring or small-team leadership experience