Founding Engineer

At Mentum, we’re building the AI-powered assistant that transforms how procurement teams manage sourcing workflows for complex projects, capital expenditures (CAPEX), and new product introductions. Our platform integrates seamlessly with your team's existing tools—like email inboxes and ERP systems—to automate and optimize sourcing, supplier communications, and unstructured data processing.

With top-tier backing from Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund) and Y Combinator, Mentum is tackling a $300B/year market opportunity fueled by shifting regulations and geopolitical trends. We’re currently working with innovative manufacturers in renewable energy, automotive, aerospace, and more to pilot our advanced solutions at large enterprises.

This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing, AI-driven company with 7+ years of runway, co-designing the future of supply chain automation alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.

About the Role

As a Founding Engineer at Mentum, you’ll have the chance to shape the future of our product, tackle some of the toughest challenges in AI and supply chain automation, and work closely with our founders to scale cutting-edge technology.

What You’ll Do

Solve Complex Problems: Build scalable solutions at the intersection of AI, supply chain, and workflow automation. This includes designing core components, scaling scraper and integration technologies, and scaling distributed systems.
Lead Engineering Design: Architect critical parts of our infrastructure, focusing on reliability, scalability, and innovation.
Full-Stack Development: Write high-impact code across the stack—backend, frontend, and ML pipelines.
Optimize AI Workflows: Advance our LLM pipelines, including orchestrators, guardrails, context construction, model gateways, and agentic workflows.
Collaborate with Customers: Partner with supply chain leaders to co-design features, ensuring our platform delivers real-world value.
Enhance DevOps: Manage CI/CD pipelines and ensure uptime and performance as we scale.

Who You Are

Startup-Driven: You thrive in fast-paced environments and have a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Iterative Builder: Comfortable iterating quickly, shipping fast, and discarding what doesn’t work.
AI Enthusiast: Excited about working on the bleeding edge of AI and LLMs, and passionate about contributing to the AI field.
Technically Versatile: Skilled across frontend, backend, and machine learning, with experience building and scaling widely used applications.
Customer-Focused: Energized by working directly with users to refine and enhance the product.
High Agency: You want to control your own destiny, proactively take ownership of initiatives, and thrive in a high-autonomy environment.
Proactive Problem Solver: You like tackling big challenges, dealing with large amounts of data, and figuring out how to make systems work seamlessly.
Mission-Driven: You’re motivated to change the world through technology, and you believe in the transformative power of AI.
Fast Learner: Ready to pick up new skills and tackle challenges across different areas.

Bonus Points

Experience in AI research or a solid grasp of ML first principles.
A desire to grow into an engineering leadership/CTO role as we scale.

Tech Stack

Frontend: TypeScript.
Backend & ML: Python, FastAPI, prompt engineering, BAML, and more.
Infrastructure: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Location

San Francisco, CA. We believe in the power of in-person collaboration, so this role is based onsite (not remote or hybrid).

Our office is in front of Salesforce Park, surrounded by other YC AI startups. You’ll have a direct say in how we design our workspace—and what snacks we stock!

From Isaacson’s Musk: “The people on the assembly line should be able to immediately collar a designer or engineer and say, ‘Why the f*** did you make it this way?’” That’s the spirit we foster at Mentum—collaborative, fast-paced, and laser-focused on results.

Why Mentum?

By joining Mentum, you’ll be part of a team that’s transforming supply chain workflows with AI. We’re combining cutting-edge technology, a customer-first approach, and a massive market opportunity to redefine strategic sourcing. If you’re excited about shaping the future of AI and building a high-impact product, we’d love to hear from you!