Company Overview
Global sewer infrastructure is at a critical point, with 50% of its 1.3 million miles of pipelines nearing the end of their service life. Each year, billions of gallons of raw sewage contaminate our environment due to deteriorating pipes, leading to public health and environmental crises. Despite proactive efforts, $3 billion is still spent annually on costly sewer replacements, with reactive measures being significantly more expensive. PipeAId creates solutions to help communities efficiently inspect and maintain their sewer systems, ensuring the longevity and safety of this vital infrastructure on which every one of us depends.
PipeAId is a startup built on decades of data and nearly a century of industry experience designing, building, and maintaining critical civil infrastructure. Founded in 2023, PipeAId uses artificial intelligence (AI) to inspect sewer pipes by analyzing video footage and identifying, coding, and mapping key features and defects. This technology provides municipalities with a clear and actionable picture of their infrastructure, allowing them to make smarter decisions about maintenance and repairs, saving time and money.
Position Summary
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Founding Engineer will be a cornerstone of the PipeAId engineering team, providing technical leadership that contributes to the company’s vision, growth, and success. The Founding Engineer will have full responsibility for leading and executing technology and product roadmaps to ensure that PipeAId’s products are intuitive, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
PipeAId seeks a player-coach with a track record of strategic engineering and architecture leadership across complex systems from concept to scale. The ideal candidate understands and aligns technology toward desired business outcomes but can also get tactical when necessary – hands-on contribution to coding, code reviews, and technical troubleshooting.
Accountabilities and Outcomes
- Drive full-stack development, guiding both front-end and back-end efforts to create robust, user-centered software solutions.
- Architect the technical infrastructure, making strategic decisions on enhancements and extensions that are central to product and company success.
- Build and nurture a high-performing engineering team by attracting, recruiting, and developing top talent.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams and external partners to align technical projects with company goals and customer needs.
- Translate ambiguous technical specifications into clear business contexts, making cost-effective design decisions.
- Ensure the reliability, performance, and security of the software through rigorous testing and quality assurance processes.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning, staying abreast of emerging technologies, and promoting innovation within the team.
- Model an entrepreneurial mindset, showing ownership and urgency in tackling complex challenges and driving them to resolution.
Role Requirements
Technical
- 10+ years of full-stack software development experience, including experience as a Staff/Principal Engineer or in engineering management.
- Strong proficiency in modern front-end and back-end architecture design and development methodologies.
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
- Previous experience at the earliest stages of product and company formation through a meaningful scale is highly preferred.
- Proven experience in leading high-stakes projects with significant execution risk and ambiguity.
- Ability to contribute directly to codebases, perform code reviews, and mentor team members in best practices and technical excellence.
Behavioral
- Strong prioritization skills, balancing diverse goals to deliver scalable, reliable, and secure products.
- Ability to flex into different roles as needed, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to take on challenges outside of your comfort zone.
- Excellent team-building capabilities, with a proven track record of attracting and developing top talent.
- A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work effectively across functions and with external partners.
- Strong business acumen, with an intimate understanding of business needs and customer goals.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, demonstrating ownership, urgency, and perseverance in solving complex problems.
