Founding Software Engineer

Founding Software EngineerLocation: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / HybridType: Full-timeStage: Early-stage startupCompensation: Equity + no salary initiallyAbout Q4Q4 is building the intelligence layer for financial markets in Saudi Arabia.We are building a platform that brings together earnings calls, financial reports, company disclosures, market data, and AI-powered analysis into one place making it significantly easier for investors and financial professionals to understand companies and make better decisions.We are at an early stage, which means you won't be joining an established engineering organization. You will be one of the people building the organization itself.The RoleWe are looking for a Founding Software Engineer to join Q4 full-time and take significant ownership of the technology behind the company.This is not a role where you will simply receive tickets and implement specifications.You will work directly with the founder to design, build, ship, iterate, and scale the product from the ground up.You will have substantial influence over:Product architectureEngineering decisionsTechnology stackAI and data infrastructureBackend and frontend systemsProduct developmentDeveloper tooling and engineering practicesFuture engineering hiringAs a founding engineer, you will be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and take ownership beyond your individual technical responsibilities.What You'll BuildDepending on your strengths and the company's priorities, you may work across:Full-stack web applicationsFinancial data pipelinesAI-powered search and retrievalDocument processing and extractionRAG and LLM applicationsVector search and embeddingsAPIs and backend infrastructureData models and databasesReal-time financial information systemsProduct analyticsCloud infrastructure and deploymentWhat We Are Looking ForTechnicalYou should have strong software engineering fundamentals and be comfortable building production systems.We are particularly interested in people who have experience with:TypeScript / JavaScriptReactNode.jsPostgreSQLAPIs and backend systemsCloud infrastructureGit and modern development workflowsExperience with any of the following is a strong plus:LLM applicationsRAG systemsEmbeddings and vector searchAI agentsData engineeringFinancial technologyDocument intelligenceSearch and information retrievalYou do not need to be an expert in everything above.We care much more about your ability to learn quickly, reason deeply, and build things yourself.More Important Than Your Technical StackWe are looking for someone who:Takes ownership rather than waiting for instructionsCan turn ambiguous problems into working productsMoves quickly without sacrificing engineering qualityIs comfortable operating in uncertaintyThinks about the product, not just the codeHas strong product intuitionCan make pragmatic technical decisionsIs willing to do whatever is necessary at an early-stage companyWants to build something significant, not simply have a jobYou should be comfortable saying:“I don't know how to do this yet, but I'll figure it out.”Why Join as a Founding Engineer?Joining this early means you will have an opportunity that is very different from joining a later-stage startup.You will have:OwnershipYou will own meaningful parts of the technology and product.InfluenceYour technical decisions will directly shape the company.EquityYou will receive a meaningful equity stake in Q4, reflecting your role as a founding member of the company.LearningYou will be exposed to product development, AI, financial markets, customers, fundraising, and company building not just engineering.The opportunity to build from zeroYou will help establish the technical foundation that the future engineering organization will build upon.CompensationThis is a founding-stage position.The initial compensation structure will primarily consist of equity in Q4, with no salary or a minimal salary initially, depending on the candidate and circumstances.The goal is to align the founding team's incentives with the long-term success and value creation of the company.As Q4 reaches revenue, funding, and other business milestones, the compensation structure will evolve accordingly.The equity component will be discussed transparently with shortlisted candidates based on experience, commitment, and the level of responsibility they bring to the company.This Role Is For You If...You want to:Build rather than maintainOwn rather than execute ticketsLearn rather than stay within a narrow specializationWork directly with a founderHave meaningful equity in something you help buildTake significant risk for significant potential upsideBuild technology that can become the foundation of a companyThis Role Is Probably Not For You If...You are primarily looking for:A predictable 9–5 roleMarket-rate salary from day oneClearly defined responsibilitiesA large engineering teamExtensive processes and management layersLow-risk employmentThat's completely fine — this is simply not that kind of role.The OpportunityWe are looking for someone who wants to look back several years from now and say:“I was there when we built it.”If you are an exceptional engineer who wants to take a real shot at building a company from the ground up, we'd like to meet you.Apply to join Q4 as a Founding Software Engineer.