The build: Our client is building the
intelligence layer for construction — model-garden approach, newest computer
vision and LLM systems, shipped into prototypes users actually rely on. They're
an early-stage SF team, and they want a founding engineer to build it with
them.
This isn't a seat. It's a direction. As the founding
engineer, you'll set the technical direction, pick the models, and define how
the intelligence layer gets built. Expect ambiguity, ownership, and schlep —
and the equity to match.
What you'll do
- Own
the intelligence layer end to end — detection, understanding, and
estimation over construction documents.
- Set
the technical direction for how the team applies CV, LLM, and AI systems.
Model-garden it: pick, test, combine.
- Ship
0-to-1 prototypes fast, then harden them from real user feedback.
- Coordinate
models — detection, segmentation, OCR, LLM reasoning — into one coherent
system.
- Do the
schlep. Early product = messy data, weird edge cases, no clean pipeline,
no playbook.
Requirements
What we're looking for
- Applied
CV/ML in Python — deep learning, computer vision, object detection.
- 0-to-1
builder. You've started something, or joined at the start and
owned it.
- AI in
production — you've shipped, not just trained.
- Slope
> y-intercept. Fast learner beats a static résumé.
- Empathy
+ honesty about what's working and what isn't.
- Comfortable
with schlep and ambiguity — there's no one to hand it to.
Bonus
- You
built something people used or paid for (founder/startup).
Skills Required
- Applied computer vision and machine learning experience using Python, including deep learning and object detection
- Experience building and owning 0-to-1 products or systems
- Experience shipping AI systems into production
- Fast learning ability and adaptability
- Empathy and honesty about what is and is not working
- Comfort working with ambiguity, messy data, edge cases, and limited structure
- Experience building something people used or paid for, such as a founder or startup project
What We Do
Fruition Executive Search is a boutique executive search firm based in San Francisco. They specialize in sourcing high-caliber leadership talent across various industries, including Accounting, Finance, AI, Software, and Healthcare. Utilizing a dual approach of retained and contingent search, they connect organizations with C-suite and management professionals equipped to drive strategic direction, profitability, and digital transformation through human-centered leadership.
