# Founding Engineer
**Company:** [Kastle](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/kastle)
**Location:** San Francisco, CA
**Salary:** $130K-$200K
**Skills:** Python, Kubernetes, Distributed Systems, Event-Driven Architecture, Database Optimization, AI/ML, Real-Time Systems
**Posted:** 2025-09-09
> Architects and owns core backend systems for real-time AI voice agents in consumer lending, focusing on low-latency performance, scalability with Kubernetes, and self-improving AI. Requires strong Python backend expertise and distributed systems knowledge.
## Job Description
## What You’ll Do
- Architect and own core systems that power real-time AI voice and compliance workflows
- Push performance boundaries, delivering sub-700ms latency leveraging event driven architecture and parallel processing
- Deploy, operate, scale, resilient systems using Kubernetes and distributed sub-systems
- Build a self-improving AI system that improves with every customer interaction and human feedback
- Ship fast, ship right from whiteboard design to live production in bank environments

## What You Bring
- Strong fundamentals in building high-performance, real-time backend systems (primarily in Python)
- Deep understanding of distributed systems, reliability, and fault tolerance
- Excellent database design and performance optimization skills
- A bias for ownership and an ability to figure things out in messy, high-velocity environments

## Nice to Have
- Experience with training, designing, or building production AI/ML systems
- Previous startup or founder experience
**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/founding-engineer-at-kastle-bab35671-bda6-47c5-9ea8-fbb8324c6980
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/founding-engineer-at-kastle-bab35671-bda6-47c5-9ea8-fbb8324c6980