Founding Engineer – Systems, Kernels, and Embedded AI

Location: San Francisco (Onsite)
Type: Full-time
Start Date: ASAP

• Design and implement core systems that sit close to the kernel and hardware
• Build real-time hardware graph awareness across multiple boards, devices, and interfaces
• Integrate and abstract device I/O using low-level channels
• Terminal/session virtualization and multi-device orchestration
• Observability and tracing across Linux, networking, and embedded components
• Collaborate on AI- and agent-driven workflows
• Work directly with the founders to shape product direction, architecture, and engineering culture

Strong experience with:

• Linux internals, kernel subsystems, device drivers
• Networking stacks, TCP internals, NIC behavior, and low-level data paths
• Compilers, program analysis, advanced debugging/instrumentation
• Microcontrollers and low-level protocols (UART, I2C, SPI, JTAG, etc.)
• Systems programming in C/C++ and Python

Familiarity with:

• Data center or distributed networking
• AI, agents, or MCP-style context systems
• Scripting and upper-stack work in JavaScript/TypeScript

We're looking for a founding engineer who lives at the intersection of kernels, networks, compilers, and hardware — and who can quickly move up the stack into agents, APIs, and product.

You should have:

• Deep curiosity about hardware, kernels, and networks
• Comfort working in a high-intensity, high-ownership startup environment
• Ability to move quickly from prototype to production while maintaining reliability
• Desire to work end-to-end: from low-level mechanisms to user-facing experiences
• Excitement about building cracked tools with a cracked team

Requirements:

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Networks, or equivalent experience
• Willingness to work startup hours, in-person (weekends included) at our San Francisco office
• Work authorization in the United States

We're building the intelligence layer for hardware — real-time systems that control physical machines with zero tolerance for latency or failure.

What we offer:

• Founding engineer-level equity and highly competitive salary
• Ownership over core architecture that defines the company's trajectory
• Problems that touch kernels, hardware, agents, and UX in one product
• Close collaboration with customers building cutting-edge embedded and networked systems

Email: team@cosmiclabs.io
Subject line: Founding Engineer – Embedded Systems / [Your Name]

Include in your email:

1. Your name
2. Why this role and why Cosmic Labs
3. What you bring technically
4. Soonest available start date
5. GitHub or GitLab link
6. Confirmation of work authorization in the U.S.
7. Confirmation of willingness to work full-time, in-person in San Francisco

Attach: PDF resume