Job Details

Location: San Mateo, CA (Hybrid; 4 days on-site)

Type: Full-time

We power the builders behind every brand—an AI Revenue OS helping lean DTC teams grow smarter and faster. Cross-channel campaign planning and execution done for you.

About Marklo

Marklo is the AI Revenue OS for modern commerce. We help lean DTC brands drive profitable growth through intelligent campaign planning and execution. From SKU-level margin insights to one-click, cross-channel go-lives—our platform replaces chaotic spreadsheets and disconnected tools with a single intelligent system.

Our first product—the Smart Revenue Calendar—is the marketer's control tower: an AI-native planner that tells brands what to run, when to run it, and how to launch it—automatically.

We've raised capital from top VCs, and our founder, Jessica Herrin, has built multiple $100M+ companies empowering independent business owners and built enterprise software (Stella & Dot, WeddingChannel.com).

Why This Role Matters

We're looking for a Founding Head of Engineering who will define and deliver the architecture, infrastructure, and agentic capabilities behind our AI OS.

You'll be responsible for building a composable, modular, and scalable platform that:

• Turns LLM reasoning into revenue-driving suggestions
• Interfaces deeply with commerce APIs like Shopify, Klaviyo, and Meta
• Enables real-time campaign generation and execution across channels
• Powers a user-facing experience that's fast, explainable, and deeply human

This is a rare opportunity to own the entire technical stack and help shape a product and company that sits at the convergence of AI, commerce, and enterprise-grade automation.

Success in your first 6–12 months looks like:

• Shipping our v1 Smart Revenue Calendar with agentic AI campaign suggestions
• Delivering live Shopify/Klaviyo/Meta integrations with 1-click campaign execution
• Leading hiring of initial engineering team and formalizing core infrastructure decisions
• Building a system that's performant, modular, and observability-friendly from Day 1

What You'll Own

• Architecture & Infrastructure: Lead design of a scalable, modular platform with event-driven and agent-first architecture
• AI & LLM Integration: Implement workflows that leverage LLMs for planning, segmentation, and execution logic
• Commerce API Ecosystem: Integrate deeply with Shopify, Klaviyo, Postscript, Attentive, etc.
• Agentic Interfaces: Own how tasks move from AI generation to user interface to 1-click execution and insight feedback loops
• DevOps & Observability: Build lightweight CI/CD and debugging workflows, including monitoring of LLM behavior and output quality
• Hiring & Team Leadership: Hire and mentor founding engineers while establishing a strong technical culture
• Security & Data Ownership: Design systems that respect sensitive brand and customer data, with flexibility for multi-tenant deployment

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a pragmatic builder who thrives in ambiguity, ships quickly, and believes in the power of great infrastructure to unlock product velocity.

• 8+ years of engineering experience, with recent senior IC or Head of Eng-level ownership
• Proven ability to design and build SaaS systems from the ground up (0→1)
• Deep experience with Python or Node.js for backend + TypeScript for client work
• Experience integrating with commerce platforms via APIs or SDKs
• Strong understanding of LLM frameworks (LangChain, semantic search, vector stores, prompt engineering)
• Familiarity with AI observability and trust tooling (e.g., logging, scoring, overrides)
• Startup-minded: bias for speed, comfort with ambiguity, and deep ownership mindset. You must be a hands-on builder.

Why Join Us

• Founding-level impact and equity
• Direct partnership with a seasoned founder and visionary product team
• Ownership of architecture and tech culture from the beginning
• Backed by top-tier investors with deep conviction in our mission
• Build something that empowers thousands of modern brands to grow with clarity

Eligibility

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. We are not currently able to sponsor employment visas.

Marklo is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion at every level of our company. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.