Founding Software Engineer | (m/w/d)

• Build with us the KI-platform for the public sector

The public sector is under immense pressure: increasing demands, skills shortage, complex processes, growing expectations from citizens. Many administrations fail not due to a lack of will, but because systems were never built for this reality.

We're changing that.

Mit Merlin we develop KI-native products that relieve administrations, strengthen employees, and offer better services to citizens. Our claim: Merlin will be the leading KI provider for municipalities and authorities in the German-speaking region.

We've been supported since a Pre-Seed financing from top-tier investors, business angels, and former high-ranking politicians and have already gained more than 30 customers.

Aufgaben

This is a High-Ownership-Rolle for Engineers who want to build things from 0 → 1 and take responsibility.

As Founding Software Engineer, you'll work directly with the founders and shape Tech, Product, and Architecture from scratch. You won't just write code – you decide what gets built and how it gets built.

Our goal is a small, extremely strong core team with high impact. If you're looking for an environment where you can hide behind processes, this isn't the right place. If you want to shape things, then.

You should be eager to work on all aspects of the product: today optimizing the retriever at the RAG system for municipal knowledge assets, next week rolling out a new feature for the multi-tenant customer dashboard or developing a new tool for the voice agent.

What you'll do

• KI systems conceptualize, build, and operate (e.g. Conversational AI, RAG, Agents, Voice)
• Scaleable backend architectures for a multi-tenant SaaS develop
• Making technical foundation decisions (Cloud, Data models, Infrastructure, Tooling)
• Features and systems own from start to finish – from idea to productive use at customers

Our Tech-Stack (today)

• Python, TypeScript, Next.js
• Postgres, Docker, Cloud Infrastructure (Azure)
• LiveKit, Langfuse, various LLM APIs and vector databases

Qualifikation

What makes you a good fit

• You've already built productive software (Startup, Scale-up or comparable)
• You think in systems and enjoy architecture questions
• You take responsibility and don't need close guidance
• You're pragmatic, decision-making, and bring things to an end
• You have genuine interest in KI engineering and practical application
• You speak very good German (at least C1), as we build for the public sector

Benefits

Why Merlin

• Chance to shape a fundamental problem of the public sector
• Attractive salary + Equity: Besides an attractive salary, you'll benefit from significant shares in a strongly growing startup.
• Access to all (AI) tools that make you more productive
• Flexible working style: remote or in Munich
• Benefits: Wellpass and Workcations in the sun contribute to your productivity.