About the job
About Abacus
At Abacus, we are revolutionizing the operations of accounting firms through innovative AI agents that automate the monotonous and repetitive tasks currently faced by teams. Our cutting-edge core engine integrates advanced Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Large Language Models (LLMs) to provide genuinely intelligent back-office automation solutions. We have already established partnerships with significant enterprise clients, generating substantial revenue, and are proudly supported by leading investors. Having achieved this milestone as a compact team of two, we are eager to expand our workforce. If you are passionate about shaping the future of AI-driven operations and are ready to take on impactful technical challenges from the outset, this is your opportunity.
The Role
We are seeking our inaugural Founding Engineer to take charge of and enhance the core machine learning engine that powers Abacus. Reporting directly to the co-founders, you will work on-site from our San Francisco office. This is a unique chance to join a rapidly growing company as an early engineer, endowed with significant autonomy and influence over both product and technical direction.
In your first 3–6 months, you will:
Enhance and scale our ML extraction engine utilizing LLMs and OCR technologies.
Take ownership of backend architecture and infrastructure decisions.
Develop and launch innovative features that broaden the scope of automated workflows.
In the following year, you will play a pivotal role in establishing the foundation of our engineering organization as we scale, while remaining hands-on and focused on delivering impactful results.
What You’ll Do
Lead the development of our machine learning-driven document extraction engine.
Architect backend systems with an emphasis on performance and scalability.
Create and deploy new automation features tailored for tax firms.
Work closely with the founders to align on product and user requirements.
Contribute to defining our engineering culture and establishing the technical roadmap.
What We're Looking For
Essential Qualifications:
1–5 years of experience, preferably in environments with high ownership or early-stage ventures.
Proficient backend development skills, especially in Python.
Demonstrated ability as a 0→1 builder, whether through side projects, startup experience, or both.
Commitment to work from our SF office, five days a week.
Willingness to complete a technical assessment as part of the application process.

