Pax AI is hiring an early-career Software Engineer to help build AI-powered technology transforming global trade compliance. This is an exciting opportunity for new graduates and early-career engineers who want to own real product features, work with LLMs, and collaborate directly with customers in a fast-moving startup environment. The role is full-time and in-person in San Francisco, with a base salary of $130,000–$170,000 per year.
Job Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Pax AI |
| Role | Software Engineer (Early Career) |
| Qualification | Hands-on experience through projects, internships, or work; familiarity with React, Next.js, FastAPI, SQLModel, Postgres, or similar technologies |
| Job Location | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Salary | $130,000–$170,000 per year |
| Work Type | In-person / On-site |
| Job Type | Full-time |
| Job Level | Entry Level / Early Career |
| Industry | Artificial Intelligence / Software / Global Trade Compliance |
Job Description
We’re well-capitalized, we already have real enterprise customers, and we’re looking for an early-career software engineer to take real ownership of the products above, early enough that your work shapes the company and the $10B+ industry we’re transforming.
What you’ll do
- Own real features end-to-end: API design, backend logic, frontend UI, and everything in between
- Build tools that make complex regulations feel like magic
- Work directly with customers to understand what matters, then ship fast
- Build with LLMs to solve real problems for real businesses, not imaginary ones
What your first 90 days look like:
- Week 1: Ship a real feature to production.
- First 30 days: Deliver an end-to-end project alongside a founder, something agentic, powered by LLMs.
- 60 days: Independently own a vertical end-to-end, from spec to ship.
- 90 days: Work directly with our enterprise clients, forward-deploying, incorporating their feedback, and building product in front of them.
You’ll write systems that reconcile tens of millions of dollars in annual trade volume against thousands of pages of complex federal regulations, and turn PDFs of customs entries into structured, refundable data.
The ideal candidate
- Has built and shipped something they’re proud of. Show us the GitHub, the side project, the thing you couldn’t stop working on. We care more about what you’ve built than where you’ve worked.
- Can go deep on backend architecture and also cares that the UI feels crisp
- Is genuinely curious about building with LLMs, whether or not you’ve shipped with them before, and eager to learn fast
- Understands tradeoffs, knows when to move fast, and when to polish
- Is comfortable with ambiguity and thrives in early-stage environments
- Doesn’t need permission to start something, but knows when to ask for input
- Wants to own real outcomes, not just code
- Has hands-on experience (projects, internships, or work) with frameworks like React, Next.js, FastAPI, SQLModel, Postgres, etc.
Selection Process
- Application Submission – Submit your application and relevant background.
- Project / Experience Review – Pax values what candidates have built, including GitHub repositories and side projects.
- Technical Evaluation – Demonstrate your software engineering and problem-solving abilities.
- Founder / Team Interviews – Discuss your technical experience, curiosity, ownership, and ability to work in an early-stage environment.
- Final Assessment – Evaluate overall fit for the role and Pax’s engineering culture.
- Offer – Selected candidates receive an offer and compensation details.
How to Apply
- Visit the Pax Software Engineer (Early Career) job listing on Y Combinator. Apply to Pax Software Engineer (Early Career)
- Review the eligibility, role requirements, and compensation details.
- Prepare your resume and highlight relevant software projects, internships, or engineering experience.
- Include your GitHub, portfolio, or examples of products you have built when applicable.
- Submit your application through the job listing.
- If shortlisted, complete Pax’s interview and evaluation process.
