About Archetype AI

Archetype AI is developing the world's first AI platform to bring AI into the real world. Formed by an exceptionally high-caliber team from Google, Archetype AI is building a foundation model for the physical world, a real-time multimodal LLM for real life, transforming real-world data into valuable insights and knowledge that people will be able to interact with naturally. It will help people in their real lives, not just online, because it understands the real-time physical environment and everything that happens in it.

Supported by deep tech venture funds in Silicon Valley, Archetype AI is currently pre-Series A, progressing rapidly to develop technology for their next stage. This presents a unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of an exciting AI team at the beginning of their journey, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Our team is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, with team members throughout the US and Europe.

We are actively growing, so if you are an exceptional candidate excited to work on the cutting edge of physical AI and don’t see a role that exactly fits you below you can contact us directly with your resume via jobs<at>archetypeai<dot>io.

About the Role

We’re looking for a highly motivated and experienced engineer who brings both technical excellence and a strong sense of ownership. You will play a critical role in shaping our product from the ground up—building intuitive experiences, designing robust systems, and delivering real customer impact. You thrive in environments where initiative is valued, collaboration is essential, and quality is non-negotiable.

Core Responsibilities

• Own features end-to-end: from shaping requirements and architecture to deployment and iteration.

• Partner with designers and product managers to build intuitive, high-performance user experiences.

• Architect scalable APIs, data flows, and sync mechanisms that thrive in real-world conditions.

• Continuously simplify, refine, and optimize client and server performance with an eye for detail.

• Balance rapid iteration with long-term system quality, code maintainability, and design coherence.

• Champion engineering excellence, setting high standards for performance, reliability, and craft.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience across client and server environments.

• Strong understanding of constraints in client applications (e.g., memory, power, offline) and cloud systems (e.g., latency, scalability).

• Demonstrated ownership and accountability in delivering user-facing products from concept to production.

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and contributing to product direction.

• A self-starter with a bias for action—comfortable working on zero-to-one products and iterating quickly.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud-connected systems and applied AI or machine learning technologies.

• Familiarity with mobile platforms and modern backend frameworks (e.g., Node.js, FastAPI, Rust).

• Strong background in instrumentation, analytics, observability, and performance tuning.

• Product and design sensibility—able to translate user needs into elegant technical solutions.

• A commitment to continuous improvement and technical excellence.

What We Value

• Ownership – You take initiative, follow through, and care deeply about quality and outcomes.

• Motivation – You’re driven to solve complex problems and continuously raise the bar for yourself and your team.

• Excellence – You bring discipline, clarity, and rigor to your craft—and help others do the same.

• Collaboration – You work well with others, mentor generously, and contribute to a high-trust, high-performance culture.