Senior Software Engineer

Gradial is the marketing operations system of work that helps marketers and creatives move from idea to execution faster. Our platform orchestrates across martech stacks, workflows, and people to automate marketing execution, cutting execution time, so marketers focus on the work only humans can do: shaping brands, understanding customers, and creating the work that moves people. Backed by leading investors, we’re building software that adapts to the user, not the other way around. We move with urgency, operate with ownership, and solve hard problems from first principles. If you want to do ambitious work, take real responsibility, and help define the future of AI-native content operations, you’ll do your best work here. The Role Gradial is looking for a Senior Software Engineer to lead the development of AI-native systems that redefine how creative teams build and update websites. As an early engineer, you’ll be integral to figuring out how to use and program LLMs to redefine how people do work. You’ll play a key role in shaping our technical direction, working closely with product and design to bring powerful, intuitive tools to life. This is an opportunity to help architect the foundation of a fast-moving product and contribute to a high-agency, low-ego team focused on real-world impact. What You'll Own • Lead the design and implementation of systems that convert natural language into intelligent, multi-step workflows using generative AI • Architect and scale an LLM agent for real-time inference, dynamic prompting, and tool orchestration • Drive technical direction across the stack - from backend systems to front-end UX—with a focus on performance, scalability, and long-term maintainability • Design systems that learn over time - integrating customer feedback, usage data, and brand preferences • Mentor and guide other engineers; influence engineering culture, standards, and best practices • Collaborate with design and product to reshape the software in real-time; adding/removing features or adjusting layout on the fly • Ensure scalability, reliability and performance through strong testing, deployment, and observability practices • Operate without silos: own the problem and the solution from end to end What We're Looking For • 5+ years of professional experience • Proven experience delivering complex systems in fast-paced or ambiguous environments • Deep technical expertise in algorithms, distributed systems, and software design • Strong communication skills and the ability to influence across functions • Experience solving high-variance or unstructured problems with elegant, product-minded solutions • Background in math, physics, systems engineering, or other technical domains • High ownership mindset with a track record of going from 0→1 Nice to Have • Experience in high-growth or early-stage startups • Familiarity with AI/ML tooling and LLMs • Proficiency with TypeScript or similar languages Compensation The salary range for this position is $130,000 – $220,000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications. What we offer • Performance-based annual bonus • Meaningful equity awards • Medical, dental & vision (fully covered for employees with 75% for dependents) • Fertility & family-planning support • 401k plan • Unlimited PTO • A beautiful Seattle office with a gym, sauna, and bike parking • Free lunch three days a week in our HQ • A front-row seat to building category-defining AI infrastructure You'll thrive here if you • Learn quickly, actively seek out new challenges, and regularly reconsider “how it’s always been done.” • Want to have real impact with zero bureaucracy. • Have an innate drive for being 1% better than the day before, building towards greatness. • Embrace AI as a core tool for problem-solving, innovation, and scale. • Show customer-obsession (internal or external), high ownership/accountability, and bias for action. • Communicate clearly, directly, with curiosity, and assuming good intentions. • Thrive in fast-paced, hyper-growth environments where building better > maintaining status quo. AI Literacy & Interviewing Tools As an AI-first company, we prioritize AI literacy as a core competency in our hiring decisions. We’re excited by candidates who thoughtfully apply AI tools in their work, but during interviews we’re focused on you. This is your opportunity to show how you think, communicate, and solve problems. Over-reliance on AI-generated responses during the interview process (especially when it obscures your own voice) will result in disqualification. We want to understand your unique perspective and how you approach challenges, both with and without AI. Gradial is dedicated to creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and all team members can grow. We offer competitive compensation, equity, flexible work hours, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative culture focused on learning and impact.