Founding Engineer (AI Systems)

Build the execution layer for autonomous finance.

The problem we’re solving

Finance is one of the hardest domains to automate. Not because the data doesn’t exist - but because it’s fragmented across systems, full of edge cases, and constantly changing. Most “AI finance” products stop at dashboards, copilots, or brittle automations that fall apart outside of demos.

Cortena is building the execution layer that makes autonomous finance workflows reliable in production.

We connect real finance systems end to end and use autonomous agents to execute operational finance workflows continuously, not just analyze them after the fact. When execution is correct and always up to date, financial intelligence emerges naturally.

Based in Rotterdam and backed by Builders Studio, Cortena is building an AI-native finance operating system for modern SMEs - one agent at a time.

The role

We’re looking for a Founding Engineer to co-architect and build Cortena’s technical foundation from the ground up.

This is a true founding role. You’ll work directly with the CTO to design and implement the core systems that power autonomous finance execution. The architectural decisions you make in the next 6–12 months will define what Cortena can (and cannot) become.

You’ll operate at the intersection of AI systems, financial data, and product design, turning messy real-world finance workflows into production-grade, reliable systems used daily by real companies.

This role is for a hands-on builder who wants real ownership, thrives in ambiguity, and cares deeply about correctness, reliability, and long-term system design.

Key responsibilities

• Co-architect Cortena’s core AI-driven finance platform alongside the CTO

• Design and implement agent-based systems for autonomous finance execution

• Build reliable data pipelines and system integrations across the finance stack

• Own AI features from prototype to production, including monitoring and iteration

• Work closely with product to translate complex financial logic into intuitive experiences

• Make high-impact architectural decisions in an early-stage environment

• Help establish engineering best practices as the company scales

Qualifications

• Strong software engineering background with experience building production systems

• Hands-on experience with AI/ML systems (LLMs, prompt engineering, or agent architectures)

• Solid understanding of data pipelines, APIs, and system integrations

• Experience working with complex, structured data

• Comfortable working across the stack, from backend systems to product-facing components

• Ability to operate independently and own outcomes

• Fluency in English

Bonus points for:

• Experience with financial, accounting, or ERP systems

• Familiarity with forecasting, planning, or financial modeling

• Experience in early-stage startups or founding teams

• Background in distributed systems, cloud-native architectures, or MLOps

Why join Cortena?

• Be a foundational builder of an AI-native finance operating system

• Work on deep, non-trivial problems at the intersection of AI, data, and finance

• Shape product direction, architecture, and engineering culture from day one

• Meaningful equity via a stock option plan, reflecting true founding-level ownership

• Help define how autonomous agents execute real business workflows

We believe early technical builders should share meaningfully in the upside they create.

If we succeed, finance won’t be something companies report on. It will be something that runs continuously, correctly, and autonomously.

If you want to help build a system where finance execution becomes intelligence, we’d love to talk.

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This role is for Cortena, a Builders portfolio company. Hiring is managed by the Cortena team.