Lead Senior Engineer (Ruby on Rails)

Job Title: Lead Senior Engineer (Ruby on Rails)

Location: Bay Area (Relocation Required)

About:

At Luthor.ai, we’re building the AI-enhanced content marketing platform of the future. Our mission? Empower creative teams to do their best work, crafting high-quality content that connects with audiences and drives growth. As a fast-growing startup, we work with B2B startups, enterprises, and innovators to build content engines that generate demand and deliver unmatched storytelling.

We’re not just building a platform—we’re creating tools that blend cutting-edge AI with seamless usability to empower creativity at scale. Our vision includes becoming the go-to leader in AI-driven tools for Ruby developers.

If you’re ready to help shape the technical foundation and culture of a fast-growing startup, this is your chance.

About the Role

As our first full-time engineering hire, you’ll work directly with the CEO and CTO (both engineers) to design and build the backbone of our platform. This is startup life in its truest form: fast-paced, challenging, and immensely rewarding. You’ll take ownership of your work, see the immediate impact on customers, and help define the engineering culture for years to come.

What It Will Be Like

• It will be hard, but incredibly rewarding.

• You’ll ship software quickly and see how it directly impacts our customers’ daily lives.

• Timelines will shift, priorities will change, and ambiguity will be constant—you’ll need to embrace the chaos and find clarity in the unknown.

• You’ll work closely with the founders, wearing many hats and taking ownership from idea to execution.

• You’ll learn a ton along the way, grow your skills, and help build something that truly matters.

What You’ll Do

• Architect, develop, and maintain scalable backend systems using Ruby on Rails, Stimulus, Hotwire, and Tailwind CSS.

• Ship features quickly while balancing clean, maintainable code.

• Collaborate with writers, editors, and strategists to build tools that transform their workflows.

• Build and optimize APIs to seamlessly integrate front-end and back-end systems.

• Own features end-to-end, iterating based on real-world feedback.

• Help establish the engineering culture, best practices, and technical direction.

• Contribute to our mission of becoming a leader in AI-driven tools for Ruby developers.

What We’re Looking For

• Several years of professional experience as a software engineer, with expertise in Ruby on Rails, Stimulus, Hotwire, and Tailwind CSS.

• Startup experience or a passion for working in fast-paced environments where priorities can shift.

• A shipping mentality: You thrive on delivering functional solutions quickly and iterating for improvement.

• Interest or experience in AI tools and platforms. OpenAi Api, LLMs, embeddings, Pgvector

• An autonomous mindset—you can take vague requirements and turn them into reality with minimal guidance.

• A passion for solving complex problems that have a real-world impact on users.

• Excitement to work in a scrappy, high-energy team environment where you’ll wear many hats.

Why Join Luthor.ai?

• Mission-Driven Work: Build tools that empower creative teams and redefine content marketing.

• Ownership and Impact: As the first full-time engineer, you’ll shape not just the product, but the company itself.

• Work Closely with Founders: Collaborate directly with the CEO and CTO, both engineers deeply involved in the tech.

• Rollercoaster Startup Culture: Fast-paced, high-growth, and full of opportunities to learn and grow.

• Competitive Compensation: $120,000–$170,000 per year, based on experience, with equity opportunities.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Be part of a team that blends AI and development tools to create something truly innovative.

• Growth Opportunities: Help build the engineering team and define the company’s technical direction.

To Apply

Send your resume and a brief note about the most impressive project you’ve ever built — Let’s create something amazing together!

Our Process

We respect your time and keep our interview process efficient:

1. Call 1: 30-minute intro call with John, our CTO. Get to know each other and discuss your qualifications and background.

2. Call 2: 30-minute follow-up with Glenn, our CEO. Dive into your experiences and learn about our vision for the company.

3. Call 3: 15-minute final call with John and Glenn together. A mix of deeper expectations, role alignment, and a random vibe check to see how we click as a team.