Resident Engineer

StarApps is a venture studio based in Ghent that builds AI-first, product-led companies with a radical focus on speed and validation. We work in small, super-skilled teams that take ideas from zero to launch-ready in days — not months. Our studio model is built around fast validation, outcome-based value creation, and lean, high-performance execution.

We operate a portfolio of ventures including Donna, Introw, FixForm, Cashfeed, Driven, and Bizzy, while continuously prototyping and spinning up new concepts where AI can 10x productivity or unlock new business models.

As a Resident Engineer, you become a core part of these micro teams. You work with state-of-the-art AI models, rapid iteration frameworks, and modern cloud tooling to build, validate, and ship products with the lowest possible time-to-launch, time-to-money, and time-to-value. You will architect and build MVPs end-to-end, run fast experiments, and turn insights into shipped features within hours or days.

If you thrive in small, elite teams, love building from scratch, and want to shape multiple AI-native startups rather than just one — this role is built for you.

Responsibilities (AI-First & Fast-Validation Focused)

• Build, ship, and validate AI-powered MVPs with extremely fast iteration cycles.
• Own the entire engineering lifecycle: architecture → development → AI integration → deployment.
• Design systems that leverage LLMs, automation, and smart prompting as first-class components.
• Translate early product hypotheses into functioning prototypes that can be tested in real markets immediately.
• Collaborate directly with designers, operators, and potential founders in small PLG-driven teams.
• Instrument products for rapid learning: analytics, user feedback loops, and growth experiments.
• Optimize for the shortest time-to-value and time-to-money — not perfect code.
• Mentor or guide technical direction within emerging ventures; potentially step into a technical lead or co-founder role.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging AI tools, models, and frameworks to keep the studio operating at the edge of innovation.

Requirements (AI-Forward, High-Performer Profile)

• 5+ years of hands-on engineering experience (full-stack or backend), ideally in startup or fast-paced environments.
• Demonstrated ability to build and ship products independently, with AI as a core component.
• Strong understanding of modern AI/LLM capabilities, vector databases, embeddings, function calling, and automation workflows.
• Able to move from concept → prototype → shipped MVP in extremely short cycles.
• Comfortable working in small, high-performing teams with end-to-end ownership.
• Strong product intuition and the ability to validate ideas quickly with real users.
• Experience with cloud-native development, modern frameworks, and API-driven architectures.
• Thrives in ambiguous, zero-to-one environments — bias for action over perfection.
• Full professional dedication (no external commercial side projects).
• A builder's mindset: shipping beats debating, learning beats planning.

Perks & Benefits

• Contractor setup with negotiable day rate (€400/day).
• Access to potential equity in future ventures you help launch.
• Freedom to decide when you work — we trust you as a professional.
• Opportunity to shape multiple high-potential startups from day one.
• A dynamic, ambitious environment where we invest our own capital into bold ideas.
• Collaborative studio culture with exposure to founders, operators, and venture teams.
• Autonomy, creative freedom, and real influence on product direction.

If you want to build a series of great products — not just work a job — we'd love to meet you.

Apply with your CV, portfolio, or GitHub, and a short note on why StarApps excites you.

What to expect:

• Intro call to explore mutual fit (potential AI interview with Totem, our in house developed interviewer)
• Technical deep dive & portfolio discussion.
• Final conversation with the StarApps studio team.

If it's a match, we move fast.