Founding Engineer (AI-native Freight Forwarder)

Join Navio Logistics and help build the freight forwarder of the future

At Navio Logistics, we are reinventing freight forwarding from the ground up. We are a VC-backed, AI-native freight forwarder on a mission to transform one of the world's largest and most outdated industries. By combining deep logistics expertise with cutting-edge automation and AI, we are building a faster, smarter, and radically more efficient and customer-centric freight forwarder. Our vision is simple: make global freight movement seamless, intelligent, and operationally excellent.

We are looking for an exceptional Founding Engineer to help design and build the technical foundation of Navio. You will be the first hire on the engineering team, working very closely with the CTO to own critical systems, make architectural decisions, and build the AI-native infrastructure that powers every shipment, workflow, and customer interaction.

This role offers massive ownership, a steep learning curve, and the opportunity to shape both the product and the engineering culture from day one.

Tasks

• Own and build core product features end-to-end, from frontend interfaces to backend services and data pipelines
• Design and implement AI agents and automated workflows that transform freight operations
• Make architecture decisions and shape the technical direction of the platform
• Build integrations with carriers, logistics systems, tracking providers, and partner APIs
• Ship fast and iterate based on real customer feedback and operational needs
• Scale systems from early product to production-grade infrastructure serving real freight volumes
• Work directly with the CTO and founders on product vision, strategy, and roadmap priorities
• Help define engineering best practices, code quality standards, and future hiring

Requirements

• Vibe coding native — you don't just use AI tools, you think with them. Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot are part of how you build, not an afterthought
• Experienced software engineer with strong proficiency in at least one modern language (TypeScript, Python, Go, or similar)
• Hands-on experience building AI agents, working with LLMs, and integrating AI into real products
• Experience with LLM profiling and evaluation — tracing, scoring, optimizing cost, latency, and quality of AI outputs
• Solid backend skills — Postgres, Redis, API design, and cloud infrastructure
• Zero-to-one startup experience or similar high-ownership, fast-moving environments
• Product-minded engineer who cares about user impact, not just code
• High-agency mindset — you scope problems, make decisions, and ship without waiting for detailed specs
• Comfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration cycles
• Excellent written and verbal English
• Logistics, supply chain, or freight forwarding domain knowledge (nice to have)

Benefits

• Be part of an ambitious VC-backed logistics startup shaping the future of global freight
• Join as the first engineer and have direct impact on architecture, product, and technical culture
• Work at the intersection of logistics, AI, and operational excellence
• Young, high-performance, and mission-driven team
• Direct exposure to founders and strategic decision-making
• Access to the best AI tools — we invest in the tools that make you fastest
• Competitive compensation + meaningful equity for early team members
• Flexible remote / hybrid working setup

Most engineering roles ask you to build within an existing system. At Navio, you will build the system itself. If you're excited by ownership, speed, real-world impact, and the chance to build something from zero, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us build the future of freight.