Product Engineer

# Founding Engineer - Backend-Focused Full-Stack **Seoul, South Korea (Remote-friendly) • Full-time** *** ## The Mission **If you're a top 1% engineer who gives a damn about AI ethics, join us** Creators' images are being scraped and used by AI systems without permission or compensation. It could be your face, or your image too. We're building the platform to protect and monetize creators' digital identities ethically. We made casting models as easy as booking a hotel room. In 2 years, we grew from 50 → 3,000+ creators and generated 1M in transactions, loved by Korea's top brands. Now we're building face-detection and licensing infrastructure to protect creator IP in the AI age. **Your mission:** Rebuild our marketplace for 5x revenue growth, take it global, then build the IP protection layer. *** ## About Spotlite Spotlite is a Seoul-based startup protecting creator rights in the AI age. **Traction:** * 3,000+ professional models across Asia, North America * Samsung, Musinsa, Kolon, Sulwhasoo, etc. Top brands of Korea are our clients. * Learn more about our journey on [CEO Official Mag](https://ceofficialmag.com/spotlite-protecting-real-creators-age-ai-clones/) **What we're building:** * **Now:** Transparent marketplace connecting brands and creators ([https://spotlite.global](https://spotlite.global)) * **Next:** Digital identity protection using face-detection, vector search, and AI agents * **Then:** Likeness licensing platform (creators authorize AI-generated content, get paid. Think PimEyes/Lenso.ai for creator protection + ethical IP licensing *** ## The Role This is a **founding engineer** role. You'll rebuild the product from marketplace to IP protection platform. ### What You'll Do **Months 1-3: Marketplace Foundation** * Audit codebase and create rebuild strategy * Fix critical systems (chat, notifications, booking funnel) * Rebuild core user flows for conversion optimization **Months 3-6 Global Expansion** * Payment optimization for international markets * US market launch infrastructure ### Who You'll Work With * **Bilingual PM** (Korean-English) - product strategy * **Operations team** (Korean-English) - user workflows * **Founders** - company direction (Korean & Canadian) *** ## Who You Are ### Requirements * **Bilingual: Korean AND English** - Essential for daily collaboration with team (70% Korean, most fluent in English) * **5+ years of software engineering** with shipped products * **Backend expertise:** TypeScript, NestJS, Node.js, PostgreSQL, AWS (or similar stack. But we're open to completely revamp the current product - your suggestion matters. * **Frontend capable:** Can ship UI with design systems * **Product intuition** - Experience with 0→1 consumer products ### Nice to Have * Marketplace or platform experience * Computer vision or AI/ML systems * Early startup (\<10 people) experience ### You'll Thrive If You * Care about AI ethics and creator rights * Embrace "don't build too much" philosophy (we learned this the hard way) * Move fast without breaking everything * Enjoy startup constraints (7-person team) * Want to make technical decisions, not just execute * Value team culture and mission alignment *** ## Our Team **7 people, international (Korea, Canada, USA, Indonesia):** * 2 Co-founders (Korean, Canadian) * 1 Product Manager (Korean-English bilingual) * 2 CX/Operations * 1 Junior Full-Stack Engineer * 1 Accounting/Operations **Current:** * Frontend: TypeScript, NextJS, React * Backend: NestJS, Node.js * Database: PostgreSQL * Infrastructure: AWS **You'll influence:** What we keep, replace, and add as we rebuild. *** ## What We Offer **Compensation:** * Competitive salary (commensurate with experience) * Equity (founding team role) **Work Environment:** * Remote-friendly with flexible hours * Seoul office available * English-speaking environment in Korea * Small team = direct impact on company success **Benefits:** * Health insurance * Unlimited PTO * Equipment and tools of your choice * Visa sponsorship available *** ## How to Apply **Send us:** 1. Resume or LinkedIn 2. Brief note (3-5 sentences): * Why this mission resonates with you * One marketplace/consumer product you've built or rebuilt * Your Korean and English proficiency levels * (Optional) Experience with vector search, computer vision, or IP protection **Contact**: [hannah@teamspotlite.com](mailto:hannah@teamspotlite.com) We review applications on a rolling basis. If you're bilingual (Korean-English) with strong full-stack fundamentals and backend focus, apply even if you haven't worked on IP protection—we'll build that together. *** ## Learn More **Platform:** [https://spotlite.global](https://spotlite.global) **Featured:** [CEO Official Mag Article](https://ceofficialmag.com/spotlite-protecting-real-creators-age-ai-clones/), Meet the founder on [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GIzSU1zZGo) *** *Spotlite is an equal opportunity employer. We hire based on merit, skills, and mission alignment. If you're passionate about protecting creator rights and have relevant experience, we encourage you to apply.*