One engineer, the whole feature
Full-Stack Developer Recruitment for NYC AI Startups
Full-stack means a different mix on every team. Before we approach a single full-stack engineer for your New York City AI startup, we agree yours: how much frontend, how much backend and how close the work sits to the model calls.
At a glance
What full-stack means on your team
Many AI startups run React or Next.js on a Node or Python backend that calls model APIs. We recruit engineers who have built on stacks like yours.
Roles we recruit for
Senior and staff full-stack engineers, frontend-leaning and backend-leaning
Stages
Seed to Series C
Where
New York City. In office, hybrid or remote
Who we look for
People who have taken features from database to UI on small teams
Speed
Our last 3 hires averaged 17 days
How you pay
Retained, success-based or embedded. Terms agreed upfront
How we assess
Where each full-stack candidate is strongest
Few full-stack engineers are equally strong on both sides. That's fine when their lean matches the features you need next, so it's the first thing we test.
01
Leans the right way
We ask which parts of their last few features they took on gladly and which they handed off. That shows their real lean faster than a skills list.
02
Ships at startup pace
How often they released, how big the changes were and what happened when a release broke in front of users. We look for people used to releasing several times a week.
03
Builds interfaces for AI
We ask for an interface they built around a model: how it streamed output, showed progress on slow jobs and let users fix a wrong answer.
04
Pushes back on specs
How they work with design and product, and what they did when a spec wouldn't work for users.
Frontend vs backend lean
Shipping cadence
AI interface work
Office days and timing
Code quality
Frontend architecture
API and data design
Who runs your search
Liam, Founder of StellarSearch
Our team brings 20+ years of search experience across engineering, AI/ML, product and GTM.
LinkedIn ↗
Client feedback
Feedback from founders and the engineers we placed
I'm not really sure how he does it, but he continues to find us top tier talent that fits exactly what we're looking for."
I'm very grateful they reached out."
Would highly recommend."
They did a great job explaining roles, companies, and interview processes and was friendly + supportive throughout."
Where our hires come from
We've placed people from teams like these
We look past titles to the work: ex-founders, early employees and people doing their best work outside the day job.
How we work
How we run your search
From the first call to an accepted offer. What we handle, and the few places we need you.
Learn what you're building, what the hire owns in the first 90 days, and the comp, equity and location you can offer.
One call with the founders.
Map the market from day one. If the problem is sourcing, pay, location, process or the profile, we tell you early.
Agree any changes to the brief.
Approach people who aren't applying anywhere, and assess each one on evidence before they reach you.
Nothing. This part is ours.
Send each candidate with our write-up, then schedule and keep the process moving.
Run your interviews.
Advise on the offer, handle the back and forth, and close.
Make the final call.
If the search isn't working, we tell you fast. We use market data to recalibrate instead of sending weaker candidates for weeks.
Ways to work with us
Three ways to work with us
Pick the model that fits the hire. All terms are agreed upfront, with no hidden fees.
Best for a priority hire
Retained
A dedicated search for the one hire that can't wait. We commit time to your role from day one.
Dedicated search from the first call
Market map shared with you
Fee agreed upfront
Best for a single hire
Success-based
We run the search and you pay when the hire is made.
No fee until you hire
Same assessment on every candidate
Terms agreed before we start
Best for several roles
Embedded
We work as part of your team across several hires, for a monthly fee plus a reduced success fee.
Monthly fee plus reduced success fee
One hiring standard across roles
Works alongside your in-house team
Start a search
Share your full-stack role and your stack
Tell us what you're building. We'll come back with how we'd run the search.
Looking for a role? See open jobs
Is one full-stack engineer better than two specialists?
How do you handle a stack like React, TypeScript, Next.js and Node?
How much AI experience should a full-stack engineer have?
Should we give full-stack candidates a take-home?
Can a full-stack engineer also run our infrastructure?
Can a full-stack engineer cover design until we hire a designer?
How quickly will we see candidates?
We already have an in-house recruiter. Why use you?
How much of the process do you own?
What if the search isn't working?
How do you charge?
Hiring your founding team?
Tell us what you're building. We'll find the experts who can build and ship it.
Start Hiring
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