Founding Customer Support Engineer
Job Summary
We are seeking a Founding Customer Support Engineer to build the post-sales support function from the ground up at a well-funded, early-stage AI-native CRM platform. This zero-to-one role combines hands-on technical support with the development of AI-powered systems to scale support operations efficiently. As the first dedicated customer success hire, you will directly resolve complex technical issues while creating the processes and automations that drive retention, reduce ticket volume, and improve product feedback loops.
Essential Functions
- Own the inbound support queue end-to-end, including setting SLAs, triaging tickets, and independently resolving technical issues such as workflow debugging, API problems, and agent behavior
- Build and deploy an AI-powered support agent to increase ticket deflection while creating and maintaining a knowledge base optimized for AI consumption
- Design and implement onboarding automation, health scoring models, and proactive account rescue processes to improve retention and expansion
- Develop the complete customer support playbook including SOPs, escalation criteria, and reporting mechanisms
- Close the product feedback loop by partnering closely with engineering teams
- Create internal tooling using AI coding assistants and API integrations to scale support operations without proportional headcount growth
Required Qualifications
- 4-5 years of experience in a technical, customer-facing role such as support engineering, solutions engineering, or customer success operations
- Proven background at an early-stage B2B SaaS company where you independently owned a support function
- Strong ability to write scripts, interact with REST APIs, webhooks, and debug complex integrations without requiring engineering assistance
- Demonstrated success building systems and processes that reduce support ticket volume over time through tooling and documentation
- Hands-on experience using AI coding tools such as Claude, Cursor, or Codex to develop internal automations and tooling
- Ability to work hybrid in San Francisco, with 4 days per week in-office
Technical Skills
- LLMs and AI Agents
- AI Coding Tools (Claude, Cursor, Codex)
- REST APIs and Webhooks
- Scripting with Python or JavaScript
- Knowledge Base Development and Optimization
- CRM Systems and Tooling
- Technical Debugging and Integration Troubleshooting
- Support Automation and Workflow Design
Compensation & Benefits
The base salary for this role is $170,000 - $195,000 plus meaningful equity in a well-funded startup. Benefits include comprehensive health coverage, flexible time off, and professional development opportunities in a high-growth AI environment.