Founder's Associate

We are hiring a Founder’s Associate to work directly with the CEO and founding team.

This is not a coordination role. This is not a note taking role. This is not a “learn and support” role.

This is a systems builder position for someone who operates natively in AI and automation.

CEF AI is intentionally moving toward a lean operating model where intelligent systems and AI agents replace manual workflows across business functions. We are hiring fewer people and raising the bar on quality. Your mandate will be to design and implement operational systems that increase output while reducing human dependency.

You will identify inefficiencies, architect solutions, and deploy automation that works reliably and scales.

If you think in agents, workflows, APIs, and execution pipelines — this role is for you.

1. Architect AI Driven Operational Systems

• Audit current workflows across recruiting, operations, documentation, and coordination.
• Design and implement AI agents to handle repetitive and decision based processes.
• Build interconnected systems where tools talk to each other automatically.
• Ensure dashboards reflect live system activity - not manual reporting.
• Continuously optimize for speed, autonomy, and minimal human dependency.

We are not looking for someone to manage tasks.

We are looking for someone to eliminate them.

2. Talent Engine Automation

• Transform recruitment into an AI driven system.
• Implement automated sourcing, enrichment, outreach, screening, and routing.
• Design logic where candidate stages update automatically.
• Ensure structured data feeds directly into a live dashboard.
• Reduce human involvement to high leverage decision points only.

Recruitment should operate like a product - automated, observable, scalable.

3. CEO Execution Partner

• Translate strategic direction into system design.
• Identify bottlenecks and replace them with automation.
• Prototype quickly using AI tools.
• Ship solutions without waiting for permission.
• Operate with speed, clarity, and ownership.

• 1-5 years in startup or high performance environments.
• Proven experience building automations or AI driven workflows.
• Comfortable vibe coding and prototyping with LLMs.
• Experience with APIs, automation tools, AI agents, and structured dashboards.
• Strong systems thinking - you see processes as code.
• High agency - you build before being asked.
• Clear written communicator.
• Based in Berlin, available for hybrid/in office work.

Non Negotiable:

• You have already built automations.
• You have used AI tools beyond basic prompting.
• You are comfortable shipping imperfect systems and iterating.
• You believe AI agents should replace manual work.

• Real Equity: We treat early team members like partners. You’ll receive meaningful equity so the upside you help create is shared.
• Direct Access to Leadership: You are part of the core conversation. You will work side by side with the CEO and founders every day to solve hard problems and set the strategy.
• Work on Hard, Emerging Problems: We are building infrastructure for AI agents operating on sensitive, real time data without relying on centralized black box platforms. While parts of this ecosystem exist, the architecture for doing it securely and reliably at scale is still evolving.
• Small Team, High Output: We believe the best teams are small and extremely capable. AI tools increase individual leverage, so we hire fewer people and expect a much higher level of ownership and output.
• Autonomy With Accountability: We hire people who don’t wait for permission to solve problems. If you see a better way to build something, you’re expected to propose it and ship it.
• Hybrid Work, Built Around Collaboration: We believe great systems are built through close collaboration. The team works in a hybrid setup and regularly spends time together in person in Berlin and San Francisco for focused building sessions and hackathons.

Our Hiring Process

We move fast, stay transparent, and focus on real collaboration. Here’s what the process looks like:

1. Intro Call – A quick chat to align on expectations, interests, and team fit with COS.
2. CEO Interview – A strategic discussion around vision, mindset, and long-term alignment.
3. Reference Collection – We’ll speak with a few people you’ve worked closely with.
4. Paid Trial (~5 Days) – A short, real-world engagement so we can see how we work together — happening in parallel with offer and terms discussion.