Hera (YC S25)
Overview
Direct message the job poster from Hera (YC S25). We're building the world's first AI motion designer that creates professional animations in seconds. Hera is the first AI motion designer that creates professional animations through conversation. Unlike video-gen tools, Hera generates code-based animations where every parameter can be fine-tuned through prompts or on-canvas editing, giving users the control of After Effects with the simplicity of Lovable. In our first two weeks after launch, users created over 200,000 animations. About Hera
Video is the most effective medium, but video creators waste countless hours animating seconds of content. Motion design tools like After Effects require mastering complex user interfaces, turning creative work into button-clicking hell. Hera is built to solve this by enabling professional animations through natural conversations. Hera (YC S25) is your AI motion designer that creates professional animations in seconds. Hera has grown to a six-figure ARR in less than 10 days after launching publicly. About the Role
This is our first hire. You won't just be an engineer, you'll be a founding member shaping the technical foundation of a company that aims to enable 5% of the world's population to create video content. Building creative software is uniquely challenging: there's no fixed process for users to follow. Everyone wants to create something new, express their ideas differently. This means endless edge cases and the need for exceptionally robust software. You will: Partner with the founders to deliver user-centric product solutions from concept to production Own end-to-end development of full-stack features with scalable architecture design Build and optimize agentic LLM systems incorporating tool-calling, multi-step reasoning, and MCP protocols Design comprehensive LLM evaluation frameworks with automated benchmarks, human-in-the-loop validation, and A/B testing Optimize LLM inference performance, cost efficiency, and latency across multiple model architectures Develop a high-performance motion graphics engine Drive architectural decisions that support scalable growth to millions of users Our technology choices evolve with our needs. Current core technologies include TypeScript, React.js, Next.js, PostgreSQL, GCP/AWS, and our proprietary motion graphics engine. We prioritise learning velocity, end-to-end delivery, and adopt new languages or frameworks when they best serve our users and product goals. What Makes You a Great Fit
You're hungry. Not just ambitious, but obsessed with building something massive You're entrepreneurial. You've built things before and demand ownership You thrive in ambiguity. No roadmaps, no PMs, just problems to solve You have a growth mindset. We're small today, but building something huge. To grow the company, each of us needs to grow personally You work like an athlete. High performance, consistent improvement, whatever it takes to win You want to work in-person in Berlin (we help you relocate if needed) We hire for slope, not intercept. We don't care about credentials; we care about trajectory
You're NOT a Good Fit If:
You want work-life balance You're picky about what you work on You lack curiosity or the hunger to learn You prefer structured environments with clear boundaries You think AI is just hype You want to specialize in one technology
Why Hera?
We're building this team like Real Madrid: small, elite, with each person being a superstar. We believe we can reach $100M ARR with less than 20 people. As a founding engineer, you'll have: Life-changing equity stake Above-market salary Build a product used by thousands daily The chance to redefine how millions of users create video
Job Details
Seniority level: Mid-Senior level Employment type: Full-time Job function: Engineering and Information Technology Industries: Technology, Information and Internet Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Hera (YC S25). Get notified about new Software Engineer jobs in San Francisco, CA. #J-18808-Ljbffr
Direct message the job poster from Hera (YC S25). We're building the world's first AI motion designer that creates professional animations in seconds. Hera is the first AI motion designer that creates professional animations through conversation. Unlike video-gen tools, Hera generates code-based animations where every parameter can be fine-tuned through prompts or on-canvas editing, giving users the control of After Effects with the simplicity of Lovable. In our first two weeks after launch, users created over 200,000 animations. About Hera
Video is the most effective medium, but video creators waste countless hours animating seconds of content. Motion design tools like After Effects require mastering complex user interfaces, turning creative work into button-clicking hell. Hera is built to solve this by enabling professional animations through natural conversations. Hera (YC S25) is your AI motion designer that creates professional animations in seconds. Hera has grown to a six-figure ARR in less than 10 days after launching publicly. About the Role
This is our first hire. You won't just be an engineer, you'll be a founding member shaping the technical foundation of a company that aims to enable 5% of the world's population to create video content. Building creative software is uniquely challenging: there's no fixed process for users to follow. Everyone wants to create something new, express their ideas differently. This means endless edge cases and the need for exceptionally robust software. You will: Partner with the founders to deliver user-centric product solutions from concept to production Own end-to-end development of full-stack features with scalable architecture design Build and optimize agentic LLM systems incorporating tool-calling, multi-step reasoning, and MCP protocols Design comprehensive LLM evaluation frameworks with automated benchmarks, human-in-the-loop validation, and A/B testing Optimize LLM inference performance, cost efficiency, and latency across multiple model architectures Develop a high-performance motion graphics engine Drive architectural decisions that support scalable growth to millions of users Our technology choices evolve with our needs. Current core technologies include TypeScript, React.js, Next.js, PostgreSQL, GCP/AWS, and our proprietary motion graphics engine. We prioritise learning velocity, end-to-end delivery, and adopt new languages or frameworks when they best serve our users and product goals. What Makes You a Great Fit
You're hungry. Not just ambitious, but obsessed with building something massive You're entrepreneurial. You've built things before and demand ownership You thrive in ambiguity. No roadmaps, no PMs, just problems to solve You have a growth mindset. We're small today, but building something huge. To grow the company, each of us needs to grow personally You work like an athlete. High performance, consistent improvement, whatever it takes to win You want to work in-person in Berlin (we help you relocate if needed) We hire for slope, not intercept. We don't care about credentials; we care about trajectory
You're NOT a Good Fit If:
You want work-life balance You're picky about what you work on You lack curiosity or the hunger to learn You prefer structured environments with clear boundaries You think AI is just hype You want to specialize in one technology
Why Hera?
We're building this team like Real Madrid: small, elite, with each person being a superstar. We believe we can reach $100M ARR with less than 20 people. As a founding engineer, you'll have: Life-changing equity stake Above-market salary Build a product used by thousands daily The chance to redefine how millions of users create video
Job Details
Seniority level: Mid-Senior level Employment type: Full-time Job function: Engineering and Information Technology Industries: Technology, Information and Internet Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Hera (YC S25). Get notified about new Software Engineer jobs in San Francisco, CA. #J-18808-Ljbffr