Founder Associate

About Clera
Clera is a fast-growing AI start-up rethinking how top talent finds their next dream job. We work with leading VC-backed startups like Mintlify, Luminai, and Windsurf—many in AI.

We believe recruiting should be talent-first: making it easy to connect with the right companies, get coached through the process, and actually get hired. By automating and optimizing workflows within the $600B global headhunting industry, we aim to dramatically enhance outcomes for both candidates and companies. This is a massive opportunity.

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Your Mission
We’re experiencing rapid growth, with hundreds of exceptional candidates approaching us daily. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring these candidates enjoy an outstanding experience and get connected to career-defining opportunities at some of the most elite startups globally.

This is a true 0 ->1 operator seat next to the founding team. You'll work across product, growth, operations, and key partnerships-whatever drives the company forward fastest. If you want a role that feels like building your own company with a head start, this is it. You'll drive high-leverage projects end-to-end, learn how high-performance early-stage team makes decisions, and help shape the foundation of a category-defining platform.

What you'll own

You'll take ownership of ambiguous, high-impact problems such as:

• Founder-priority projects: from new market initiatives to strategy and execution
• Candidate experience + funnel: improve conversion, quality, and outcomes
• Ops & systems: design scalable processes that keep up with rapid growth
• Go-to-market support: help refine messaging, experiments, and partnerships
• Product feedback loops: translate real-world candidate and company needs into actionable product priorities

You'll likely thrive here if you want:
A fast track to becoming a founder, GM (within Clera or outside), or early exec
Real ownership—not "helping," but driving outcomes
A team that values speed, sharp thinking, and high standards
The energy of building in-person alongside a small, ambitious core in San Francisco

Intensely non-remote & hardcore

• Current set-up: Working & living together from hacker-house soon: San Francisco
• Live & build with a small founding team
• Zero commute, 10× feedback loops, strong team bonding
• Intense, extremely productive and fun when the team lives and works together in the same Airbnb

If you thrive in fast-moving environments, enjoy owning complex workflows, and are motivated by real outcomes, we would love to hear from you.