## **About Mercura**
Mercura is building AI software for the backbone of our economy.
Backed by Y Combinator, we raised a heavily oversubscribed round at one of the highest valuations in our cohort. As one of Europe's fastest growing startups, we surpassed **$2M in ARR in in our first year**. Now, we are looking for team members ready to go all-in to help us reach our next milestone: **$10M ARR by the end of 2026**.
One of our co-founders, Lukas, grew up in a trades family that has been active in the construction industry for over 115 years. Having worked on the construction site himself, he learned first-hand how slow and manual quoting still is in the industry.
In an era where AI becomes ubiquitous, we set out on a deeply personal mission: bring AI to the backbone of our economy - to the companies that keep our world running. To amplify human expertise and free people to do what only humans can do.
## **About the role**
As a **Full-Stack Engineering Intern** , you will play a key role in building AI systems end-to-end. This is a **fast-paced, hands-on role** for engineers with **high agency** , **strong technical depth** and **founder mindset**. We’re looking for experienced builders with a strong product mindset and a track record of shipping complex web applications.
We hold interns to the same standard as full-time hires: We only bring on people we trust to take ownership of projects independently and whom we would want to work with long-term.
If you are a passionate builder who thrives at the intersection of **full-stack development & AI** - this is your opportunity to working alongside a team of the most stellar engineers, and shape how users interact with AI.
## **What you will be working on**
- **Core Engineering** : Design and build high-performance, reliable systems that power Mercura’s AI products and ensure scalability.
- **End-to-End Ownership** : Own features end-to-end from architecture and implementation to deployment, monitoring, and iteration.
- **Backend & APIs** : Develop scalable APIs and backend systems that support evolving AI capabilities and product growth.
- **Product Engineering** : Work closely with users and the product team to translate real-world workflows into clear product and engineering decisions.
- **Rapid Iteration** : Ship improvements quickly through fast iteration cycles and pragmatic engineering decisions.
- **AI Integration** : Contribute to LLM engineering and AI systems, collaborating with the team on how models are integrated into the product.
- **Technical Architecture** : Help shape the overall system architecture, deployment strategy, and engineering tooling across the stack.
## **What we offer**
- **Learn to build a company** : Over **five Mercura alumni** have gone on to **found their own companies** and raise millions after their time with us. At Mercura, you’ll take on real responsibility and gain the hands-on experience only possible in a high-growth startup.
- An ambitious team that feels like family and sees their work as more than just a job
- Free team dinner (up to 4x/week)
- UrbanSportsClub membership and access to a company bike - join our team workouts 3x/week
- Easy relocation to Munich - our office is located in the [**Werk1 Startup Incubator**](https://en.werk1.com/coliving-apartments-munich/), where you can rent a 1-bedroom apartment right next to the office for just €800/month
- Access to any AI or productivity tools you need
## **What we're looking for**
Technical Skills & Experience:
- Strong experience with **full-stack software engineering** (React, Typescript, Python)
- **Proven track record** of architecting and building complex, production-grade software systems
- Strong understanding of improving **system performance, reliability, and scaling challenges** in production environments
- **Cloud & DevOps** : Experience with containerization (Docker), cloud infrastructure (Azure/AWS/GCP), and infrastructure as code (Terraform).
- Experience integrating **LLMs, AI systems, or large-scale data pipelines** into production software is a big plus
Commitment & Mindset:
- **High agency & ownership** : You develop new ideas and drive them in execution under minimal guidance
- **Mission-driven** : Your job is part of how you define yourself. You treat your work as a top priority, and you’re fully committed to achieving ambitious goals amid uncertainty
- **Product mindset** : You demonstrate product thinking on a deep level and solve problems end-to-end
- You’re excited to **iterate quickly** and build software in a fast-paced startup environment
- You want to work **in-person in Munich** with a higher **intensity** than in a 9-5 job
##
## **Your team & mentors**
**You will work with**
- [Sean](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-sdahl/) (Co-Founder & CTO; Silver Medallist at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO))
- [Kolya](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolya-krafeld/) (prev. SWE at SF-based startup Etleap)
- [Gabriel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-hauss/) (built Maastricht University's course selection system; Oxford graduate)
- [Admir](https://www.linkedin.com/in/azatega/) (Bronze Medallist at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI))
- [Nico](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-stabla/) (prev. Engineering at SaaS startups Luminovo & Fides)
## **About the interview**
**Step 1: Intro call**
Casual intro meeting with one of the founders to get to know each other and introduce Mercura
**Step 2: Technical Interview**
For the take-home exercise, we’ll provide you with a task. You’ll have a 3 hours to design and implement a small application end-to-end including the frontend, backend, and any supporting components you consider necessary.
The goal is to build a functional solution to a problem similar to those we encounter in our day-to-day work. This should give you a realistic sense of the kinds of systems we build and how we approach product development.
Afterwards, you’ll present your results in a 45-minute session, where we’ll discuss your design decisions, implementation choices, and potential improvements.
**Step 3: Personal Fit**
Meet another co-founder to get a feel for our culture and working style.
**Step 4: Offer & Reference Checks**
If we see a great fit, you will get an offer!
## **Why Mercura**
- **Join an ambitious team** **that feels like family** : Your future colleagues are experienced operators, ex-founders, Science Olympiad medallists, and top graduates from places such as **Google, Bain, MIT, TUM, Harvard, CDTM, and Cambridge**. We bring extraordinary people together and deeply invest in your growth as your mentors, teammates and friends. We care, trust, and support one another like family, and we make sure that fun is at the heart of everything we do.
- **Work with the latest tech** : AI is at the core of our product, and use the latest tech across our product and processes to tackle meaningful challenges and shape how users interact with AI.
- **Thrive in a high-growth, high-commitment environment** : We’re growing extremely fast because we always put our work and our customers first. If you excel in fast-paced settings and want to grow as part of something big from day one, Mercura is for you.
- **Build something with real-world impact** : We ship code that directly helps a massive, yet overlooked manual industry run more efficiently and sustainably. With us, you can work on AI that contributes to economic growth and stability on a huge scale.
- **Build a company** : As an early team member, you will have a direct, lasting impact on our culture, processes, technology, and product. Joining us offers immense rewards: ownership, financial upside, and hands-on experience building a company from the ground up. Our track record speaks for itself - over **five Mercura alumni** have gone on to **found their own companies** and raise millions after their time with us.
## **About the Founders**
We are **Lukas, Stefan & Sean** , the co-founders of Mercura.
We share a deep commitment to excellence and the discipline to pursue what others might consider impossible.
Two of us come from non-academic families, and we all know what it means to create our own paths and overcome barriers. This experience shapes our belief in equal opportunity and fuels our dedication to social mobility.
**Lukas** (left) is responsible for business development at Mercura. With his background as a Data Scientist at Allianz and at Google in Silicon Valley, he brings extensive expertise in data and AI.
Lukas’ family has been active in the construction industry for over 100 years, giving him a deep understanding and passion for the sector's specific needs.
**Sean** (middle) is responsible for technical development at Mercura. As a top 0.01% physicist, Sean earned a Silver medal for Germany at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), began researching with the Max Planck Institute at the age of 16, and has since published at leading machine learning conferences.
**Stefan** (right) leads product development at Mercura. Previously, he worked in management consulting at Bain & Company, where he helped manufacturers improve their operations.
Stefan leverages his research experience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School to develop innovative solutions for the industry.
At Mercura, we believe that the best ideas emerge when people from different backgrounds collaborate together. We hire based on ability, mindset, and values, and we live by one simple rule: the best idea wins.
Beyond Mercura, we actively support initiatives that promote diversity and gender equity and commit a portion of our personal income each year to organizations expanding opportunity for others.
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## **Our company values**
**Customer first.** We stay close to our customer’s reality and use their feedback to build what truly matters and earn their lasting trust.
**Ownership.** We take responsibility end-to-end and act proactively to pursue the most ambitious goals.
**Enjoy the ride.** We build a culture where people can be themselves, have fun doing meaningful work, and celebrate wins along the way.
**Let the best ideas win.** We challenge each other respectfully and judge ideas by merit, not who said it.
**Down-to-earth.** We are approachable, humble, and hands-on, bringing both heart and mind to everything we do.
Visa sponsorship is offered for this role.
