Job Title

NYC - Open to Relocation Full-time or Contract-to-hire Competitive salary + equity - based on experienceAbout our CompanyWe're a small team of engineers, creatives, and researchers building new kinds of interactive experiences powered by AI. We're launching The Interface: a platform for expressive, real-time characters that people can talk to and explore shared worlds alongside. It's a mix of entertainment and social.We just wrapped up YC (S25) and raised a sizeable seed round from top investors. Max (CEO) studied MechE at MIT, previously led AI initiatives at McKinsey; Peyton (CTO) is an MIT CS grad and former quant at Citadel. We're setting up in NYC - a hacker house-style space - and moving quickly toward launch.About the RoleWe're looking for a Founding Rendering Engineer to bring our characters and worlds to life in real time with technical artistry. This role blends engineering and creativity: you'll be building hyperrealistic, expressive characters today, while laying the foundation for immersive scenes and environments to come.You'll be the first hire dedicated to rendering and 3D systems, working with relevant tools (e.g. Unreal, Unity, or similar) to craft visuals that feel alive, responsive, and deeply engaging. This is a role for someone who wants to push the limits of real-time graphics and help define how users experience interactive AI.What You'll DoBuild and refine expressive, real-time characters (faces, bodies, animations)Develop and optimize rendering pipelines, shaders, and animation systemsImplement lip-syncing and real-time voice-driven facial/body animationPrototype and experiment with new visual techniques and workflowsCollaborate with AI engineers to tightly integrate visuals with behavior and personalityHelp define the visual identity and polish of The InterfaceYou Might Be a Fit If YouHave 3-6+ years of experience in 3D rendering, graphics, or technical artAre highly skilled with relevant tools (e.g. Unreal, Unity, or similar)Have experience with hyperrealistic or stylized rendering pipelines for games, film, or immersive mediaUnderstand facial rigs, lip-syncing, animation, shaders, or motion captureAre excited by real-time, interactive visuals - pushing beyond offline renderingThrive in fast-moving, experimental environments with lots of creative ownershipWhy Join UsYou'll be one of the first 5 team membersYou'll work directly with the founders (MIT backgrounds, bias to action)We just raised a sizeable seed round and are backed by top investorsYou'll own the visual layer of our product - the characters and worlds users engage withWe're building an entertainment product and want to have fun doing itYou'll have real influence over what we build and how we growPIee2e42e8efa1-1096