About kolumGlobal trade is undergoing the biggest transformation in decades. New tariffs, sanctions, export controls, and environmental regulations are being introduced at record speed — turning trade compliance from a back-office task into a CEO-level priority. Yet most organisations still rely on fragmented software, consultants, brokers, and manual processes that do not scale.At kolum, we are building the AI-native Trade Compliance engine that automates and orchestrates trade compliance end-to-end. Our technology handles customs filings, tariffs, regulatory duties, reporting, and audits in one integrated system — replacing costly legacy workflows and reducing manual errors at scale.We started by solving urgent regulatory challenges such as CBAM and EUDR, earning the trust of dozens of enterprise customers across Europe. From this foundation, we are expanding into a holistic platform for global trade compliance, helping organisations cut costs dramatically, stay audit-proof, and turn compliance from a cost burden into a competitive advantage.Our mission is to become the category-defining solution for holistic trade compliance worldwide and enable organisations to operate confidently in an increasingly complex global trade environment.Your RoleAs an AI Engineer, you will be a core contributor to building kolum's AI-native Trade Compliance Software.Your mission is to help turn complex, fast-evolving trade rules into reliable, production-grade AI systems used by large enterprises. You will work hands-on on the core product, building AI-driven workflows, integrating foundation models, and shipping features that directly impact customers.This is a hands-on, execution-focused role. You will spend most of your time designing, building, testing, and improving real systems in production. You'll work closely with the Head of AI Engineering, the Founding Team, Product, and Customer Success to translate regulatory and customer requirements into robust technical solutions.If you enjoy getting your hands dirty, shipping meaningful software solutions, and iterating quickly in an early-stage environment, this role is for you.Your Tasks & ResponsibilitiesAs an AI Engineer, you will:Build and improve kolum's AI-native Trade Compliance engine — from early concepts to production-ready systems.Design and implement AI- and agent-based workflows, tightly integrated into our product and customer processes.Develop across our TypeScript stack (NestJS backend, NextJS frontend, Amazon Bedrock for foundational model access).Contribute to the end-to-end AI lifecycle: prompt and agent design, model orchestration, evaluation, monitoring, and iteration in production.Work closely with product and regulatory experts to translate legal complexity into reliable AI behaviour.Help improve system reliability, performance, and correctness in a regulated, enterprise environment.What You Need to SucceedYou will be successful in this role if you:Have worked with LLMs / foundational models and are excited about building real AI-powered solutions.Have hands-on experience building production systems with TypeScript, NestJS, or similar backend frameworks.Enjoy working close to the product and customers, and care about shipping software that actually gets used.Are comfortable operating in an early-stage startup environment with high pace, evolving requirements, and limited structure.Take ownership of your work and are willing to learn, adapt, and iterate quickly.Bring curiosity, pragmatism, and the motivation to help build something meaningful from the ground up.How We Take Care of You🚀 Once-in-a-lifetime opportunityGlobal trade is at a crossroads and we have the unique opportunity to build the AI-native backbone for one of the largest industries in the world.💸 Fair pay, real ownershipWe offer a competitive salary and a meaningful equity package. This role carries real responsibility, and we want the upside to reflect that.🎯 Work that actually mattersYou'll own one of the most critical parts of the company. Your decisions won't disappear into slide decks — they'll ship, break, improve, and shape kolum's future.⏰ Flexibility, but no pretendingWe don't micromanage calendars. That said, this is an early-stage company building something hard. You decide (and are responsible for) when and how you get things done.💻 Tools over perksYou get the hardware, software, and setup you need to do great work. Tell us what you need to succeed and we will take care of it.🌍 Remote-first, human by defaultWe work remote-first with a base in Berlin. If meeting in person helps us move faster or think better, we'll do it. If not, we won't force it.🚀 A long-term buildThis is not a role for people looking for an easy ride or a polished organisation. It is a role for someone who wants to build something meaningful, take responsibility, and grow alongside the company.About the ProcessWe aim to keep the process focused, transparent, and respectful of everyone's time. You will always know where you stand and what comes next.1. First touchpoint (30–45 minutes) with Marius (Co-CEO)An initial conversation to get to know each other, align on expectations, and understand your motivation for joining kolum.2. Technical assessmentA practical, hands-on assessment focused on how you think about architecture, AI systems, and real-world trade-offs.3. In-person strategy sessionA deep-dive session where we work through product, technical, and organisational questions together. This is as much for you to evaluate kolum as it is for us to evaluate you.4. Reference call (if needed)If helpful, we may speak with one or two former colleagues to add context on how you work and lead.5. Offer callIf there is a strong mutual fit, we'll walk you through the offer, equity, and next steps in detail.How to ApplySend your CV and/or LinkedIn profile and a short note to marius@kolum.earth.If the role sounds interesting but you're unsure about every detail, apply anyway — we prefer a conversation over perfect matches.We're looking forward to hearing from you.