Automation Engineer (Systems-First, AI-Assisted)

Job Description

Paid Trial: 8 Weeks US$1,600–2,500/month

We’re looking for an Automation Engineer to help us build reliable internal tools and workflows that are actually used in the business.This is a paid 8-week trial. The goal is not demos or proofs of concept. The goal is production-ready automations that are thought through, resilient, and easy to maintain.We use AI tools. You should too.

But you must be able to design, reason, and problem-solve without relying on them.

What you’ll be doing

Designing and building internal automations using n8n

Integrating systems via APIs and webhooks

Writing Python where no-code reaches its limits

Planning workflows before building them

Anticipating edge cases and failure modes upfront

Adding error handling, retries, and safeguards

Documenting logic clearly so others can understand and maintain it

Improving reliability and reducing rework over timeThis role is about building things that don’t quietly break.

What we’re specifically looking forYou should be someone who:

Can explain how and why a system works, without AI assistance

Designs from first principles before opening tools

Debugs logically instead of guessing or trial-and-error

Uses AI tools (Claude, Cursor, etc.) as accelerators, not decision-makers

Thinks about failure states, not just happy paths

Is comfortable pushing back when something shouldn’t be automated yet

If most of your planning and problem-solving comes from prompting an LLM, this role will not be a fit

Required skills

Strong hands-on experience with n8n

Solid understanding of APIs (REST, auth, webhooks)

Working Python knowledge

Experience using AI coding tools appropriately

Ability to reason about reliability, retries, and edge cases

Clear written communicationOptional but useful:

Experience with business systems (CRM, finance, ops tools)

Prior work on internal tooling or workflow automation

Engagement & compensation

Paid trial: 8 weeks

Compensation: US$1,600–2,500/month, depending on demonstrated ability

Output-focused, not hours-focused

Ongoing work possible after the trial based on performanceExceptional candidates who demonstrate strong independent system design during the trial may be considered at the top of the range.

How we’ll assess fit

During the trial, we’ll look at:

Quality of upfront design and reasoning

Speed from plan to reliable delivery

Error rate and amount of rework required

Documentation quality and handoff readiness

Ability to explain decisions clearly

As part of the process, you’ll be asked to submit a short design plan before building, without using AI tools. This is intentional.

How to apply

Include:

A short introduction video

A short summary of your experience with n8n and APIs

Optional GitHub or examples of relevant work

A brief explanation of how you typically approach designing an automation before building it