# FD005 — First 3 Hires

> **Status**: Job specs ready. Outreach NOT started — founder action required.
> **Deadline**: Week 4 (60-90 day lead time to close)

| # | Role | File | Salary (SAR) | Equity |
|---|------|------|--------------|--------|
| 1 | Founding Design Engineer | [01_founding_design_engineer.md](01_founding_design_engineer.md) | 30K–45K/mo | 0.5–2.0% |
| 2 | Founding Backend Engineer | [02_founding_backend_engineer.md](02_founding_backend_engineer.md) | 25K–40K/mo | 0.3–1.5% |
| 3 | Head of Customer Success | [03_head_of_customer_success.md](03_head_of_customer_success.md) | 35K–55K/mo | 0.2–1.0% |

## Sourcing Channels (in priority order)

1. **Personal network** — Founder's 2nd-degree network in Riyadh/Jeddah. Do not underestimate this.
2. **KSA LinkedIn** — targeted outreach to 30 candidates per role with individualized notes (no spam).
3. **Wuzzuf / Bayt** — for KSA-resident applicants who prefer these platforms.
4. **Twitter/X** — "Founding X Engineer at Dealix" announcements from founder account.
5. **Y Combinator / Pallet** work-at-a-startup — for diaspora returning to KSA.
6. **University pipeline** — KFUPM, KAUST, KSU alumni networks (if you trust the degree vs the portfolio).

Avoid: generic job boards, recruiter agencies (too expensive at this stage).

## Compensation philosophy

- Cash: top 25th percentile of KSA market, not top 10th. We are not overpaying to close.
- Equity: real (>0.5% for each of hire #1 and #2), early-stage, 4yr / 1yr cliff.
- Accelerators on change-of-control.
- Visa sponsorship available for hire #2 if needed (KSA work permit track).

## Scoring rubric (internal)

| Dimension | Weight |
|-----------|--------|
| Evidence of taste / quality bar | 30% |
| Execution speed (shipping velocity) | 25% |
| Arabic + KSA context | 15% |
| Cultural alignment (writing-first, customer-first, honest) | 15% |
| Technical depth in the specific craft | 15% |

Reject: anyone who fails the "evidence of shipping" test, regardless of other strengths.

## Pipeline tracker

Create once outreach begins: `docs/internal/hiring_pipeline.md` (PRIVATE). Columns: name, role, source, stage, next step, owner, date.