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Hey Daniel,

I'm Rikin Shah

Your 'Vibe Code' post is pure energy. An AI book recommender, a themed Cookie Clicker, and an allergy scanner build over a preschool break? That's the exact spirit I build with. If you want someone who builds AI tools as a full-time job (and as a hobby), look no further.

Why I'm a Great Fit

I'm a builder at heart. From founding Smartkid Academy (online chess tutoring) to shipping 6+ AI-powered products solo (JobGrid, ReachAI, OrchestrateIQ), I thrive on taking an idea and making it a reality in days, not months. I live in the terminal with Cursor and Claude Code, building tools that solve real problems.

šŸŽ¬ Watch My Introduction

ā–¶
3:00Personal Introduction
Applying for
Software Engineer - AI Tools
Playground • Remote / Lab-Focused
REQ: PLAYGROUND-AI-2026

Cover Letter

Daniel,

I read your post about the 'Vibe Code' Award and my first thought was: 'I want to build for that trophy.'

Most people see 'Lovable credits' as a perk. I see them as a challenge. The list of tools your team built over a preschool break — especially the automated AI handoff notes and the triage system — are exactly the kind of 'fun but vital' products I obsess over.

Why I'm a fit for Playground:

šŸ› ļø I'm a High-Velocity Builder:

My background isn't just about 'full-stack' — it's about 'ship-stack.' From founding Smartkid Academy (online chess) to shipping 6+ products solo (JobGrid, OrchestrateIQ, ReachAI), I don't wait for permission to build. I prototype in days and iterate in hours.

šŸ¤– I Speak 'AI Tools':

I build the things I need. JobGrid (20+ active users, 50+ installs) exists because I hated how job searching felt. OrchestrateIQ exists because I wanted to see how agents could coordinate. I'm not looking for an engineering job; I'm looking for a tool-building job.

šŸ’» Cursor & Claude Code are my OS:

I've had the 'aha moment' you describe. AI hasn't just replaced my tedious work; it's enabled me to build projects that would have taken a team 5 years ago. I'm already building at the pace Pylon/Playground expects.

šŸš€ I've Scaled Enterprise & Founder Journey:

Deloitte (3+ years) gave me the rigor and the ability to work with F500 complexity. Founding my own startup gave me the hunger. I know how to bridge the gap between 'this is a cool demo' and 'this is a product users can't live without.'

I love that Playground values the 'Vibe' of the code as much as the function. I'm ready to build so, so, much more with you.

Let's build.

Rikin Shah

917-238-5682 | rshah88@asu.edu

Relevant Projects

JobGrid - Solo-Engineered Discovery

1

Built a unified job search platform from scratch. 20+ active users, 50+ installs in 2 weeks, Chrome extension live. Owned the full stack: React, TypeScript, Node.js, PostgreSQL. This is how I build — identify a needle in a haystack problem and build the magnet.

Relevance: Shows I can own a product end-to-end and ship things people actually use.
TS/React/NodePostgreSQLAI/SearchSolo Build
View Project →

OrchestrateIQ - AI Agent Platform

2

Designed and built an AI agent orchestration platform. Multi-agent workflows, intelligent automation, and production-ready deployments. It's the kind of 'intelligence layer' thinking that powers the best AI tools.

Relevance: Direct experience building the 'intelligent' part of AI tools.
AI AgentsMulti-AgentWorkflow AutomationReact
View Project →

ReachAI - Intelligent Outreach

3

Automated recruiter outreach + intelligent lead discovery. Shipped fast with AI-first development. Proof that I can automate the tedious and focus on the 'Vibe'.

Relevance: Demonstrates rapid prototyping and shipping automation tools.
AutomationLLM IntegrationPythonNode.js
View Project →

LLMResume.com - AI-powered SaaS

4

AI-powered resume optimization tool. Shipped and maintained for real users. Focused on taking a complex manual task and making it feel like magic with AI.

Relevance: Experience building user-facing AI tools that solve specific pain points.
SaaSGenAIProduct DesignNode.js
View Project →

Skills & Tools

AI Tool DevelopmentProduct EngineeringTypeScriptReact/Next.jsNode.jsPythonLLM IntegrationAgentic WorkflowsRapid Prototyping0-to-1 DevelopmentPostgreSQLFull-StackCursor/Claude Code MasteryUX/UI DesignStartup Spirit

Thank you for your consideration!

Best regards,
Rikin Shah