diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c7bb968..845ce78 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 build: web-build
 	go build -o silo ./cmd/silo
 	go build -o silod ./cmd/silod
+	go build -o silorunner ./cmd/silorunner
 
 # Run the API server locally
 run:
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ test-integration:
 
 # Clean build artifacts
 clean:
-	rm -f silo silod
+	rm -f silo silod silorunner
 	rm -f *.out
 	rm -rf web/dist
 
diff --git a/cmd/silorunner/main.go b/cmd/silorunner/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f4364d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/silorunner/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,330 @@
+// Command silorunner is a compute worker that polls the Silo server for jobs
+// and executes them using Headless Create with silo-mod installed.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"os/signal"
+	"syscall"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+)
+
+// RunnerConfig holds runner configuration.
+type RunnerConfig struct {
+	ServerURL    string   `yaml:"server_url"`
+	Token        string   `yaml:"token"`
+	Name         string   `yaml:"name"`
+	Tags         []string `yaml:"tags"`
+	PollInterval int      `yaml:"poll_interval"` // seconds, default 5
+	CreatePath   string   `yaml:"create_path"`   // path to Headless Create binary
+}
+
+func main() {
+	configPath := flag.String("config", "runner.yaml", "Path to runner config file")
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	logger := zerolog.New(os.Stdout).With().Timestamp().Str("component", "silorunner").Logger()
+
+	// Load config
+	cfg, err := loadConfig(*configPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("failed to load config")
+	}
+
+	if cfg.ServerURL == "" {
+		logger.Fatal().Msg("server_url is required")
+	}
+	if cfg.Token == "" {
+		logger.Fatal().Msg("token is required")
+	}
+	if cfg.Name == "" {
+		hostname, _ := os.Hostname()
+		cfg.Name = "runner-" + hostname
+	}
+	if cfg.PollInterval <= 0 {
+		cfg.PollInterval = 5
+	}
+
+	logger.Info().
+		Str("server", cfg.ServerURL).
+		Str("name", cfg.Name).
+		Strs("tags", cfg.Tags).
+		Int("poll_interval", cfg.PollInterval).
+		Msg("starting runner")
+
+	client := &http.Client{Timeout: 30 * time.Second}
+
+	// Graceful shutdown
+	quit := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
+	signal.Notify(quit, syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
+
+	// Heartbeat goroutine
+	go func() {
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(30 * time.Second)
+		defer ticker.Stop()
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-ticker.C:
+				if err := heartbeat(client, cfg); err != nil {
+					logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("heartbeat failed")
+				}
+			case <-quit:
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// Initial heartbeat
+	if err := heartbeat(client, cfg); err != nil {
+		logger.Warn().Err(err).Msg("initial heartbeat failed")
+	}
+
+	// Poll loop
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Duration(cfg.PollInterval) * time.Second)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			job, definition, err := claimJob(client, cfg)
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("claim failed")
+				continue
+			}
+			if job == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			jobID, _ := job["id"].(string)
+			defName, _ := job["definition_name"].(string)
+			logger.Info().Str("job_id", jobID).Str("definition", defName).Msg("claimed job")
+
+			// Start the job
+			if err := startJob(client, cfg, jobID); err != nil {
+				logger.Error().Err(err).Str("job_id", jobID).Msg("failed to start job")
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// Execute the job
+			executeJob(logger, client, cfg, jobID, job, definition)
+
+		case <-quit:
+			logger.Info().Msg("shutting down")
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func loadConfig(path string) (*RunnerConfig, error) {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading config: %w", err)
+	}
+	data = []byte(os.ExpandEnv(string(data)))
+
+	var cfg RunnerConfig
+	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, &cfg); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing config: %w", err)
+	}
+	return &cfg, nil
+}
+
+func heartbeat(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig) error {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/heartbeat", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return fmt.Errorf("heartbeat: %d %s", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func claimJob(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig) (map[string]any, map[string]any, error) {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/claim", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNoContent {
+		return nil, nil, nil // No jobs available
+	}
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("claim: %d %s", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+	}
+
+	var result struct {
+		Job        map[string]any `json:"job"`
+		Definition map[string]any `json:"definition"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&result); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("decoding claim response: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return result.Job, result.Definition, nil
+}
+
+func startJob(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID string) error {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/jobs/"+jobID+"/start", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return fmt.Errorf("start: %d %s", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func reportProgress(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID string, progress int, message string) {
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{
+		"progress": progress,
+		"message":  message,
+	})
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("PUT", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/jobs/"+jobID+"/progress", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Body.Close()
+}
+
+func completeJob(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID string, result map[string]any) error {
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]any{"result": result})
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/jobs/"+jobID+"/complete", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return fmt.Errorf("complete: %d %s", resp.StatusCode, string(respBody))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func failJob(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID string, errMsg string) {
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]string{"error": errMsg})
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/jobs/"+jobID+"/fail", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Body.Close()
+}
+
+func appendLog(client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID, level, message string) {
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]string{
+		"level":   level,
+		"message": message,
+	})
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", cfg.ServerURL+"/api/runner/jobs/"+jobID+"/log", bytes.NewReader(body))
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+cfg.Token)
+	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+
+	resp, err := client.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	resp.Body.Close()
+}
+
+// executeJob dispatches the job based on its compute command.
+// For now, this is a stub that demonstrates the lifecycle.
+// Real execution will shell out to Headless Create with silo-mod.
+func executeJob(logger zerolog.Logger, client *http.Client, cfg *RunnerConfig, jobID string, job, definition map[string]any) {
+	defName, _ := job["definition_name"].(string)
+
+	// Extract compute config from definition
+	var command string
+	if definition != nil {
+		if compute, ok := definition["compute"].(map[string]any); ok {
+			command, _ = compute["command"].(string)
+		}
+	}
+
+	appendLog(client, cfg, jobID, "info", fmt.Sprintf("starting execution: %s (command: %s)", defName, command))
+	reportProgress(client, cfg, jobID, 10, "preparing")
+
+	switch command {
+	case "create-validate", "create-export", "create-dag-extract", "create-thumbnail":
+		if cfg.CreatePath == "" {
+			failJob(client, cfg, jobID, "create_path not configured")
+			return
+		}
+
+		appendLog(client, cfg, jobID, "info", fmt.Sprintf("would execute: %s --console with silo-mod", cfg.CreatePath))
+		reportProgress(client, cfg, jobID, 50, "executing")
+
+		// TODO: Actual Create execution:
+		// 1. Download item file from Silo API
+		// 2. Shell out: create --console -e "from silo.runner import <entry>; <entry>(...)"
+		// 3. Parse output JSON
+		// 4. Upload results / sync DAG
+		// For now, complete with a placeholder result.
+
+		reportProgress(client, cfg, jobID, 90, "finalizing")
+
+		if err := completeJob(client, cfg, jobID, map[string]any{
+			"status":  "placeholder",
+			"message": "Create execution not yet implemented - runner lifecycle verified",
+			"command": command,
+		}); err != nil {
+			logger.Error().Err(err).Str("job_id", jobID).Msg("failed to complete job")
+		} else {
+			logger.Info().Str("job_id", jobID).Msg("job completed (placeholder)")
+		}
+
+	default:
+		failJob(client, cfg, jobID, fmt.Sprintf("unknown compute command: %s", command))
+		logger.Warn().Str("job_id", jobID).Str("command", command).Msg("unknown compute command")
+	}
+}