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- Tasks: Lead backend development, design APIs, and build scalable services in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join Affinity Labs, an innovative AI venture studio transforming company creation.
- Benefits: Equity stake from day one, rapid career growth, and hands-on experience with cutting-edge tech.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by launching multiple products quickly alongside experienced builders.
- Qualifications: 3-6+ years in backend development, strong Python skills, and a startup mindset.
- Other info: Collaborate closely with creators and founders in a dynamic, high-intensity setting.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
At Affinity Labs, we’re building the future of company creation, a full-stack AI venture studio that partners with content creators to co-found authentic, scalable software businesses. By combining AI-native development with creator-led distribution, we are pioneering a new model of monetisation to rapidly build, launch, and scale digital ventures aligned with creators and their audiences.
We aim to launch ventures 10x faster and cheaper than traditional methods using our internal "AI factory": a multi-agent architecture, reusable component libraries, and a growing knowledge graph that learns from every product we ship.
Why Affinity Labs:
- Ship at rapid pace with AI-accelerated workflows, see your work distributed to thousands of users at launch, and compound impact across multiple products, not just one.
Role Description
You’ll lead end-to-end backend development across our products: scoping services, designing data models and APIs, building, testing, shipping, and iterating in tight cycles. This is an early-stage, hands-on role with significant autonomy and responsibility to drive backend product development, collaborating closely with founders, creators, and product/design to turn lean specs into reliable, scalable services.
Responsibilities
- Implement features end-to-end on the backend (APIs → data models → integrations) and maintain quality while moving fast.
- Run tight build, test, iterate, ship loops; provide realistic estimates and surface blockers early.
- Manage tech debt pragmatically; record key decisions as lightweight ADRs/notes in the tooling.
- Participate in daily standups and weekly planning, contribute to technical strategy & execute from Linear tickets.
- Contribute to architecture and product discussions; be heard in debate, align to unified decisions.
- Own operability: set up and maintain CI/CD, monitoring/alerting, performance & error budgets, and safe rollback paths.
- Build and integrate AI features (LLM/agent workflows, RAG/vector DB integration, eval hooks, cost/safety guardrails).
Essential Requirements
- 3-6+ years building production backends/services, with shipped work and clear ownership.
- Strong Python (FastAPI) and database skills (PostgreSQL/MongoDB); solid API design fundamentals.
- Familiarity with AWS serverless patterns and Docker for bespoke services; basic CI/CD concepts.
- Comfortable with Redis (caching/sessions) and common queue/messaging patterns.
- Startup mindset: high ownership, pace, ambiguity; willing to burn the midnight oil when needed.
- Growth mindset & flexibility: open to feedback; not rigid about stack/tools.
- Clear communicator & collaborator; lean on your experience to guide product decisions.
- Evidence of shipping quickly in small teams (links to repos, case studies, or live services).
Desired
- Node.js alongside Python for services or integrations.
- Experience with vector databases (e.g., Chroma) and embedding pipelines.
- LangChain or CrewAI for orchestration; MCP servers for integrations.
- Security hygiene (secrets, permissions, least-privilege) and practical data-privacy basics.
- Planning & execution in Linear (or similar).
Tools & Stack
- Backend/Runtime: Python (FastAPI), Node.js.
- Datastores: PostgreSQL, MongoDB (as appropriate), Redis (caching/sessions).
- Vectors/Embeddings: Chroma (or similar).
- AI Models & APIs: Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google); Amazon Nova Canvas (vision), Deepgram (audio).
- AI Dev Tools: LangChain or CrewAI (orchestration), MCP servers (integration), GitHub Copilot / Claude Code.
- Infrastructure: AWS (serverless functions), Docker (primarily for custom MCPs).
- Frontend (when needed): React/Next.js (for dashboards/admins, used selectively).
Competencies & Behaviours
- Communicates clearly with technical and non-technical teammates.
- Takes ownership from concept to deploy and through maintenance.
- Balances technical excellence with pragmatic delivery to meet business needs.
- Adapts quickly to changing requirements and emerging tech; applies AI learnings.
- Sets clear goals, tracks progress, and hits commitments; collaborates across disciplines.
Why this role is a career launchpad
- Own the code & the company. You step in as a Founding Engineer with a meaningful equity stake from day one.
- Ship faster with AI at your side. Our workflow bakes in AI so you spend your time solving real problems—not boilerplate.
- Ride a rocket. Our wider vision is big and the bar is high; we need driven people who can help us achieve an ambitious roadmap.
- Grow like crazy. You’ll architect, build, and launch multiple products each year. The shipping reps you’ll get in 12 months here would take 3–4 years in a typical startup. There’s a lot of work, it’s high intensity, and the expectation is to ship extremely quickly.
- Learn from builders, not bosses. Work shoulder-to-shoulder with a team that has scaled VC-backed startups, closed multi-million-pound term sheets, and collaborated with 1,000+ creators across formats and categories.
Founding Engineer (Full Stack / Backend) in London employer: Affinity Labs
Contact Detail:
Affinity Labs Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer (Full Stack / Backend) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, tech events, or even online webinars. You never know who might be looking for a Founding Engineer or who can refer you to someone who is!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best projects, especially those involving backend development. Share links to your GitHub repos or live services. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and coding challenges. But don’t forget to brush up on your soft skills too! Being able to communicate clearly and collaborate effectively is key in a startup environment.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us at Affinity Labs. Tailor your application to show how your experience aligns with our mission and values. Let’s build the future together!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer (Full Stack / Backend) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the role shine through! We want to see that you’re genuinely excited about building innovative software and working with creators. Share why this opportunity at Affinity Labs speaks to you.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in backend development, especially with Python and database skills. We love seeing specific examples of your work, so don’t hesitate to include links to repos or projects that showcase your abilities!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clear communication, so avoid jargon and focus on what makes you a great fit for the Founding Engineer role. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical teammates.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Affinity Labs!
How to prepare for a job interview at Affinity Labs
✨Know Your Tech Stack Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Python, FastAPI, and the databases mentioned in the job description. Be ready to discuss your past projects where you’ve implemented these technologies, and don’t shy away from diving into technical details during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled challenges in previous roles, especially in fast-paced environments. Highlight your experience with tight build-test-iterate cycles and how you’ve managed tech debt while maintaining quality.
✨Communicate Clearly and Collaboratively
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. Since this role involves collaboration with non-technical teammates, being able to bridge that gap will be crucial. Think of examples where you’ve successfully communicated across disciplines.
✨Demonstrate Your Startup Mindset
Be ready to discuss your adaptability and willingness to take ownership. Share instances where you’ve thrived in ambiguous situations or worked late to meet deadlines. This will show that you’re a great fit for the dynamic environment at Affinity Labs.
