At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and build the future of retail with cutting-edge AI solutions.
- Company: Join a VC-backed stealth-mode company revolutionising the retail industry.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture focused on mentorship and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in shaping the future of shopping experiences.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in engineering, expert in full-stack development, and an AI-first mindset.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About algo1: algo1 is a VC-backed stealth-mode company building behavioural AI solutions for the retail industry. Our platform is designed from the ground up, no legacy, no patchwork systems, just a clean slate and a clear vision. Our mission is to bring the intelligence of modern machine learning directly to the in-store shopping experience.
The Role: As a Staff Engineer, you’ll work at the intersection of Product, ML, and Engineering to design and build the retail stack of the future. You'll be building user experiences on top of a platform that combines AI driven content delivery on autonomous edge devices on an IoT network, combined with the backend infrastructure of a cutting edge adTech platform. This isn't a staff role where you 'work across the stack', you'll be an integral part of defining the stack.
What You Will Own:
- System Architecture: Design and lead the implementation of distributed, event-driven services that bridge the gap between cloud intelligence and edge devices.
- Technical Strategy: Set the standards for service boundaries, data ownership, and system observability to ensure we scale seamlessly from 1 to 1,000+ locations.
- AI Integration: Architect the orchestration layer for LLM-driven agentic workflows, moving beyond simple API calls to deeply integrated, autonomous system behaviours.
- Mentorship & Culture: Continuously raise the bar for engineering excellence. Conduct deep design reviews, mentor mid-level engineers, and champion a culture of 'building with AI' and the use of autonomous development agents to accelerate our velocity.
Essential Qualifications:
- Track Record: 8+ years of experience, with recent years spent in a Staff, Lead, or Principal capacity at a high-growth startup or a sophisticated scale-up.
- Full-Stack Mastery: Expert-level proficiency in modern backends (Python, Go, or Java) and high-performance frontends (React/TypeScript).
- Real-time Protocols: Mastery of async real-time, bi-directional communication protocols and patterns whether that's (WebSockets, SSE) for low-latency, real-time user experiences.
- 'AI-First' Mindset: With AI tools, you have optimised your entire workflow around and can teach others to do the same.
Nice to Have:
- Edge & IoT: Experience with 'Cloud-to-Edge' orchestration and managing state across geographically distributed systems.
- Containerised Workloads: High comfort level with Kubernetes and container orchestration in a CI/CD-heavy environment.
- Distributed Systems: Experience designing and operating event-driven architectures at scale (e.g., Kafka, Pulsar, or MQTT).
- Domain Expertise: Prior exposure to the complexities of large scale retailTech, adTech, or marTech platforms.
If you’re excited by the idea of shaping the future of retail and eager to make a real impact from day one, we’d love to hear from you.
Staff Engineer in London employer: algo1
At Algo1, we pride ourselves on being an innovative employer that fosters a collaborative and dynamic work culture, perfect for those passionate about behavioural AI in the retail sector. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our focus on cutting-edge technology and best practices, providing ample opportunities for professional development while working alongside talented teams in a vibrant environment. Join us in shaping the future of retail with a clean slate approach, where your contributions will have a meaningful impact from day one.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Engineer in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at algo1 or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to algo1.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like algo1.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like algo1 that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Staff Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at algo1.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at algo1 and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at algo1
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If algo1 uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
