At a Glance
- Tasks: Build innovative R&D tools and create impactful software solutions.
- Company: Ankar, a cutting-edge tech company redefining R&D for the AI era.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, health insurance, flexible pension, team lunches, and cycle-to-work scheme.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for growth and visa sponsorship available.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team shaping the future of innovation with top-tier clients.
- Qualifications: Experience in software engineering and project ownership in fast-paced environments.
Overview
The way companies innovate is broken. The systems built to create and protect ideas can’t keep up with the pace of change. Today, 90% of S&P 500 company value is intangible (e.g., in intellectual property) - yet R&D and IP teams spend half their time buried in manual work, sifting through patents and paperwork instead of pushing the frontier forward. The tools of creating and protecting are stuck in the past. We’re here to fix that. Ankar is building the R&D tools for the AI era and defining what applied research will look like in the next 20 years. We’re building infrastructure and product experiences our customers rely on every day. You’ll translate messy, ambiguous problems into clean, dependable software—and you’ll do it at the cutting‑edge of AI.
What you’ll do:
- Build world-class product. Design, build, and maintain scalable, reliable systems and user‑facing product experiences that customers depend on.
- Translate messy problems into dependable software.
- Work from first principles to turn ambiguous requirements into clear, maintainable, production‑ready solutions.
- Ship fast and iterate constantly. Deliver quickly, learn from real feedback, and refine the product week by week with direct access to customers.
- Own end-to-end execution. Take full ownership of projects across frontend, backend, and deployment—from design to implementation to monitoring and maintenance.
- Partner deeply with product and customers. Collaborate closely with product, design, and customer‑facing teams to ensure what we build is useful, usable, and impactful.
What you’ll bring:
- You’re a product-minded, critical builder. You care deeply about what you build, and you have a track record of turning ideas into software that real users love.
- Software engineering experience, including building and shipping production systems end-to-end.
- Experience owning projects independently, including scoping, execution, rollout, and iteration based on feedback.
- Strong product intuition and experience partnering with design/product on user workflows.
- Strong systems thinking: ability to design reliable, maintainable software and debug complex issues across the stack.
- Experience in fast‑moving startups or high‑ownership environments.
What success looks like
- You ship meaningful product improvements weekly and build trust through consistent execution.
- You proactively identify what the product needs next, not just what’s assigned.
- You raise the bar for quality and velocity through strong engineering judgment.
- You design systems that scale with users and maintainability over time.
Culture at Ankar:
Culture at Ankar is how we think, build, and operate. We’re building a generational company that redefines how the world’s best R&D teams create and protect ideas.
- Contrarian - we think from first principles: We think deeply, question assumptions, and build from first principles. The best ideas come from clarity and rigour.
- Creative - we build with taste: We’re building the R&D tools for the AI era and shaping what applied research looks like over the next 20 years. We care about precision, quality, and systems that last.
- Competitiveness - we play to win: We move with urgency and set a very high bar for ourselves and each other. Every win raises the bar. Every challenge sharpens us.
What we put behind our people
Building at the frontier takes exceptional people. We invest accordingly.
- Health Insurance: Full private health & dental coverage for you and your dependents.
- Pension: Flexible pension scheme with up to 5% employer matching on qualifying earnings.
- Food on us: Team lunches twice a week, plus dinner when working late in the office.
- Cycle to work: Green Commute initiative scheme (up to £3k) to help you get a new bike tax‑free.
- Way we work: We combine deep, in‑person collaboration (3 days/week in our Shoreditch office) with flexibility and trust. What matters is ownership, impact, and results, not where you work from.
- Visa sponsorship: Yes
Compensation
We believe exceptional people should be compensated accordingly. £110,000–£300,000 including equity (depending on experience).
Senior Product Engineer / Tech Lead employer: Ankar
Ankar is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for Senior Product Engineers and Tech Leads. With a commitment to employee growth, we offer competitive compensation, comprehensive health benefits, and a flexible work environment that values ownership and impact. Located in the vibrant Shoreditch area, our team enjoys regular team lunches and a supportive atmosphere that encourages creativity and high performance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Product Engineer / Tech Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing your projects. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and how you tackle messy problems.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to product engineering. We want to see how you think and solve problems, so be ready to share your thought process!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our innovative team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Product Engineer / Tech Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for product engineering shine through. We want to see how much you care about building impactful software and how you can contribute to our mission of redefining R&D tools.
Be Clear and Concise:Make sure your application is easy to read and straight to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on what makes you a great fit for the role. Highlight your relevant experience without fluff!
Tailor Your Experience:Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your experience to match the job description. Show us how your skills in building scalable systems and collaborating with teams align with what we’re looking for at Ankar.
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 don’t miss out on any important updates from our team during the process.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ankar
✨Understand the Product Landscape
Before your interview, dive deep into Ankar's product offerings and the R&D tools they are developing. Familiarise yourself with how these tools can revolutionise the innovation process. This knowledge will help you articulate how your skills align with their mission.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've translated messy problems into clean software solutions. Highlight your experience in building scalable systems and how you've iterated based on user feedback. This will demonstrate your critical builder mindset.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Ankar values teamwork, so be ready to talk about how you've partnered with product and design teams in the past. Share instances where your collaboration led to impactful product outcomes, showcasing your ability to work across different functions.
✨Demonstrate Systems Thinking
Prepare to discuss your approach to designing reliable and maintainable software. Bring examples of complex issues you've debugged and how your systems thinking has contributed to successful project outcomes. This will resonate well with their focus on quality and velocity.
