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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Identify and support exceptional technical founders, guiding them from idea to MVP.
- Company: Join Antler, a global early-stage VC firm shaping the future of startups.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, and 23 days leave plus holidays.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of innovation, helping build impactful companies from day zero.
- Qualifications: Experience in tech leadership or as a founder; strong product judgement required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with real ownership and growth opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Antler
Antler is a global early-stage VC firm that partners with exceptional founders from day zero to build impactful, scalable companies. We believe exceptional companies are built by exceptional people - often before an idea, team, or company exists. Our role is to find those people early, surround them with the right co-founders, capital, and conviction, and help them build ambitious, venture-scale businesses from scratch. In the UK, we are building one of the most active and hands-on early-stage investment firms in the ecosystem, backing founders from inception through to scale. Founded in 2017, Antler now operates in 27 cities across six continents. Globally, we’ve helped create and invest in over 1,500 companies and supported more than 10,000 founders - with the ambition to back thousands more over the coming decade.
About the Role
This is a core role on Antler UK's investment team, with a strong emphasis on product and engineering. We are looking for someone who has been in the weeds of building - someone who can sit with a founder at the earliest stage and help sharpen a problem, scope an MVP, and figure out how to ship. This is a hands-on investment and coaching role focused on technical decision-making, product strategy, and execution at zero-to-one. You will work closely with the Partners and the wider Investment Team to identify exceptional individuals before they start companies, support them through Antler’s residency, and back them as founders in our portfolio. This is not a passive investing role. You will own opportunities end-to-end — sourcing, assessment, technical diligence, memo-writing, and IC participation — and represent Antler in the UK ecosystem. During residency periods, the pace is intense and highly founder-facing. This role requires energy, presence, and judgement under pressure. London-based. Typically 4+ days per week in the office.
What You’ll Do
- Identify and back exceptional technical founders early: Build conviction pre-traction by assessing engineering judgement, product instinct, and founder–market fit before data exists.
- Earn credibility within technical communities: Build trusted relationships with engineers, CTOs, AI/ML builders, and product leaders to source and support top founders.
- Turn ideas into AI-first, shippable companies: Help founders frame problems, scope MVPs, embed modern AI from day one, and ship in weeks—not months.
- Guide early product and technical strategy: Coach on prioritisation, speed vs. quality trade-offs, architecture, sequencing, and early hiring—without over-engineering.
- Lead technical/product diligence and investment decisions: Evaluate product vision, technology, defensibility, and execution capability.
- Support fundraising and growth: Shape investor narratives, prepare founders for pre-seed/seed rounds, leverage networks for talent and customers, and support round execution.
- Strengthen the platform: Improve how we assess and support technical founders, contribute to ecosystem presence, and build AI-enabled systems that maximise founder-facing time.
What We’re Looking For
We don’t expect you to tick every box. If this excites you, we’d love to hear from you.
Background
This role is likely a strong fit if you’ve been:
- A founder
- A CPTO, CTO, Head of Product/Engineering, or early technical leader
- An early-stage investor with deep technical fluency
VC experience is helpful, but not required. Deep building experience is.
Experience & Capability
- Significant experience as a technical or product-led operator in high-growth startups
- Proven track record of shipping in ambiguous, resource-constrained environments
- Strong product judgement - able to move quickly from problem → user → MVP → execution
- Comfortable coaching technical founders and forming clear views with imperfect information
How You Operate
- Clear, confident communicator - build trust quickly and lead sharp, honest conversations
- Curious, commercially grounded, and energised by early-stage ambiguity
- Highly independent and accountable for outcomes
- Leverage modern tools and AI workflows to maximise impact
- Direct but kind; intense, low-ego, and focused on better decisions
What We Offer
- A front-row seat to helping build companies from day zero
- Real ownership and responsibility from day one
- Close partnership with an ambitious investment team
- Participation in carried interest in UK Fund II
- Competitive salary and performance-based bonus
- 23 days’ leave plus public holidays and office closure between Christmas and New Year
- Clear opportunity for increasing scope and influence as Antler UK scales
We do not sponsor visas. You must have the right to work in the UK.
Our Selection Process
We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage early submissions.
- Introductory conversation to explore your background, judgement, and motivation.
- A working session-style first interview, including preparation of either an investment memo or structured founder/product assessment.
- Final conversations with senior members of the UK team, concluding with an in-person discussion with a UK Partner.
Principal, Investment Team (Product & Engineering Experience) employer: Antler
Contact Detail:
Antler Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal, Investment Team (Product & Engineering Experience)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with founders, engineers, and other investors. Attend meetups, workshops, and industry events to build relationships that could lead to job opportunities. Remember, it's all about who you know!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! Create content or share insights on platforms like LinkedIn to demonstrate your knowledge in product and engineering. This not only showcases your skills but also helps you get noticed by potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like Antler, and express your interest in working with them. A well-crafted message can go a long way in landing an interview.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by practising real-world scenarios. Think about how you would help a founder scope an MVP or make technical decisions. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will set you apart from the competition.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal, Investment Team (Product & Engineering Experience)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Authentic: When you're writing your application, let your true self shine through. We want to see your personality and passion for the role. Don’t just regurgitate your CV; tell us why you’re excited about joining Antler and how your experiences align with our mission.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application for this specific role. Highlight your relevant experience in product and engineering, and how it relates to supporting founders. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their background with what we do at Antler.
Showcase Your Impact: Use your written application to demonstrate how you've made a difference in previous roles. Whether it's shipping a product or coaching a team, we want to hear about your achievements and how they can translate into helping founders succeed.
Keep It Clear and Concise: While we appreciate detail, clarity is key. Make sure your application is easy to read and straight to the point. Use bullet points if necessary, and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant. We want to understand your journey without getting lost in the details!
How to prepare for a job interview at Antler
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of product and engineering principles. Brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around AI and MVP development, as you'll need to demonstrate your ability to assess engineering judgement and product instinct.
✨Show Your Passion for Founders
Antler is all about backing exceptional founders. Be prepared to share examples of how you've supported founders in the past or how you would approach working with them. Show that you genuinely care about their success and can help them navigate the early stages of building a company.
✨Prepare for Real-World Scenarios
Expect to engage in practical discussions during the interview. Antler values hands-on experience, so think about how you would guide a founder through problem framing, MVP scoping, and shipping. Be ready to tackle hypothetical situations and showcase your decision-making skills under pressure.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves earning credibility within technical communities, think about how you can demonstrate your networking skills. Share any relevant connections you have with engineers, CTOs, or product leaders, and discuss how you would leverage these relationships to source and support top founders.