At a Glance
- Tasks: Build an AI accountant and automate workflows for our innovative accounting platform.
- Company: Join a fast-growing tech startup backed by Google Ventures, with a dynamic team.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, and the chance to work in London or Copenhagen.
- Other info: Work closely with users and iterate on features in a collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Be a pioneer in AI-driven accounting and make a real impact from day one.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development and a passion for building innovative products.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
While traditional accounting firms use AI for marginal gains, we're building an end-to-end agentic organisation where our agents do the accounting work, pulling in our human accountants at the touch points deemed necessary, such as signing off on the final state of accounts. We are our customers' accountant: closing their books every month faster, cheaper, and more accurately than any traditional firm, with answers on their accounts 24/7. 60+ customers across the UK and Denmark, growing 40% MoM. Just raised $4.7M seed led by Google Ventures. London HQ (Farringdon) + Copenhagen office.
Team:
- Gus (CTO, built AI lawyer at Orbital through Series B, Imperial/Oxford)
- Mathias (CEO, ex-CFO at Female Invest, ex-bookkeeping firm owner)
- Emil (COO, ex-PM at Encord, McKinsey)
You'd be one of our first five engineers, in a team of six.
What you'd actually do:
Build Bea, our AI accountant, and the platform our accountants use to review her outputs, like the state of the accounts at month end. You'll sit alongside our accountants, automate specific workflows of theirs, take them out of the loop, and move to a higher level of abstraction. You'll take features from ideation to shipped to used: scoping, prototyping, QA, launch, monitoring, iterating. You'll sit amongst your users.
What we ship next month is determined by what our accountants and customers need most. Recent examples: fully autonomous receipt collection, end-to-end reconciliation, Xero integration.
First few months:
- Week one: shipped your first feature.
- Month one: monitoring adoption across the features you've shipped, iterating on them, ensuring they save our accountants maximal time.
- Quarter one: owning a meaningful surface area of the platform.
Stack:
- Backend: Python, FastAPI, Postgres, Redis.
- Frontend: React, Vite, Tailwind.
- Agents: pi, OpenAI, Anthropic.
- Integrations: Xero, e-conomic, Yapily (open banking), and agent comms channels (Slack, WhatsApp, Telegram, email).
- Infra: Railway, Netlify.
You:
- Generalist. AGI-pilled. 0→1 builder.
- Deep product instinct. You measure adoption, not output.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and comfortable with customers, you'll be in Slack channels with them daily.
- Plugged into the AI frontier. You've built with the new harnesses, you have opinions about which are best.
- Want to ship to production every day.
In-person in London (HQ) or Copenhagen. Competitive salary and equity.
Founding Product Engineer in London employer: Balance (YC W26)
As a Founding Product Engineer at our innovative firm, you'll be part of a dynamic team that is redefining the accounting landscape with cutting-edge AI technology. We foster a collaborative work culture where your contributions directly impact our growth and success, offering competitive salaries, equity options, and opportunities for rapid personal and professional development in our vibrant London or Copenhagen offices. Join us to not only build groundbreaking products but also to grow alongside a passionate team dedicated to transforming the future of accounting.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Product Engineer 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 casual coffee chats. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect Founding Product Engineer role!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing your projects, especially those related to AI and product development. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and how you think.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like us at StudySmarter. Express your interest and share how you can contribute to building innovative solutions.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by understanding our product and the challenges we face. Be ready to discuss how you can help us build Bea, our AI accountant, and improve our platform. Show us you’re not just a fit, but the perfect fit!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Product Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for AI:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for AI and its potential in accounting shine through. We want to see that you’re not just a tech whiz but also genuinely excited about building innovative solutions that can change the game.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in product engineering and any projects that align with our mission. We love seeing how your past work connects to what we’re doing at StudySmarter, so don’t hold back on those details!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon unless it’s necessary. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can communicate effectively, just like you’ll need to do with our accountants and customers.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Balance (YC W26)
✨Know the Product Inside Out
Before your interview, make sure you understand what Bea, the AI accountant, does and how it integrates with the workflows of accountants. Familiarise yourself with the tech stack mentioned in the job description, especially Python, FastAPI, and React. This will show that you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss specific examples where you've tackled ambiguity or built something from scratch. Highlight your experience in measuring adoption over output, as this aligns with their focus on user needs. Think about how you can demonstrate your deep product instinct during the conversation.
✨Engage with the Team's Vision
Research the backgrounds of Gus, Mathias, and Emil. Understanding their previous experiences will help you connect your own skills to their vision for the company. Be ready to discuss how you can contribute to building an end-to-end agentic organisation and why you’re excited about working alongside accountants.
✨Prepare Questions for Them
Interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions about their current challenges, future features, or how they measure success. This not only shows your interest but also gives you insight into whether this is the right fit for you. Ask about their approach to integrating new technologies and how they envision the role evolving.
