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- Tasks: Join us as a founding full-stack engineer and build an innovative sublet platform from the ground up.
- Company: Kiki is a mission-driven startup focused on creating trust in subletting through community connections.
- Benefits: Earn £160-170k with salary, shares, free meals, gym membership, and flexible working hours.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on personal growth and a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Be part of a groundbreaking team solving a global problem while making real impact in people's lives.
- Qualifications: Software engineering degree and experience in building end-to-end projects or startups.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 70000 £ per year.
Location: Shoreditch, London (in-person 5/6 days a week)
Total compensation: £160-170k (split between salary and shares)
This JD is just a snippet and to apply you need to read our bigger hiring manifesto doc to have a clear understanding of what you’ll be building and joining us entails. How to apply? Link is at the bottom of hiring manifesto below.
About Kiki
Kiki is an invite-only sublet club. We’re not about property, we’re solving a deeply human trust problem: how do you feel comfortable sharing your home with a stranger? Our answer: by showing you how you can trust someone through mutual friends and similarity while being an invite-only community so everyone's a friend of a friend. We have 2 years of runway in the bank, raised £4m to date and have successfully built this over the last 7 years in 4 countries. We’ve launched in New Zealand, Sydney and New York matching over 8000 people and earning hosts £2.6m. We are now building London from zero. Within 18 months our goal is to help our hosts earn £8M of rent from matching 20,000 people. In the longer term future we will build the world’s first AI-centric global subletting marketplace that acts like your mutual friend. By doing this it will unchain the world from their rent which will impact 1 billion people.
The role
You’ll be the third member of our founding team and responsible for the entire tech stack and have a lot of ownership over the product. You will sit alongside myself (CEO) and Tems (first generalist hire, running the marketplace). You’ll be building in person, in our Shoreditch coworking space 5-6 days a week. We work 12 hours a day Mon‑Fri normally 10‑10 but happy to customise the hours if you’re a night owl. Open to remote work on weekends. Tems and I work 6.5 days a week and you’ll be expected to work 6 days a week and get one day off per week, likely Sunday. We would love you to get 8 hours of sleep a night. We prioritise looking after yourself and not burning out.
Product
Our current stack is Typescript, React, Vite, Next.js, Nest.js, Postgres, AWS, Vercel, and Terraform, with the product already built from NYC for London. Each new market starts fully manual via Instagram before we flip on feature flags, and in your first months you’ll refine the marketplace with features like an interactive map, better search and listing flows, a guest book, connection graphs, and instant matching. From there we’ll move toward a native iOS app and an AI-driven marketplace that acts like your mutual friend, powered by over 8,000 real Instagram conversations we’ve had with users over the last two years.
Who you are
We’re looking for our first founding engineer in London - a full-stack engineer who loves coding and building, has no ego, learns fast, and can be a scrappy builder. This is not a fit for you if you want to be a people manager or lead a tech team. Most importantly, you want to go on a journey of a lifetime that will be anything but easy with an incredible team who will support you but challenge you at the same time. Building a business like ours isn’t easy, society will be against you, but you need to stay strong and keep walking through fire with us. We are searching for someone who will build that deep irrational trust with Tems and I to do whatever it takes to achieve this mission and build an exceptional team of close friends.
Skills/experience needed
- Software engineering degree from a reputable university (bachelor is fine)
- Built end to end projects before or worked in a startup building product end to end as one of the main engineers
- Either 1-5 years professional experience or if not 5+ years coding and building experience on your own projects while at uni or before
- Don’t need specific AI experience but must be curious and want to learn
Total compensation £160-170k (split between salary and shares):
- £60-70k salary
- Significant number of shares (negotiable depending on salary)
We can sponsor your visa. Free meals 2x a day at least 5x a week. Free gym membership (up to £50 a month).
Note: Please self select out if you don’t want to fully invest into our team and mission. This needs to be a mission driven adventure.
Founding full-stack engineer employer: black.ai
Contact Detail:
black.ai Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding full-stack engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know Kiki inside out! Dive into our hiring manifesto and understand our mission. This will not only help you in interviews but also show us that you're genuinely interested in what we're building.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees or connections in the industry. A friendly chat can give you insights and might even lead to a referral, which is always a bonus!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your skills! If you’ve built any projects or have a portfolio, make sure to highlight them during your conversations with us. We love seeing what you can do and how you think!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our adventure at Kiki!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding full-stack engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Read the Hiring Manifesto: Before you dive into your application, make sure to read our hiring manifesto. It’s packed with insights about what we’re building and what it means to join us. Understanding our mission will help you tailor your application to show how you fit in.
Show Your Passion for Building: We want to see your love for coding and building! In your application, highlight any projects you've worked on, whether in a professional setting or personal ones. Let us know what excites you about being a full-stack engineer and how you can contribute to our mission.
Be Authentic and Personal: We’re all about trust and relationships, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your application. Share your journey, your motivations, and why you want to be part of Kiki. We’re looking for someone who’s ready to build deep connections with us!
Apply Through Our Website: When you’re ready to submit your application, make sure to do it through our website. This helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at black.ai
✨Know the Product Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into Kiki's mission and product. Understand how the tech stack works and be ready to discuss how you can contribute to building features like the interactive map or connection graphs. Showing genuine interest in what Kiki is doing will set you apart.
✨Showcase Your Building Experience
Be prepared to talk about your past projects, especially those where you’ve built end-to-end solutions. Highlight any experience in startups or personal projects that demonstrate your ability to code and build independently. This role is all about being a scrappy builder, so let that shine through!
✨Emphasise Team Fit and Trust
Kiki values deep trust and collaboration. During the interview, express your willingness to work closely with the founding team and how you can build that trust. Share examples of how you've successfully collaborated in the past and how you handle challenges as part of a team.
✨Prepare for a Culture Fit Discussion
Kiki is looking for someone who is mission-driven and ready to invest in the team. Be ready to discuss why you resonate with their mission and how you see yourself contributing to it. Show that you’re not just looking for a job, but a journey with a purpose.