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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead full-stack development and shape product direction with founders.
- Company: Join a dynamic startup at the forefront of AI innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, health insurance, and custom WFH setup.
- Other info: Collaborate closely with founders and drive engineering quality in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building products from scratch in a high-autonomy role.
- Qualifications: 8-12+ years in full-stack engineering with strong product instincts.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About the Role
We’re looking for a senior product engineer to operate as a technical leader within Caribou — someone who can own major parts of the product and help shape both what we build and how we build it. This is not a typical engineering role. You’ll act as a de facto technical co-pilot to the founders: driving architecture, shaping product direction, and translating ambiguous business problems into high-quality, scalable solutions. You should be a highly experienced full-stack engineer with strong product instincts, a track record of building from 0→1, and the ability to operate with very high autonomy. You’re comfortable working solo when needed — across engineering, product, and design — and care deeply about craft and user experience. With the rapid evolution of AI and LLMs, you’re expected to be at the frontier: leveraging new tools, paradigms, and techniques to move faster and build better products. You’ll work directly with the founders and operate at the intersection of engineering, product, AI, and design — turning complex, ambiguous problems into elegant, customer-facing solutions.
You Will Be Doing...
- Leading full-stack development of core product areas from problem definition through to production and iteration
- Acting as a technical owner for major parts of the product, making key architecture and infrastructure decisions
- Driving product discovery: speaking to users, mapping workflows, identifying opportunities, and shaping what gets built
- Leveraging AI/LLMs pragmatically — to accelerate development, power product features, and rethink complex workflows (especially in tax)
- Collaborating closely with founders and domain experts to deeply understand user problems and translate them into product improvements
- Raising the bar for engineering quality: maintainable code, strong abstractions, and scalable systems
- Improving engineering velocity and processes in a fast-moving, early-stage environment
Requirements
- 8–12+ years of experience as a full-stack or product-focused engineer, ideally in high-growth or early-stage environments
- Proven track record of building and shipping products from 0→1, owning both product and technical decisions
- Strong technical depth across modern frontend (React/TypeScript or similar) and backend systems (Go, Node, Python, or similar)
- Experience leading architecture and making high-impact technical decisions in ambiguous environments
- Strong product intuition — able to drive discovery, user interviews, and feature shaping, not just execution
- Deep interest in AI/LLMs, with hands‑on experience integrating or applying them in real‑world systems
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain trade‑offs and influence product direction
- Highly self‑sufficient, with strong judgment on when to collaborate vs. move independently
- Experience in early‑stage startups or similarly high‑autonomy roles
Perks & Benefits (for UK-based full-time employees)
- Competitive salary
- Significant equity — we want this to feel like a founder‑level opportunity
- 100% book subsidy
- Pension
- Health insurance
- Custom WFH equipment setup
Engineering Lead employer: Caribou
Contact Detail:
Caribou Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to referrals, and we all know how much that helps when landing a job.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those that highlight your full-stack capabilities. This is your chance to demonstrate your technical prowess and product instincts.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to product development and architecture. We want you to feel confident discussing how you tackle ambiguous problems and make key decisions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Caribou.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Product Engineering: When writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for product engineering shine through! Share specific examples of how you've taken ownership of projects and driven them from concept to completion. We want to know what makes you tick!
Highlight Your Technical Expertise: Make sure to showcase your technical skills in both frontend and backend development. Mention the technologies you've worked with, especially if they align with our stack. We love seeing candidates who can blend technical depth with product intuition!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills: We’re looking for someone who can tackle ambiguous problems head-on. In your application, describe situations where you've turned complex challenges into elegant solutions. This will help us understand your approach to problem-solving and innovation.
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. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Caribou
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the tech stack mentioned in the job description. Brush up on your knowledge of modern frontend frameworks like React and backend systems such as Go or Python. Be ready to discuss your past experiences with these technologies and how you've used them to build products from scratch.
✨Showcase Your Product Mindset
Prepare to talk about your approach to product discovery and user interviews. Think of specific examples where you’ve identified user needs and translated them into product features. This role requires a strong product intuition, so be ready to demonstrate how you’ve shaped product direction in previous roles.
✨Emphasise Your Autonomy
This position demands a high level of independence. Share stories that highlight your ability to work solo and make impactful decisions without constant oversight. Discuss how you balance collaboration with working independently, especially in fast-paced environments.
✨Stay Ahead of the AI Curve
Given the focus on AI and LLMs, be prepared to discuss your experience with these technologies. Talk about how you’ve integrated AI into your projects and the impact it had. Show enthusiasm for leveraging new tools and techniques to enhance product development.