At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a passionate engineering team, ship innovative products, and shape the tech roadmap.
- Company: Join Dex, a mission-driven tech company transforming talent and opportunity.
- Benefits: Above market salary, equity, private healthcare, wellness perks, and flexible work culture.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with significant growth potential and exciting challenges.
- Why this job: Be part of a generational company solving real problems in a massive market.
- Qualifications: Proven engineering leadership, Python expertise, and a passion for mentoring.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Our Mission
Human time and effort is the rarest thing in the universe. The fact that so many people hate what they do for work is a disaster on so many levels. How many people live quiet lives of misery? How many generational talents do we miss due to circumstance? Dex’s mission is to close the gap between Talent & Opportunity. We believe that work, and being productive, is part of the human condition, that regardless of AI, human passion, ingenuity and a desire to do things means that work will always exist. We are building Dex to create a future where technology helps every individual to understand their strengths, interests and unique abilities, and to connect with opportunities where they can thrive, because more people doing things they love leads to a better, happier and more productive world. We’re starting by connecting the world’s most ambitious software engineers with the companies that deserve them.
About Dex
Dex is backed by a16z Speedrun, Concept Ventures and angels from OpenAI, Wise, ElevenLabs, Meta’s board, and many more. We’re an ambitious, direct and kind group of people, we value authenticity, ambition and people who make things happen. We’re a team of 12 (and growing) based in London (Borough). We work together 3 times a week because we value in‑person time, but we’re person‑centric and flexible. We hire adults who can manage their own schedules.
About the Role
Dex is hiring for a hands‑on, passionate and enthusiastic engineering leader that enjoys shipping great products and building world‑class teams. Today we’re a small team of engineers (3) with plans to double in the coming months. We’re looking for someone that can help build and lead whilst shipping alongside the team. You’ll work closely with the founder and be part of the leadership team of the business, owning the technology roadmap and resourcing.
In this role you’ll:
- Own technical direction. Make architectural decisions, review and improve system design, and keep the codebase clean and maintainable as we scale.
- Raise the bar on engineering. Establish code review standards, incident hygiene and quality expectations that make everyone around you better.
- Introduce lightweight process. Planning rituals, delivery cadences and review practices that add signal without adding bureaucracy.
- Ship alongside the team. Stay hands‑on across backend systems, agent infrastructure and product features.
- Lead by building, not by managing. Mentor and grow engineers. Give direct, useful feedback. Help people solve harder problems and take on more scope.
- Own the technology strategy, anticipate the business’s needs and adapt to support the organisation’s commercial needs.
About you
You have a track record of raising engineering quality wherever you go. Other engineers got better because you were there. You know how to introduce process that actually sticks in a small team, without turning it into overhead. You can design systems, make trade‑offs beyond individual features, and explain those decisions clearly to technical and non‑technical stakeholders. You don't wait for perfect conditions. You prioritise ruthlessly, take ownership in ambiguity and lead by example under pressure. Technically deep in Python backend work (FastAPI or equivalent, async patterns, production reliability), system design and data modelling at product scale. Strong experience with or genuine interest in LLM integration and agent systems. Experience hiring exceptional engineers and growing an early engineering team. Bonus if you’ve worked with voice agents, real‑time systems, evaluation infrastructure, or recruiting/HR tech. TypeScript and full‑stack exposure is a plus.
Note: We know that talent can’t be summed up in a few bullet points. Even if you don’t match everything we mentioned, we don’t want that to be a barrier. If you’re excited about what we’re building, we want to hear from you.
Why this is a great opportunity
Dex represents an opportunity to join a well‑funded, early stage business that is solving a real and relatable problem in a gigantic market. This is an opportunity to build a brand from the early stages in a team that cares deeply about brand and design. We work in a market that has an absolute dearth of intentional brands and designs; we want to stand out from that. There will be a generational company built in this space, we believe it’s going to be Dex.
What we offer
- Above market salary — we’re building a world‑class team and believe pay should match that ambition.
- Significant equity — we want this to be the last job you ‘have’ to take.
- Full private healthcare & dental — because life happens and we want to support you.
- Fertility benefits & enhanced parental support.
- Gym membership & wellness benefits.
- Claude tokens — lots and lots of Claude tokens.
- Regular socials, off‑sites and an annual trip.
- MacBook Pro + team kit.
- "Whatever you need" approach to tools and support.
Head of Engineering employer: Dex
Contact Detail:
Dex Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend meetups, tech conferences, or even local coffee chats. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly to hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects and contributions. This is your chance to demonstrate your technical prowess and passion for engineering, making you stand out to potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios. Think about how you can articulate your experience in raising engineering quality and leading teams. We want to hear how you've made an impact in previous roles!
✨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 you're genuinely interested in joining our mission at Dex. Let’s connect and see how you can help us close the gap between talent and opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Authentic: When you're writing your application, let your true self shine through. We value authenticity at Dex, so don’t be afraid to show us who you are and what drives you. Share your passion for engineering and how it aligns with our mission.
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific role of Head of Engineering. Highlight your experience in raising engineering quality and leading teams, and connect your skills to the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Showcase Your Impact: We want to see how you've made a difference in your previous roles. Use concrete examples to demonstrate how you've improved processes, mentored engineers, or shipped successful products. This will help us understand the value you can bring to our team.
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’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dex
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Python backend work, especially with FastAPI or similar frameworks. Be ready to discuss your experience with system design and data modelling at product scale, as well as any relevant projects you've worked on that showcase your technical depth.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
Prepare examples of how you've raised engineering quality in previous roles. Highlight instances where you’ve mentored engineers and introduced effective processes without adding unnecessary overhead. This will demonstrate your ability to lead by building, not just managing.
✨Understand the Company’s Mission
Familiarise yourself with Dex’s mission to connect talent with opportunity. Be prepared to discuss how your values align with theirs and how you can contribute to creating a happier, more productive world through technology.
✨Be Ready for Ambiguity
Expect questions about how you handle uncertainty and prioritise tasks under pressure. Share specific examples of how you've navigated ambiguous situations in the past, showcasing your ownership and decision-making skills.