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- Tasks: Join a startup as a founding engineer, building and shipping innovative products.
- Company: Jumpstart partners with ambitious VC-backed startups in the UK.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, access to exclusive roles, and 1:1 support from experienced engineers.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping product and culture in early-stage environments.
- Qualifications: Senior full-stack experience, strong communication skills, and a product-minded approach.
- Other info: Unparalleled access to CTOs and a community of builders.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 91000 £ per year.
Jumpstart is a startup hiring platform partnering with a small, curated group of ambitious VC-backed startups in the UK. Our job is not to sell you roles, it’s to make sure that when you do move, it’s into a place where you’ll actually get to build, learn, and have real impact.
You will join a Seed or pre-Seed VC-backed startup as the first (or one of the very first) engineering hires, working directly with the founders to turn an idea into a real, scalable product. This is a CTO-type role. You’ll take ownership of the technical foundation of the company: shipping the initial product, making early architectural decisions, and helping set the engineering culture, standards, and direction that future hires will build on.
At our partner startups, you’ll be trusted as a high-agency senior engineer to build the first version of the product end-to-end, and to think like an owner while doing it. You’ll balance speed with long-term thinking, and execution with strategy.
You will:
- Build and ship the first versions of the product end-to-end
- Design the initial system architecture, data models, and APIs
- Make pragmatic early decisions around tooling, infrastructure, and scalability
- Work directly with founders on product strategy, technical tradeoffs, and roadmap
- Establish engineering standards, patterns, and best practices
- Move fast, learn from real users, and iterate toward product-market fit
We’re looking for engineers who are:
- Senior full-stack builders with strong backend and frontend fundamentals
- Comfortable owning ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete information
- Product-minded: you think in terms of users, outcomes, and leverage
- Pragmatic and execution-focused, with good technical taste
- Strong communicators who can collaborate closely with non-technical founders
- Excited by early-stage environments and genuine ownership
You don’t need to have been a CTO before, but you should be comfortable acting like one when it matters.
How our process works:
- Apply to Jumpstart: Apply in ~2 minutes with your CV and anything you’ve built (GitHub, side projects, startups). If it looks like a fit, you’ll have a short call with our in‑house CTO. No live coding. No take‑homes. Just a chat to understand how you think as an engineer.
- Join the platform: Once accepted, you’ll create a profile and get access to a curated set of early‑stage engineering roles, all from vetted VC‑backed startups.
- CTOs pitch to you: We share your profile with 100+ CTOs in our network. Strong candidates often receive multiple direct messages from CTOs pitching their role, team, and product.
- Get support landing your role: You’ll get access to a hotline with our in-house CTO Patrick, with 1-1 support on everything from initial interview support, to case study feedback, all the way through to final offer negotiation & support.
What makes this different:
- Unparalleled access: CTOs pitch to you and your profile is shared with 100s of startups
- Curated matching: We filter hard on both sides
- Signal over noise: No mass applications or recruiter spam
- Real ownership: Roles where engineers shape the product and culture
- UK-focused: Leading UK startups, remote-friendly or London-based
What you get:
- Access to roles that aren’t publicly advertised
- Optional 1:1 prep with experienced engineers, founders, or CTOs
- A long-term community of builders, potential collaborators & co-founders
Founding Engineer (£60-130k) in London employer: Jumpstart
Contact Detail:
Jumpstart Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer (£60-130k) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get your profile sorted on our website! Make sure to showcase your best projects and experiences. This is your chance to shine and attract the right CTOs who are looking for someone just like you.
✨Tip Number 2
Don’t underestimate the power of networking! Reach out to fellow engineers, founders, or even past colleagues. You never know who might have a lead on an exciting startup opportunity that’s not widely advertised.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those chats with CTOs! Think about how you can demonstrate your ownership mindset and technical expertise. Be ready to discuss your thought process and how you tackle ambiguity in projects.
✨Tip Number 4
Take advantage of our support hotline! Our in-house CTO Patrick is there to help you with interview prep, case studies, and even offer negotiations. Don’t hesitate to reach out and get that extra edge!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer (£60-130k) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Founding Engineer. Highlight your full-stack experience and any projects that showcase your ability to build and ship products. We want to see how you think like an owner!
Showcase Your Work: Include links to anything you've built, like GitHub repos or side projects. This gives us a glimpse into your coding style and problem-solving skills. Remember, we love seeing real examples of your work!
Be Authentic in Your Application: When filling out your application, be yourself! Share your passion for early-stage environments and what excites you about building products. We’re looking for genuine enthusiasm and a product-minded approach.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s quick and easy, and it ensures your application gets to the right people. Plus, we’re here to support you every step of the way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Jumpstart
✨Understand the Startup Landscape
Before your interview, take some time to research the startup ecosystem in the UK. Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges and opportunities that early-stage companies face. This will help you speak confidently about how you can contribute to building a scalable product and shaping the engineering culture.
✨Showcase Your Ownership Mindset
As a founding engineer, you'll need to demonstrate that you can think like an owner. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've taken initiative, made critical decisions, or led projects. Highlight how your actions had a tangible impact on the product or team, showing that you're ready to take on this level of responsibility.
✨Communicate Clearly with Non-Technical Founders
Strong communication skills are essential for this role. Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms, as you'll be working closely with non-technical founders. Think of scenarios where you've successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams and be ready to share those stories during your interview.
✨Prepare for Pragmatic Problem-Solving
Expect questions that assess your ability to make pragmatic decisions with incomplete information. Brush up on your problem-solving skills by thinking through potential technical trade-offs and architectural decisions relevant to the startup's goals. Be prepared to discuss how you balance speed with long-term strategy in your approach to building products.
