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For Companies At a Glance
- 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 from the ground up.
- Qualifications: Senior full-stack experience with strong communication and ownership skills.
- Other info: Gain 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 Slough employer: Jumpstart
Contact Detail:
Jumpstart Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Engineer (£60-130k) in Slough
✨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 and founders in our community. You never know who might have a lead on an exciting opportunity or can give you insider tips on landing that dream role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those chats with CTOs! Think about how you can demonstrate your ownership mindset and technical skills. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you’ve tackled challenges—this is your moment to impress!
✨Tip Number 4
Take advantage of our support hotline! If you’re feeling unsure about interviews or negotiations, reach out to our in-house CTO Patrick. He’s there to help you navigate the process and boost your confidence.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Engineer (£60-130k) in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Founding Engineer role. Highlight your full-stack capabilities and any relevant projects you've worked on, especially those that showcase your ownership and decision-making skills.
Showcase Your Projects: Include links to your GitHub or any side projects you've built. This is your chance to demonstrate your technical prowess and product-minded approach, so make it easy for us to see what you can do!
Be Authentic in Your Application: When filling out your application, let your personality shine through. We want to know who you are as a person and how you think as an engineer, so don’t be afraid to share your passion for building and learning.
Apply Through Our Website: Remember to apply directly through our website! It’s quick and easy, and ensures your application gets to the right people. Plus, we’re excited to see what you bring to the table!
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 positively impacted 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. Think about how you can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders, as this will be crucial when discussing product strategy and technical trade-offs during the interview.
✨Prepare for Pragmatic Problem-Solving
Expect to discuss real-world scenarios where you had to make pragmatic decisions with incomplete information. Prepare to talk through your thought process and the reasoning behind your choices. This will showcase your ability to balance speed with long-term thinking, which is vital for a founding engineer.
