Associate Product Engineer (AI Augmented)

At Pass the Keys, we believe technology should be as hospitable as our service. We are looking for an Associate Product Engineer who is less interested in "writing lines of code" and more obsessed with "solving user problems." In this role, you won’t just be a developer; you will be a product driver. You will take ownership of the execution and delivery of features in a specific area of our ecosystem - either our Growth & Conversion engines (Direct Booking and Host websites) or our Client Transparency tools (Host Portal and Reporting). We are looking for high-potential, learning-oriented builders. You don’t need years of experience with specific frameworks. Instead, we are looking for foundational web skills, high logical fluency, and the ability to use AI-augmented development tools to navigate a professional code-base and ship high-quality features.

The Mission

To make Pass the Keys software the easiest to use in the industry. You will leverage AI-augmented development to rapidly build intuitive features that reduce friction for our users, driving the execution of improvements within a specific product domain to ensure our technology is as hospitable as our service.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the User Experience: You will facilitate the delivery of features that directly improve ease of use. You’ll collaborate with our Senior Product Owner to identify friction in the host or guest journey and build the solutions to remove it.
• AI-Augmented Delivery: You will use AI tools (Windsurf, Gemini, etc.) to rapidly master and contribute to our code-base. You’ll bridge the gap between your foundational web knowledge (HTML/CSS/JS) and our professional architecture to ship code that is both creative and compliant.
• Collaborate with Stakeholders: You will act as a bridge between business needs and technical reality. You’ll work with teams like Marketing, Guest Services, or Operations to ensure that the features you build satisfy real-world requirements for our franchise network.
• Full-Stack Execution: You will work across the front and back end, ensuring that our data-driven reporting and content-driven websites are fast, reliable, and visually polished.
• Post-Launch Validation: Success isn’t just "merging code." You will look at user behaviour after launch to see if your work actually helped, and you’ll facilitate the discussion on how we can make it even better in the next iteration.
• Systemic Discipline: While we encourage creative problem-solving, you will ensure your work respects our architectural guardrails and passes our automated quality and code-review standards.

Why this role is different

• Domain Ownership: You will be the primary builder for a clear area of the product, giving you a direct line of sight to the impact of your work.
• Structured Mentorship: You will work under the guidance of more senior peers who are invested in your professional evolution.
• AI-First Workflow: We expect you to use AI to amplify your impact, allowing you to focus on the "why" of the product while the tools help with the "how" of the code.

Foundational Web Literacy: A strong grasp of the "core" web—HTML, CSS, and Vanilla JavaScript. You understand how the browser works and how data flows through a web page.

AI-First Mindset: You are already using LLMs (like ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot) to accelerate your coding, solve logic puzzles, and learn new technical concepts quickly.

Logical Fluency: The ability to deconstruct a complex business problem into a step-by-step technical flow.

User Empathy: A natural "Product Eye." You can spot friction in an interface and feel a drive to fix it.

Aptitude for Professional Frameworks: You are excited to learn and work within an "opinionated" professional stack. While we use Django (Python), Angular (TypeScript), Wagtail, and WordPress, we value your ability to learn these patterns more than your prior experience in them.

Collaborative Nature: You enjoy working with stakeholders and view feedback from senior peers as a shortcut to your professional growth.

At Pass the Keys, we are committed to fostering an environment where success is both achievable and sustainable. We believe in empowering our teams with the tools, support, and knowledge they need to thrive. As part of our team, you will benefit from:

• A Global Vision: Join an ambitious company aspiring to be the global leader in short-let and holiday-let property management.
• A Strong Company Culture: Our four core values - Drive, Evolve, Take Pride, and Together - guide everything we do.
• Autonomy & Independence: We manage by results, not input. No micromanagement - just accountability and impact.
• Professional Growth Opportunities: We encourage responsibility and development, allowing you to expand your skills as much as you can handle.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: We understand the importance of work-life balance and support flexible scheduling where possible.
• Competitive Salary: While there may be places that pay more, we offer competitive wages with strong career progression opportunities.
• A Great Team: Work alongside inspiring colleagues in a supportive and collaborative environment.
• Hybrid Work Model: For London-based employees, we require a minimum of three days in the office - currently Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Please note, occasional weekend work may be required to meet operational demand.

UK-Specific Benefits:

• 22 days of holiday plus an extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension scheme with salary sacrifice, matching contributions up to 7%.
• Enhanced maternity pay - up to 90% of salary for six months.