At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering projects to enhance mental health support accessibility.
- Company: Join Spill, a mission-driven company focused on mental health.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days holiday, free therapy, and flexible working hours.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth without management responsibilities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in mental health while working with a small, dynamic team.
- Qualifications: 9+ years in software engineering and experience in scale-up tech companies.
The predicted salary is between 135000 - 150000 £ per year.
Salary: £135k to £150k
Equity: 0.35% to 0.4%
Location: Shoreditch, London
In person/remote: 4x/week in-person; hours flexible but typically 09:30-18:30
Benefits: free therapy, 30 days holiday + bank holidays + day off for birthday + 3 day company shutdown over Xmas, company paid lunch twice a week
The job: making high quality mental health support more accessible
About the company: Spill’s mission is to reduce unnecessary emotional pain by making high quality mental health support easily accessible. Our product is bought by businesses and their employees can book free therapy sessions (we recently delivered our 100,000th free session). We are bought by companies in industries ranging from tech and media to hospitality and construction. On the company itself, we operate with an intentionally small HQ team of 8 full-time employees (3 software engineers). Despite the small headcount, our goals for the coming years are punchy - hopefully we aren’t waiting too long for our millionth free session - and we are really serious about achieving them.
About the role: Before explaining the specific responsibilities of this role, it’s worth stating that this role is going to have real responsibility at Spill. Spill is in the process of going from a company that’s searching for product market fit to a company that’s in the scaling phase. You’ll be joining as the most senior engineer in the team and have the remit to improve the processes and systems that we use to build software for our clients, users and counsellors.
What this role will actually do: When you join, you will be part of a 3 person engineering team. You will work cross functionally on projects with design, product, clinical, sales, marketing and operations. Calvin, Spill’s founder, or Harry, Spill’s VP Ops, is the most likely person to be the PM (i.e. the person shaping the goals and scope of the work) on projects you work on. However, for some projects, you may also take on that role. 50% of your time will be spent on building our product and internal tools and 50% of your time will be spent on the layer above - to improve efficiencies across multiple products and tools at once.
- Build a tool for Spill’s clinical team to efficiently triage messages for safeguarding concerns
- Set up a lightweight data lake with data from our CRM, billing system and database to automate monthly reporting
- Add traceability from sessions used to sessions paid for to speed up our billing processes
What this role likely won’t do: As we scale our service over the next few years, we won’t need to solve any super challenging load or scaling challenges on our backend engineering systems. Most of the gnarly problems we will be facing will be business and product problems that will require us to be inventive with the software solutions we build, it won’t be working out how to handle millions of requests per minute. Additionally, because we generally hire senior+ people for our roles, there isn’t the typical team dynamic problems you get in startups. This role won’t need to have any management responsibility in the short-medium term to have a big impact and we have the option of hiring an external engineering manager further down the line if you aren’t interested in the manager path for your career.
Our tech stack: NodeJS, TypeScript, React, PostgreSQL, GraphQL, AWS, GitHub Actions, Pulumi. Note that we don’t require any previous experience working with this tech stack for the role and we are language agnostic during the hiring process.
Requirements:
- You’ve got a good grasp of computer science fundamentals - either from a computer science degree or experience.
- You have 9+ years of professional software engineering experience.
- You have 3+ years of working within a scale-up technology company on a high-performing team.
- You have successfully worn the tech lead hat within your company for multiple projects.
- If you are comfortable with devops, that’s a plus.
That said, we recognise that experience will vary a lot between people, so please don’t be put off if you don’t meet these criteria exactly. We care about outcomes rather than tickbox criteria, and it’s often the case that the perfect person for the role has a CV that looks a little different. Research (by Harvard University) shows that women are particularly likely to second-guess themselves and not apply - so if you’re worried you don’t meet all the criteria, get in touch anyhow and let us do the worrying.
Lead Engineer employer: Spill
At Spill, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer dedicated to making high-quality mental health support accessible. Our vibrant Shoreditch office fosters a collaborative work culture where innovation thrives, and employees enjoy generous benefits such as 30 days of holiday, free therapy sessions, and flexible working hours. With a focus on personal and professional growth, we empower our team members to take on significant responsibilities and contribute meaningfully to our mission, all while enjoying the unique energy of London.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to the role. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to boost your confidence.
✨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, we love hearing from passionate candidates who want to make a difference!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Lead Engineer role. Highlight your experience in software engineering, especially in scale-up environments, and don’t forget to mention any leadership roles you've taken on.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to show us your personality and passion for mental health support. Share why you’re excited about Spill’s mission and how your background makes you a great fit for our team.
Showcase Relevant Projects:Include examples of projects where you’ve made a significant impact, especially those that demonstrate your ability to improve processes and systems. We love seeing how you’ve tackled challenges in previous roles!
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 the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Spill
✨Know the Mission
Before your interview, dive deep into Spill's mission of making mental health support accessible. Understand how your role as a Lead Engineer can contribute to this goal. Being able to articulate how your skills align with their mission will show your genuine interest and commitment.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare to discuss specific projects where you've taken on a tech lead role. Highlight your experience in scale-up environments and how you've tackled business and product challenges. Use examples that demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to work cross-functionally.
✨Familiarise Yourself with the Tech Stack
Even though Spill is language agnostic, having a basic understanding of NodeJS, TypeScript, React, and PostgreSQL will give you an edge. Brush up on these technologies and be ready to discuss how you've used similar tools in past projects.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about Spill's current projects and future goals. Inquire about the team dynamics and how they envision the Lead Engineer role evolving as the company scales. This shows you're not just interested in the job, but also in the company's growth and direction.
