At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex engineering projects in AI video and avatar rendering.
- Company: Join Synthesia, the leading AI video platform trusted by top brands.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, stock options, 25 days leave, and remote work flexibility.
- Other info: Dynamic culture focused on building and empowering talent.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation and shape the future of video technology.
- Qualifications: 2+ years leading engineering teams with strong systems thinking.
The predicted salary is between 160000 - 160000 € per year.
Synthesia is the world’s leading AI video platform for business, used by over 90% of the Fortune 100. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in London, with offices and teams across Europe and the US. As AI continues to shape the way we live and work, Synthesia develops products to enhance visual communication and enterprise skill development, helping people work better and stay at the center of successful organizations.
Following our recent Series E funding round, where we raised $200 million, our valuation stands at $4 billion. Our total funding exceeds $530 million from premier investors including Accel, NVentures (Nvidia's VC arm), Kleiner Perkins, GV, and Evantic Capital, alongside the founders and operators of Stripe, Datadog, Miro, and Webflow.
About the role:
- Lead the delivery of complex engineering projects in AI-powered video, avatar rendering, and generative media systems.
- Break down ambiguous, research-heavy initiatives into structured execution plans with predictable timelines.
- Make informed trade-offs between quality, latency, cost, and scalability, and communicate these clearly to stakeholders.
- Challenge and support senior engineers working across backend systems, frontend rendering, and AI integrations to achieve technical excellence.
- Drive high standards in system design, reliability, and performance.
- Understand engineering leveling and scale the team by identifying and filling skill gaps across distributed systems, AI integrations, and media pipelines.
- Partner with recruiting to build a world-class team capable of pushing the boundaries of generative video technology.
- Monitor team performance proactively, addressing issues in delivery, system reliability, or quality.
- Create growth opportunities for engineers working on cutting-edge technical problems.
- Navigate difficult conversations with clarity and empathy, especially in high-complexity technical discussions.
- Align decisions with long-term product and infrastructure strategy.
Team you would be leading – Avatars & Generative Media:
- The Avatars & Generative Media team focuses on enabling anyone to create professional, natural video without technical complexity by advancing AI-powered avatar rendering, video/image generation, and motion graphics.
- The team owns:
- Avatar creation, customization, and in-editor placement
- Integration of generative AI models for video and image generation
- A provider-agnostic framework for evaluating and integrating new AI models
- Close collaboration with R&D teams to bring new capabilities into production
This is a highly technical team working across backend services, frontend rendering, and AI infrastructure.
What we're looking for:
- Proven experience leading engineering teams delivering complex, technically challenging projects (2+ years)
- Strong systems thinking across distributed systems, APIs, and performance-sensitive applications
- Experience working with or alongside AI/ML systems or media pipelines is a strong plus
- Proven ability to scale teams and develop senior engineers
- Strong track record in improving system reliability, performance, and developer productivity
- Excellent communication skills, especially in deep technical discussions
Why join us?
We’re living the golden age of AI. The next decade will yield the next iconic companies, and we dare to say we have what it takes to become one.
Our culture:
At Synthesia we’re passionate about building, not talking, planning or politicising. We strive to hire the smartest, kindest and most unrelenting people and let them do their best work without distractions. Our work principles serve as our charter for how we make decisions, give feedback and structure our work to empower everyone to go as fast as possible.
Serving 50,000+ customers (and 80% of the Fortune 500):
We’re trusted by leading brands such as Heineken, Zoom, Xerox, McDonald’s and more.
Proprietary AI technology:
Since 2017, we’ve been pioneering advancements in Generative AI. Our AI technology is built in-house, by a team of world-class AI researchers and engineers.
AI Safety, Ethics and Security:
AI safety, ethics, and security are fundamental to our mission. While the full scope of Artificial Intelligence's impact on our society is still unfolding, our position is clear: People first. Always.
The hiring process:
- 30-40min call with a Technical Recruiter
- 45min call with an Engineering Manager
- Take-home assignment (no coding required) - writing an RFC, solution proposal
- 60min task debrief and technical discussion
- 45min call with leadership
The process does not need to take long - we can be done in seven working days.
Other important info:
- Our preference is for this role to be based either in-office or remote in the following locations: UK, Germany, Switzerland or Ireland.
- We may also be able to support remote workers in other locations across Europe subject to compliance and right to work checks.
- The salary starts at EUR/GBP/CHF 160,000 base + stock option plan.
- This is full-time employment only - no contractors possible - usually through OysterHR.
- Everyone at Synthesia gets 25 days of leave + local holidays (no extra paid or unpaid leave possible).
- We only sponsor VISA if you are in the UK/EU country already and need support.
Engineering Manager, Avatars in London employer: Synthesia
At Synthesia, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to excel in the rapidly evolving field of AI technology. With a strong focus on personal and professional growth, we offer ample opportunities for engineers to tackle complex challenges while collaborating with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our commitment to ethical AI practices and a supportive environment makes Synthesia an exceptional employer for those looking to make a meaningful impact in their careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering Manager, Avatars in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the company, understand their products, and think about how your skills fit into their vision. We want you to shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your projects! Whether it’s a portfolio or a GitHub repo, let your work speak for itself. It’s a great way to demonstrate your skills and passion.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Manager, Avatars in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Engineering Manager role. Highlight your experience with AI systems and complex engineering projects, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:We want to see how you've led teams in the past. Share specific examples of how you've scaled teams or improved system reliability. This will help us gauge your fit for leading our Avatars & Generative Media team.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to communicate your achievements and technical expertise. We appreciate directness, especially when discussing complex topics.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Synthesia
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around AI-powered video and avatar rendering. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how they relate to the role at Synthesia. This will show that you understand the complexities of the engineering challenges they face.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led engineering teams in the past. Highlight your experience in scaling teams and developing senior engineers. Synthesia is looking for someone who can drive high standards, so be ready to discuss how you've achieved this in previous roles.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since the role involves navigating complex technical discussions, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Use specific examples to demonstrate your communication skills, especially when discussing trade-offs between quality, latency, cost, and scalability.
✨Emphasise Team Culture Fit
Familiarise yourself with Synthesia's work principles and culture. Be prepared to discuss how your values align with theirs and how you can contribute to a fast-paced, distraction-free environment. Showing that you're a good cultural fit can set you apart from other candidates.
