At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead backend engineering projects, enhancing stability and collaboration across teams.
- Company: Join Synthesia, a pioneering AI video platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, stock options, 25 days leave, and a vibrant work culture.
- Other info: Flexible remote work options available across Europe.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation and make a real impact in a fast-growing company.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering with leadership experience in high-performing teams.
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: You will focus on friction points around primarily backend issues for all teams in Engineering (90 Engineers). How should we do inter-service testing? Some teams are using monorepo, others aren’t. How can we bring overall stability up? Generally steering BE in the right direction. In the near future, standardising things across all of Engineering and bringing R&D teams (another 40 Engineers and Researchers) closer.
You will have ownership of projects that span quarters, requiring you to have the ability to break a problem down into small steps that can be delivered and validated iteratively. You will evaluate your own work, leveraging our data pipeline and frameworks that we have established to understand the impact your features have on our commercial objectives and pivoting where necessary. You will consider the long-term direction of Engineering, making sure that we are developing the engineering capabilities that will allow us to stay ahead of the challenges we are likely to encounter in 12-18 months' time. You will work end-to-end, from our client application written in React to our monolithic backend written in Python, and lead projects that span across multiple teams.
What we're looking for:
- At least ten (10) years of experience as a software engineer, at least 2 at the Senior Staff/Principal level (L7+).
- Previous leadership experience in driving projects across multiple teams (50+ Engineers).
- Experience in a high-performing engineering Org that is operating at scale. This could come from a scale-up environment or a more established organization recognised for building and shipping with a great engineering culture.
- An ability to work across the stack, with deep knowledge on server side and all things back end related.
- Relevant engineering experience for a team building an enterprise-grade SaaS product. Extra points for delivering AI-powered video generation product, billing systems, experimentation platforms, video delivery systems, online editors, real-time collaboration and so on.
- Strong alignment with commercial success.
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 50% 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.
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 200.000 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 - we do not relocate people.
Senior Principal Backend Engineer (Equity Options) employer: Synthesia
At Synthesia, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to excel in their roles. With a strong focus on AI technology and a commitment to ethical practices, we offer exceptional growth opportunities and the chance to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry. Our London headquarters provides a vibrant environment where creativity thrives, and our competitive salary and benefits package, including stock options and generous leave, make us an attractive employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Principal Backend Engineer (Equity Options)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Synthesia on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Synthesia's products and culture. Show us that you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your passion for AI and how you can contribute to our mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your technical skills! Brush up on backend technologies and be ready to tackle coding challenges. We want to see how you think and solve problems, so don’t hold back!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Synthesia.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Principal Backend Engineer (Equity Options)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Senior Principal Backend Engineer. Highlight your experience with backend technologies, leadership roles, and any relevant projects that showcase your skills in a high-performing engineering environment.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about AI and how your background aligns with Synthesia's mission. Don’t forget to mention specific experiences that demonstrate your ability to lead cross-team projects.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In your application, be sure to include examples of how you've tackled complex backend issues in the past. We love seeing candidates who can break down problems and deliver solutions iteratively, so share those success stories!
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 you’re keen on joining our team at Synthesia!
How to prepare for a job interview at Synthesia
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Python and React. Brush up on your backend knowledge and be ready to discuss how you've tackled similar challenges in previous roles.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Experience
Prepare examples that showcase your leadership skills, particularly in driving projects across multiple teams. Think about specific instances where you’ve led a team of engineers and how you navigated any friction points.
✨Align with Company Values
Familiarise yourself with Synthesia's work principles and culture. Be ready to discuss how your personal values align with theirs, especially around building and empowering teams to work efficiently.
✨Think Long-Term
Since the role involves considering the long-term direction of Engineering, come prepared with ideas on how to develop engineering capabilities for future challenges. Show that you can think strategically about technology and its impact on business objectives.
