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- Tasks: Lead the development of an AI SRE agent that transforms alerts into actionable insights.
- Company: Join Tracer, a pioneering startup revolutionising AI for production engineering.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity ownership, 30 days leave, and health insurance.
- Other info: Enjoy team dinners, offsites, and a collaborative culture focused on excellence.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI innovation and make a real impact in tech.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in software engineering with strong backend and systems experience.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 130000 £ per year.
About Us
Tracer is an early-stage, venture-backed startup building the open source AI SRE agent for production engineering. We are backed by experienced operators and investors who believe AI for production systems will be one of the defining enterprise software categories of the next decade. Our team is small, senior, and highly execution-focused.
About the Role
Tracer is building an open source AI SRE agent that automatically investigates production incidents across the entire production stack. We are hiring a Lead AI Software Engineer in London to own the core architecture and ship an agent that produces grounded RCAs and fix suggestions across production infrastructure. Humans stay in control of production decisions, the agent does the heavy lifting. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role at the center of the product.
Tech Stack
- Python + LangGraph (for multi-agentic alert investigation)
- Rust (because we like systems that are fast and correct)
- ClickHouse (high-volume event + investigation history at scale)
- AWS + Terraform (infrastructure that builds itself)
- Next.js + TypeScript (because front-end should be sexy too)
What You’ll Do
You will own the core systems that turn an alert into a defensible investigation and RCA. In practice, you will:
- Architect and build the core alert, investigation, root cause analysis (RCA) pipeline in Python
- Design and implement key systems including:
- Alert ingestion + normalization
- Context enrichment + correlation
- Problem framing outputs
- Hypothesis orchestration engine
- Investigation execution runtime
- Investigation artifacts + reporting
What We’re Looking For
- 5+ years (ideally 10+) professional software engineering experience.
- Proven track record of shipping real products at high velocity
- Strong backend and distributed-systems foundations, ideally with experience in data platforms and production pipeline stacks and incident/observability tooling.
- Experience working at an early-stage startup and bonus points for having joined earlier.
- High ownership and sharp product instincts: you build what matters and cut what doesn’t.
Compensation & Benefits
Total Compensation Range: £70,000 – £130,000+ (salary and equity value)
We Structure Compensation As Follows
- Competitive base salary
- Meaningful equity ownership with real upside
- Final package depends on experience, impact, and seniority
What’s Included
- Salary + equity (equity typically ~0.3% – 2%+)
- 30 days annual leave
- Employee health insurance
- Visa sponsorship
- Weekly team dinners and socials
- Regular team offsites and trips (our most recent was Kenya)
- The satisfaction of building a world-class AI-powered product with an exceptional team
Application Requirements
We are intentionally selective. Please answer all of the following in your application. Applications that do not include these will not be reviewed.
- Why do you consider yourself an exceptional engineer? (Be specific, we are interested in evidence, not adjectives.)
- Why Tracer? What about this problem, product, or moment resonates with you?
- Links we should see: GitHub Portfolio, blog posts, talks, or anything else that shows how you think and build
Recruitment Process
- Introductory Call (15-30 mins): Call with our hiring manager to discuss your background, motivations, and learn more about Tracer
- Role Fit Interview (45 mins): Meet with your manager or a similar-level team member to review your working style, skills, and fit for the role
- Take-home & Competency Deep Dive (1 hour): Complete a practical exercise (e.g., case study, presentation, or technical problem-solving) to explore the role's responsibilities and expectations
- On-site meetup (Half Day): On-site interviews and team lunch at our headquarters to ask any questions and experience our office and culture firsthand
- Offer: Final decision and offer
Lead AI Software Engineer employer: Tracer
Contact Detail:
Tracer Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead AI Software Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those at startups. Use LinkedIn or even Twitter to connect with people at Tracer or similar companies. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to job opportunities that aren't even advertised!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially anything related to AI or production systems. This is your chance to demonstrate your expertise and passion for the tech stack Tracer uses.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by diving deep into the role. Understand the core responsibilities of a Lead AI Software Engineer and think about how your experience aligns with them. Be ready to discuss specific examples of your past work that relate to incident investigation and RCA.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, make sure to answer all the application questions thoughtfully – this is your chance to stand out and show why you’re the perfect fit for Tracer.
We think you need these skills to ace Lead AI Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Engineering Superpowers: When answering why you consider yourself an exceptional engineer, be specific! Share concrete examples of your past projects and the impact they had. We want to see the real you, not just a list of buzzwords.
Connect with Our Mission: In your application, tell us why Tracer excites you. What about our open source AI SRE agent resonates with you? Show us that you understand the problem we're solving and why it matters to you.
Share Your Work: Don’t forget to include links to your GitHub, portfolio, or any other work that showcases your skills. We love seeing how you think and build, so make sure we can check out your best stuff!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Tracer
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Familiarise yourself with the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Python, Rust, and AWS. Be ready to discuss how you've used these tools in past projects and how they relate to building scalable systems.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific instances where you've tackled complex engineering challenges. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers, focusing on how you approached root cause analysis and incident management.
✨Demonstrate Ownership and Impact
Highlight your experience in taking ownership of projects and driving them to completion. Be specific about the impact your work had on previous teams or products, especially in fast-paced environments like startups.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in Tracer's mission and the role. Inquire about their approach to AI in production systems, the team dynamics, and how they measure success in the early stages of product development.