At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop scalable backend systems for Machine Learning workloads.
- Company: Join a stealth-mode AI lab with a team of top-tier engineers and investors.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, equity, 28 days holiday, and professional growth opportunities.
- Other info: No need for Machine Learning background; just a passion for solving complex challenges.
- Why this job: Be a Founding Engineer and make an impact from day one in cutting-edge AI research.
- Qualifications: 2-3 years in back-end development with cloud computing experience; curiosity and problem-solving skills are key.
The predicted salary is between 56000 - 84000 £ per year.
Team: Backend
Location: London (Liverpool Street)
Employment Type: Full-time and Permanent
Remuneration (London; On-site): £70–90k Base Salary + Discretionary Bonus + Equity
We are a stealth-mode AI laboratory researching and developing Machine Learning models. The founding team consists of Cambridge graduates and former engineers at Microsoft, Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs. We are backed by prominent investors from the US and the UK, including institutional VC funds and C-level executives of global technology companies.
The role involves the design and development of backend infrastructure for Machine Learning workloads. You will be working closely with the Machine Learning team; however, you are not required or expected to have a background in Machine Learning. This is an applied role, and we are looking to hire a software engineer with experience in cloud computing and distributed systems.
In this role, you will:
- Design and develop highly-scalable, fault tolerant and event driven systems.
- Take ownership of tasks, having a high degree of autonomy over your work.
- Work closely with the founding team and contribute towards best practices, standards, and culture of the company.
- Mentor your current colleagues, raising the bar for the company.
- Help co-hire your future colleagues.
Our tech stack:
- We use and leverage AWS as much as possible and manage it with Terraform.
- Services are written in C# (.NET 9) and deployed to ECS or Lambda via GitHub Actions.
- We use Postgres, SNS/SQS and Redis.
- We have good end-to-end test coverage and are confident in our deployments.
What we are looking for:
- Back-end development: At least 2-3 years of industry experience in back-end engineering developing reliable and scalable systems with an object-oriented programming language.
- Cloud-native technologies: Experience in deploying to cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP or Azure), an understanding of containerisation (e.g., Docker), infrastructure-as-code software (e.g., Terraform), and observability platforms (e.g., Datadog or Grafana).
- Curiosity: A hunger to learn and grow your skills.
- Problem solving: Strong analytical problem-solving skills and attention to detail. You have the ability to break down a task into actionable steps.
- Collaboration and communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
We would like to acknowledge that almost no candidate checks every box – and that is perfectly fine. If you are passionate about solving complex challenges and open to learning new technologies, we would love to hear from you.
Nice to have:
- Machine Learning: Experience in generative models, LLMs, multi-modal models and Deep Learning more generally.
- Open-source: Contributions to and experience in open-source projects.
- Startup experience: Experience with a startup work environment and wider ecosystem.
Why join us?
- Work in an environment conducting cutting-edge research in AI.
- An official role title of “Founding Engineer” – make an impact on day one.
- Competitive salary, equity and benefits package.
- 28 days + public holidays allowance.
- Opportunities for professional growth and progression with your career.
- Work on challenging engineering problems that have a real impact on the industry.
- Work with high-profile customers and technology partners.
Software Engineer – Backend (On-site) employer: Zettafleet
Contact Detail:
Zettafleet Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Engineer – Backend (On-site)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the tech stack mentioned in the job description. Make sure you have hands-on experience with AWS, C#, and Terraform, as well as an understanding of containerisation and observability platforms. This will not only boost your confidence but also help you speak knowledgeably during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your problem-solving skills by preparing examples of past projects where you tackled complex challenges. Be ready to discuss how you broke down tasks into actionable steps, as this aligns with what they are looking for in a candidate.
✨Tip Number 3
Highlight any experience you have in mentoring or collaborating with colleagues. Since the role involves working closely with the founding team and co-hiring future colleagues, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders will set you apart.
✨Tip Number 4
If you have any experience with machine learning or open-source contributions, make sure to mention it. Even if it's not a requirement, showing curiosity and a willingness to learn about these areas can demonstrate your passion for the field and your potential fit within the company culture.
We think you need these skills to ace Software Engineer – Backend (On-site)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in back-end development, cloud-native technologies, and any relevant projects. Use keywords from the job description to demonstrate that you meet their requirements.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for AI and software engineering. Mention specific experiences that align with the role, such as your work with AWS or contributions to open-source projects.
Showcase Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, provide examples of how you've tackled complex challenges in previous roles. Highlight your analytical skills and ability to break down tasks into actionable steps.
Highlight Collaboration Experience: Emphasise your interpersonal and communication skills by sharing instances where you've successfully collaborated with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. This will show that you can thrive in their team-oriented environment.
How to prepare for a job interview at Zettafleet
✨Showcase Your Technical Skills
Be prepared to discuss your experience with back-end development, particularly in C# and cloud technologies like AWS. Highlight specific projects where you've designed scalable systems or used tools like Terraform.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities
Expect to face technical challenges during the interview. Practice breaking down complex problems into manageable steps and be ready to explain your thought process clearly.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Communication
Since you'll be working closely with both technical and non-technical teams, showcase your interpersonal skills. Share examples of how you've effectively communicated with diverse stakeholders in past roles.
✨Express Your Curiosity and Willingness to Learn
The company values candidates who are eager to grow their skills. Be sure to mention any recent technologies or methodologies you've explored and how you plan to continue learning in the future.