Product Engineer

Product Engineer Austin, TX · On-site (5 days) · Full-time Compensation: $130,000–$150,000 + competitive equity About the Company A project-based technical learning platform with 200,000+ learners across 190+ countries, built on the idea that learning should be about building — and showcasing your work in a portfolio rather than a resume line. Learners build using modern AI tooling, with a portfolio site generated automatically as they go, and the platform has produced real outcomes like learners landing jobs within weeks of joining. Seed-funded, recently relocated to Austin to scale, with a small team and a near-term path to its next funding round. Founded 2021 · ~7 people · Industry: Education The Role We're hiring a Senior Product Engineer who owns user-facing problems end-to-end — design, build, ship, operate, monitor. This is not a systems or infrastructure role; it calls for judgment and first-principles product ownership, not just execution. What you'll be doing Own and evolve backend systems: scalability, reliability, performance, developer experience Lead core data model work Reduce tech debt and improve critical paths Build tooling and services for content creation, project automation, validations, and documentation Collaborate end-to-end with product and frontend Collaborate with non-technical team members (support, growth) Speak directly with learners in the community Tech stack: GCP; Go or Node/TypeScript (backend). Nice-to-have exposure: RAG, graph-based data modeling. Requirements 6-10 years engineering (4-5 acceptable with stellar progression) First or early engineer at a startup with 0-1 ownership Backend product engineer, NOT systems/infra GCP, Go or Node/TS preferred Positive AI adoption in daily workflow Austin 5 days in-person, West 6th Street Green Flags First or early engineer at a startup that scaled past 0-to-1. Has built something end-to-end with measurable user impact, not just shipped tickets. Consistent scope and title progression over the past 5-10 years. Each role shows clear growth, not lateral moves or stagnation. Owned a core product domain (data model, critical user flow, growth surface) end-to-end. Can walk through specific decisions, tradeoffs, and outcomes. Positive, practical AI adoption in daily workflow. Uses Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or similar tools as part of how they ship. Can articulate where AI helps and where it doesn't. Cross-functional shipper who has worked closely with product and design under real constraints. Talks in terms of user impact and business outcomes, not just code. Red Flags Frequent short stints under 12 months. Pattern of job hopping without a clear narrative. "Full-stack" that is effectively frontend-heavy with thin backend systems ownership. Career exclusively in large organizations or consultancies with no evidence of scrappy, high-ownership execution. Outright anti-AI posture. Refuses to use AI tools or dismisses them as hype. Strong attachment to senior titles (Director, Principal, Staff) without willingness to flex on title at a 7-person company. Why Join Massive, mission-driven reach: 200,000+ learners across 190+ countries with documented life-changing outcomes True 0-to-1 ownership as one of the first product engineers on a small, fast-moving team AI-native engineering culture where practical AI adoption is expected and valued Details Location: Austin, TX Work policy: On-site 5 days/week, West 6th Street Compensation: $130,000–$150,000 + equity Visa sponsorship: OPT Employment type: Full-time Benefits: Health benefits, 401k #J-18808-Ljbffr