Y Combinator

Product Engineer, Bookface

Y Combinator$250K — $500K *
Consumer Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in software development, preferably in a startup environment.
  • Proficiency in front-end technologies, particularly React.
  • Solid understanding of full-stack development, ideally with Rails and Postgres.
  • Experience in building tools that enhance user experience for founders and startups.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in a small team and adapt to rapid changes.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain critical tools for managing the YC program at scale.
  • Create software that enhances the day-to-day batch experience for startup founders.
  • Design and implement features for the alumni directory and forums to foster community support.
  • Build and manage the Demo Day investor portal to connect founders with potential investors.
  • Launch platforms that facilitate customer feedback for new products.

Benefits

  • Medical, vision, and dental plans for employees.
  • Generous parental leave policy and paid holidays.
  • Flexible paid time off with a focus on work-life balance.
  • 401(k) plan with 4% matching to help secure future savings.
  • Commuter benefits and accounts for health and flexible spending.
Full Job Description


About the role

To manage the YC program at scale, we write lots of software. The Bookface team specifically focuses on building YC's most critical tools to help founders through the batch - and well afterwards. Some projects we're working on:
  • Bookface. Software that helps operate and manage the day-to-day batch, including event programming, office hours, pitch prep, and more. Every company that goes through the batch relies on this software to get the most out of their YC experience.
  • Forums & Alumni Directory. Helps founders get the best advice and feedback on how to build their startup - from technical advice, customer acquisition, fundraising, and more.
  • Demo Day investor portal. Matching founders and investors for early seed fundraising, with billions of dollars resulting from the connections we've made through our platform.
  • Launch YC. A public platform for YC founders to get early customers and product feedback from both other YC alumni and the broader public.


About the team

Our whole software team is only 15 full-stack product engineers, and we enjoy working in a small team with high impact and knowing each other by name. We have a broad range of experiences from bigger companies like Meta and Google, and many of us have started startups ourselves. True to YC advice, our product engineers talk to our customers regularly and ship fast. We also define our own roadmap and often design our own products when needed.

Our stack is pretty straightforward (Rails, React, Postgres), and the last three engineers have learned it on the job. That said, we've found that enjoying front-end software development is key to being successful here, so it's almost a requirement for the role. Our needs as an organization require a large degree of flexibility, and people change teams quite often.

Lastly: If you're interested in starting your own startup one day: eight former engineers on our team have gone on to start YC-funded startups. If you want to start your own startup someday but aren't ready to do it now, working at YC could be an excellent way to get there.

Location: This is an in-person role at YC's campus in Dogpatch, San Francisco. This is where our users (founders, partners, and employees) are five days a week, so it's optimal for you to be here with them. You must live in the SF Bay Area or be willing to relocate. We offer generous relocation support for those who want to move to SF to work here.

Compensation: $250K to $500K base salary, depending on experience. YC has a profit-sharing program, which is comparable to equity in an early-stage startup or carry in a VC fund.

Benefits: Our full benefits package includes medical, vision, and dental plans, infertility benefit, STD/LTD, life insurance, commuter benefits, flexible spending account, health savings account, 401(k) + 4% matching, generous parental leave, paid holidays, and flexible paid time off policy.

Work Authorization: Y Combinator is willing to sponsor certain employment visas in accordance with company policy.

About Y Combinator

Y Combinator is a venture capital firm that provides seed funding, mentorship, and resources to early-stage startups. The company was founded in 2005 by Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, Trevor Blackwell, and Robert Morris, and has since funded over 2,000 startups, including Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe. Y Combinator's mission is to help startups succeed by providing them with the tools and resources they need to grow and scale their businesses.
Learn more about Y Combinator
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