Y Combinator Logo

Y Combinator

Product Engineer, Internal Tools

Reposted 8 Hours Ago
Be an Early Applicant
7 Locations
Mid level
7 Locations
Mid level
You will design and build internal tools for YC, working with partners to improve productivity and user engagement through software development.
The summary above was generated by AI

Y Combinator is run by a small team that is committed to helping founders start the next Airbnb, Stripe, Reddit or Doordash.  We work out of the same campus in San Francisco that we run the batch in.  We also operate according to the same principles we teach our startups - so if you've read Paul Graham's essays or watched our videos on YouTube, you can already predict what it would be like to work here.  

Working at YC places you in the center of the startup world.

About the role

To manage our operations at scale, we write lots of software for YC itself. One aspect of this is building internal tools to help run YC itself more efficiently. For this team, our users are YC employees – Group Partners who need productivity tools to engage 1000s of companies, finance teams that need to process investment documents at scale, and a legal team that supports every kind of startup legal issue imaginable. 

In this role, you will:

  • Design and build out new features in entirety. Our particular team focuses on helping founders after the batch, including event software and engagement tools to help YC keep in touch with companies well after they go through the YC program. 

  • Work alongside YC Partners to build productivity software. We’ve built Gmail plugins and company dashboards for partners to quickly engage founders who email/ Slack them regularly.

  • Scope and prioritize the roadmap. We make trade-offs of effort and impact every day, and engineers help us decide what’s most urgent and important to build next. 

  • Analyze usage and engagement. We want to understand what’s working/not working, and we focus on how continuous improvement over long periods of time can have huge outcomes over months or years. 

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: $180,000 to $270,000 base (depending on skills and experience) plus bonus. 

Benefits: YC has a profit-sharing program, which is comparable to equity in an early-stage startup or carry in a VC fund.

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: This position does not support work authorization/visa sponsorship. 

Legal note: Y Combinator considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law including San Francisco’s Fair Chance Ordinance. Y Combinator is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information of job applicants and complying with the California Consumer Privacy Act. The privacy policy of Ashby, Inc., the hiring platform used by Y Combinator, governs the collection of such data and can be found here.

Top Skills

Postgres
Ruby on Rails
React

Similar Jobs

3 Hours Ago
Toronto, ON, CAN
Senior level
Senior level
Cloud • Fintech • Food • Information Technology • Software • Hospitality
The Senior Software Engineer will design, build, and maintain scalable features across Toast's enterprise management products, leading projects and mentoring engineers.
Top Skills: JavaKotlin
7 Hours Ago
Remote
Hybrid
4 Locations
Senior level
Senior level
Fintech • HR Tech
As a Senior Staff Software Engineer, you will design and develop RESTful APIs, mentor junior engineers, and lead technical projects for time management solutions.
Top Skills: AWSAzureGCPGoJavaPythonRuby On Rails
7 Hours Ago
Hybrid
Canada
Expert/Leader
Expert/Leader
Big Data • Cloud • Software • Database
Join MongoDB to build a world-class distributed database, focusing on user-facing features and optimization of their core query engine.
Top Skills: C++JavaScriptPython

What you need to know about the Montreal Tech Scene

With roots dating back to 1642, Montreal is often recognized for its French-inspired architecture and cobblestone streets lined with traditional shops and cafés. But what truly sets the city apart is how it blends its rich tradition with a modern edge, reflected in its evolving skyline and fast-growing tech industry. According to economic promotion agency Montréal International, the city ranks among the top in North America to invest in artificial intelligence, making it le spot idéal for job seekers who want the best of both worlds.

Key Facts About Montreal Tech

  • Number of Tech Workers: 255,000+ (2024, Tourisme Montréal)
  • Major Tech Employers: SAP, Google, Microsoft, Cisco
  • Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing, web development
  • Funding Landscape: $1.47 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (BetaKit)
  • Notable Investors: CIBC Innovation Banking, BDC Capital, Investissement Québec, Fonds de solidarité FTQ
  • Research Centers and Universities: McGill University, Université de Montréal, Concordia University, Mila Quebec, ÉTS Montréal

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account