Weave, a YC W25 startup, is seeking a founding product engineer to build the future of online reading. They're developing a collaborative reading platform to facilitate deeper understanding and engagement with complex topics. This role involves designing and building core product features, directly impacting the user experience. Ideal candidates are strong full-stack engineers with a passion for online communities, education, or productivity. Experience with TypeScript/React is preferred, but a proven ability to learn quickly is paramount.
Confident AI, a YC W25 startup, has launched an open-source evaluation framework designed specifically for LLM-powered applications. It allows developers to define custom evaluation metrics and test their applications against diverse test cases, helping identify weaknesses and edge cases. The framework aims to move beyond simple accuracy measurements to provide more nuanced and actionable insights into LLM app performance, ultimately fostering greater confidence in deployed AI systems. The project is available on GitHub and the team encourages community contributions.
Hacker News users discussed Confident AI's potential, limitations, and the broader landscape of LLM evaluation. Some expressed skepticism about the "confidence" aspect, arguing that true confidence in LLMs is still a significant challenge and questioning how the framework addresses edge cases and unexpected inputs. Others were more optimistic, seeing value in a standardized evaluation framework, especially for comparing different LLM applications. Several commenters pointed out existing similar tools and initiatives, highlighting the growing ecosystem around LLM evaluation and prompting discussion about Confident AI's unique contributions. The open-source nature of the project was generally praised, with some users expressing interest in contributing. There was also discussion about the practicality of the proposed metrics and the need for more nuanced evaluation beyond simple pass/fail criteria.
Summary of Comments ( 0 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43484283
Several commenters on Hacker News expressed skepticism about the extremely broad job description for a founding product engineer at Weave, finding the listed requirements of "full-stack," AI/ML, distributed systems, and mobile development excessive for a single role. Some questioned the feasibility of finding someone proficient in all those areas and suggested the company hadn't properly defined its product vision. Others pointed out the low salary range ($120k-$180k) for such a demanding role, particularly in a competitive market like San Francisco, speculating that it might indicate a lack of funding or unrealistic expectations. A few commenters defended the breadth, suggesting it's common for early-stage startups to require versatility, and emphasizing the learning opportunities inherent in such a role. There was also a brief discussion on the use of AI/ML, with some questioning its necessity at this stage.
The Hacker News post discussing the Weave (YC W25) Founding Product Engineer job posting has a modest number of comments, mostly focused on the nature of the product and the hiring process.
One commenter questions the vagueness of the job description, particularly the product's purpose, which is described as "building a new way to experience knowledge." They express skepticism about such broad descriptions and desire more concrete information. This comment highlights a common concern among HN users about overly-hyped or poorly defined startup ideas.
Another commenter focuses on the requested years of experience, pointing out that the requirement of "5+ years of product engineering experience" seems incongruous with a "founding" role. They argue that true founding engineers are often earlier in their careers and driven by the opportunity to build something from the ground up, rather than extensive prior experience. This raises a discussion about the meaning of "founding" in the context of a company that's already gone through Y Combinator and presumably has some existing product or direction.
Following this thread, another user suggests that the "5+ years" requirement might indicate the company's desire for someone who can hit the ground running and contribute immediately, potentially due to existing technical debt or a need for rapid development. This provides a counterpoint to the previous comment, offering a possible explanation for the seemingly high experience requirement.
A separate comment thread questions the nature of the "knowledge graph" mentioned in the job description, wondering if it's a personal knowledge graph or a broader, publicly accessible one. This shows interest in the technical aspects of the product and its potential scope.
Finally, one commenter mentions their personal experience with Weave's product, describing it as similar to "Notion but for documents you're writing." This provides a valuable, albeit brief, glimpse into what Weave might be building, offering a more concrete picture than the original job description. However, it also raises further questions about how Weave differentiates itself from existing tools and what its unique value proposition is.
In summary, the comments revolve around the ambiguity of the job description, the experience requirements for a founding role, and the underlying nature of the product itself. They reflect a common theme on Hacker News of critically evaluating startup pitches and seeking concrete information beyond generalized marketing language.