Stories with Tag S19

• Spice Data (YC S19) Is Hiring a Software Engineer

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  Posted: 2025-03-30 17:01:47

  Verbose tl;dr

  Spice Data, a Y Combinator-backed startup, is seeking a software engineer to build their AI-powered contract analysis platform. The ideal candidate is proficient in Python and JavaScript, comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment, and passionate about leveraging large language models (LLMs) to extract insights from complex legal documents. Experience with natural language processing (NLP), information retrieval, or machine learning is a plus. This role offers the opportunity to significantly impact the product's direction and contribute to a rapidly growing company transforming how businesses understand and manage contracts.

  Spice Data, a company that participated in the Summer 2019 cohort of Y Combinator, is actively seeking a proficient Software Engineer to join their team. This position presents an exceptional opportunity for an individual with a strong software development background to contribute to the construction and enhancement of Spice Data's core technology. The ideal candidate will be deeply involved in the design, development, and maintenance of the software that powers Spice Data's innovative platform, which focuses on providing actionable intelligence from financial data. This involves not just coding and implementation, but also participation in architectural discussions and contributing to the overall technical strategy. The successful applicant will be joining a small, tightly-knit team, suggesting a high degree of collaboration and a significant impact on the company’s trajectory. While the specific technology stack is not explicitly detailed, the mention of proficiency in Python and SQL suggests a data-centric environment where these skills are highly valued. The listing highlights the importance of data processing, pipeline building, and backend systems, indicating that the role is primarily focused on back-end development. The company emphasizes a dynamic and fast-paced work environment, suggesting a culture that embraces innovation and rapid iteration. Furthermore, the emphasis on learning and growth within the team signals a supportive environment that values continuous improvement and professional development. The location of the position is not explicitly stated, but the association with Y Combinator implies a potential connection to the Silicon Valley area, although this is not guaranteed. Overall, the job posting paints a picture of a demanding yet rewarding opportunity for a skilled Software Engineer to contribute meaningfully to a growing startup in the financial technology space.

  • Software Engineer
  • Hiring
  • Job
  • Y Combinator
  • YC
  • startup
  • Spice Data
  • data
  • S19
  • Software Development
  • Engineering

  Summary of Comments ( 0 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43525636

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters discuss the unusual job posting from Spice Data (YC S19). Several find the required skill of "writing C code like it's 1974" intriguing, debating whether this implies foregoing modern C practices or simply emphasizes a focus on efficiency and close-to-the-metal programming. Some question the practicality and long-term maintainability of such an approach. Others express skepticism about the company's claim of requiring "PhD-level CS knowledge" for seemingly standard software engineering tasks. The compensation, while unspecified, is a point of speculation, with commenters hoping it justifies the apparently demanding requirements. Finally, the company's unusual name and purported focus on satellite data also draw some lighthearted remarks.

  The Hacker News post discussing the Spice Data (YC S19) Software Engineer job posting has a modest number of comments, focusing primarily on the perceived difficulty of the technical challenge presented in the application process.

  Several commenters found the coding challenge, which involves implementing a simplified version of Git, to be excessively complex and potentially a poor indicator of a candidate's actual on-the-job skills. They argue that requiring applicants to build a core piece of functionality of a complex version control system in a short timeframe is unrealistic and may discourage otherwise qualified candidates. This sentiment is echoed across multiple comments, with some suggesting that such challenges might favor those who have already tackled similar problems, potentially overlooking candidates with strong general software engineering abilities but less specific experience.

  One commenter suggests that the complexity of the challenge might be a reflection of the company's actual work, implying that day-to-day tasks at Spice Data could involve similarly intricate problems. They posit that this might be a deliberate filtering mechanism to attract engineers who enjoy and excel at this type of low-level, systems-oriented programming.

  Another commenter expresses skepticism about the challenge, questioning whether implementing such a simplified Git clone would truly offer valuable insight into a candidate's abilities, and suggesting alternative, potentially more effective evaluation methods.

  There's also a brief exchange regarding the use of Rust as a requirement for the role. One commenter questions its necessity, while another responds, clarifying that the challenge can be completed in any language, although Rust is preferred.

  The overall tone of the comments suggests a critical view of the application process, particularly the coding challenge, with concerns raised about its difficulty, relevance, and potential to deter qualified applicants. However, there is also acknowledgment that this approach might be intentional, reflecting the nature of the work at Spice Data.

• Hightouch (YC S19) Is Hiring a Distributed Systems Engineer

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  Posted: 2025-02-03 17:00:32

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hightouch, a Y Combinator-backed startup (S19), is seeking a Distributed Systems Engineer to work on their Reverse ETL (extract, transform, load) platform. They're building a system to sync data from data warehouses to SaaS tools, addressing the challenges of scale and real-time data synchronization. The ideal candidate will have experience with distributed systems, databases, and cloud infrastructure, and be comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment. Hightouch offers a remote-first work culture with competitive compensation and benefits.

  Hightouch, a company that successfully completed the Y Combinator Summer 2019 program, is actively seeking a Distributed Systems Engineer to join their expanding team. This full-time, remote position offers the flexibility to work from anywhere, contributing to the development of Hightouch's core platform, a data synchronization solution known as Reverse ETL (Extract, Transform, Load). This technology empowers businesses to effectively leverage their data warehouse as a centralized source of truth, enabling seamless data flow to various downstream operational tools used across marketing, sales, and customer support departments.

  The ideal candidate possesses a strong foundation in distributed systems principles and exhibits a proven ability to design, implement, and maintain scalable and robust systems. Experience with handling large datasets and addressing performance optimization challenges is crucial for success in this role. Familiarity with the intricacies of data warehousing and ETL processes would be highly beneficial. Specifically, the posting highlights the importance of experience with Apache Kafka and Kubernetes, suggesting that these technologies play a significant role within the Hightouch infrastructure.

  The Distributed Systems Engineer will play a pivotal role in enhancing Hightouch's platform, focusing on scalability and performance improvements. They will contribute directly to the ongoing development and maintenance of the core Reverse ETL pipeline, ensuring the reliable and efficient synchronization of data between the warehouse and downstream applications. This work directly impacts Hightouch's ability to empower their clients to fully leverage their data for operational excellence. The company emphasizes a culture of learning and growth, suggesting that the selected candidate will have opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge within a dynamic and innovative environment. While the specific programming languages and tools used are not explicitly mentioned in the posting, the context implies a need for proficiency in software development practices and relevant technologies related to distributed systems engineering.

  • Hightouch
  • YC
  • Y Combinator
  • S19
  • Hiring
  • distributed systems
  • Engineer
  • software engineering
  • Remote Work
  • Data Engineering
  • startup
  • job posting

  Summary of Comments ( 0 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42920292

  Verbose tl;dr

  The Hacker News comments on the Hightouch (YC S19) job posting are sparse and mostly pertain to the interview process. One commenter asks about the technical interview process and expresses concern about "LeetCode-style" questions. Another shares their negative experience interviewing with Hightouch, citing a focus on system design questions they felt were irrelevant for a mid-level engineer role and a lack of feedback. A third commenter briefly mentions enjoying working at Hightouch. Overall, the comments offer limited insight beyond a few individual experiences with the company's interview process.

  The Hacker News post titled "Hightouch (YC S19) Is Hiring a Distributed Systems Engineer" has a modest number of comments, mostly focusing on the nature of the role and the company itself. No particularly groundbreaking or controversial discussions emerge.

  Several commenters inquire about the specific technologies and challenges involved in the distributed systems role at Hightouch. One user asks about the scale of data and the specific problems being tackled, expressing a desire to understand the intricacies beyond the generic "distributed systems" label. This commenter is looking for more concrete information to assess if the role aligns with their interests and expertise. Another user questions the necessity of a distributed systems engineer for a reverse ETL task, implying that such a role might be overkill for the described function. This prompts a response from a purported Hightouch employee clarifying that the role involves more than just reverse ETL, encompassing tasks like managing large-scale data synchronization and ensuring data consistency across various platforms. This exchange highlights a slight ambiguity in the initial job posting and provides valuable clarification for potential applicants.

  Further discussion revolves around the company's remote work policies and overall experience. One commenter asks about the company's stance on remote work, to which a Hightouch representative replies, confirming their fully distributed status and outlining their approach to remote work culture. Another commenter shares a positive experience working with Hightouch as a customer, praising their responsiveness and the quality of their product. This comment adds a layer of social proof and offers a glimpse into the company culture from an external perspective.

  Finally, a few comments touch upon the broader trends in the data engineering space, with one commenter mentioning the increasing demand for reverse ETL solutions and Hightouch's position within this growing market. This adds context to the job posting, positioning it within the larger industry landscape.

  Overall, the comments provide valuable insights into the specific role, the company culture, and the broader market context, addressing key questions that potential applicants and interested observers might have. While no single comment is particularly compelling in isolation, the collective discussion paints a more detailed picture than the original job posting alone.