Progress Lead (Python)

TL;DR

Progress Lead (Python): Leading the technical direction of the Degree Progress product, transitioning to a SAT solver–driven architecture with an accent on system correctness and scalability. Focus on building purpose-built testing frameworks to validate complex academic degree requirements and ensuring high reliability.

Location: Hybrid (San Mateo, CA)

Salary: $210,000 – $235,000

Company

A fast-growing startup transforming the student experience by providing tools for degree planning and academic tracking for millions of students.

What you will do

• Own the end-to-end systems that operationalize SAT solver results into user-facing experiences for students and advisors.
• Partner with the algorithms lead to ensure seamless integration between compute outputs and product behavior.
• Design and implement specialized testing infrastructure to validate complex and variable degree requirements.
• Ensure the system delivers reliable, explainable outcomes across a massive range of edge cases.
• Drive technical prioritization and align engineering-driven goals with product priorities.
• Mentor junior developers and define best practices, design patterns, and code quality standards.

Requirements

• 5+ years of backend engineering experience with a track record of leading complex implementations as a technical lead.
• Strong intuition for designing systems that produce correct and explainable outcomes in ambiguous domains.
• Experience building purpose-built testing frameworks for validating complex business logic.
• Expertise in building highly optimized, robust backend systems using high-level languages (Python/Django).
• Comfort with asynchronous and event-based architectures.
• Must be based in or able to work hybrid in San Mateo, CA.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity ownership.
• Comprehensive health insurance with 99% premium coverage for employees and 75% for dependents.
• 401(k) plan and commuter benefits.
• Annual international team retreats in unique locations.
• Flexible, outcome-driven culture built on trust and autonomy.