Member of Technical Staff - Engineering Lead
Tessl
Location
London Office
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
Hybrid
Department
R&D
Tessl is a fast-growing Series A startup based in London, founded by Guy Podjarny. We’ve raised over $100M from world-class investors including Index Ventures, Accel, GV, and Boldstart, and this year we were ranked #2 in Sifted EU’s B2B SaaS Rising 100 and #20 in Sifted's AI 100.
At Tessl, we believe AI is transforming software development. AI Native Developers will define features, architecture, and workflows in specs, not code, guiding the work of AI agents. We’re building the pioneering platform for this new paradigm and leading the developer movement and ecosystem around it.
Joining Tessl means becoming an early team member with the opportunity to shape the future of how software is created and maintained.
Overview of Role
As a Member of Technical Staff with managerial responsibilities at Tessl, you’ll lead and grow a high-performing engineering team working at the intersection of AI and software development. This role combines people leadership with significant hands-on technical ownership - you’ll be directly involved in designing, building, and shipping software, whilst managing your team of software engineers.
You’ll report to Maurilio, our Head of Engineering, and work closely with the wider Engineering org, as well as Product and Design. We’re looking for someone who enjoys balancing strategic thinking with day-to-day execution: writing code, unblocking delivery, and setting a strong technical bar while enabling the team to do their best work.
What We're Looking For
Essential
8+ years in software engineering, with at least 3 years managing an engineering team
Relevant and direct experience working and embracing with various AI coding tools
Strong technical foundation with hands-on coding experience; comfortable reviewing and contributing code
Experience managing high-performing teams in fast-paced startup environments (Series A-C preferred)
Track record of hiring, mentoring, and developing engineers across different skill levels
Deep understanding of modern software development practices, CI/CD, and engineering excellence
Strong communication skills with the ability to translate between technical details and strategic vision
Comfortable operating in ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete information
Passion for building inclusive, collaborative team cultures
Experience with agile methodologies and pragmatic approaches to balancing speed with quality
Nice to Have
Direct experience with AI/ML products
Background in developer tools, IDEs, or platforms for software development
Experience scaling teams through periods of rapid growth
Track record of building and maintaining high-quality engineering infrastructure and tooling
Experience with remote or hybrid team management
What You'll Do
Lead a team of 5+ engineers, providing mentorship, career development, and performance management
Devote a significant portion of your time (60%+) to hands on design and development efforts
Partner with product and design to define roadmaps, prioritise work, and ensure successful delivery of features
Build and maintain a culture of engineering excellence, balancing innovation with pragmatism
Participate in technical design discussions and code reviews, staying hands-on when the situation calls for it
Own the hiring process for your team: write job descriptions, interview candidates, and make hiring decisions
Collaborate with other engineering leaders to establish best practices, tooling, and processes across the organisation
Foster a culture of rapid experimentation, clear evaluation, and learning from both successes and failures
Benefits, Salary & Office
Office: Our brand new 10,000 sq. ft office is in the AI hub of Kings Cross, London. We have generous catering and have regular social events such as team lunches, drinks and more. We require all staff to be in our London HQ at least 3 days a week on our anchor days of Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Salary: We offer a competitive salary based on experience and skills, benchmarked against industry standards.
Benefits: 25 days holiday, health insurance, including dental and vision, which extends to partners and dependents, as well as a company-matched pension. We also provide a commuting stipend for those who live outside London, and a cycle to work scheme.
Application Process
Here's an outline of what you can expect during our interview process:
Intro call with Maurilio, our Head of Engineering
Technical and leadership interview with members of the engineering team
Take-home task
An on-site session including case studies and team interaction
A 45 min company fit interview with Guy, our founder and CEO
We care deeply about the warm, inclusive environment we’re building at Tessl and we value diversity – we welcome applications from those typically underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this role but are not totally sure whether you’re the right person, do apply anyway!