Your impact
Handshake is building the future of human data for AI.
We partner directly with top AI labs to power large language model (LLM) training and evaluation with high-quality, expert-generated data. As AI models become more sophisticated, the demand for specialized human input continues to grow—and Handshake is uniquely positioned to meet it. We power career platforms at 92% of the top U.S. universities, giving us direct access to verified expert talent across a wide range of domains.
Our AI team is rapidly building a new generation of human data products—from expert annotation platforms to AI interviewers and seamless payout infrastructure—all designed to accelerate research and improve model performance.
We’ve assembled a world-class team from YC, Notion, Scale, Coinbase, Palantir, and more, and we’re working directly with many of the world’s leading AI research labs. This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing team shaping the future of AI through better data, better tools, and better systems—for experts, by experts.
We’re growing our team and looking for Software Engineers to build high-impact products that support our Fellows in their work, ensuring they have the tools and infrastructure needed to drive AI innovation. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in a fast-growing space, working directly with leading AI labs and tech companies to develop solutions that enhance research workflows, model evaluation processes, and domain-specific AI applications. You will build critical features for products from the ground up, collaborating closely with product, design, and engineering teams to create seamless and effective experiences.
Location: San Francisco, CA | 5 days/week in-office
Your role
- Collaborate on a cross-functional team with designers, product managers, and engineers to design, build, and maintain full-stack features and internal tools.
- Own core product areas end-to-end—from backend API design and database modeling to frontend implementation and UX polish.
- Contribute to architectural discussions, propose technical solutions, and participate in thoughtful code reviews.
- Ensure quality, performance, and scalability across both frontend and backend systems.
- Debug and resolve issues across the stack in collaboration with other team members.
- Help evolve best practices around testing, observability, CI/CD, and technical documentation.
- Work closely with users and stakeholders to understand requirements, gather feedback, and iterate quickly
Your Experience
- 2–4 years of professional experience as a full-stack engineer, or frontend/backend engineer with demonstrable work across the stack.
- Proficiency with ReactJS and TypeScript, with a strong eye for detail, usability, and accessibility.
- Experience with backend development in Node.js, Python, or similar, and working with RESTful APIs or GraphQL.
- Solid understanding of relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL) and basic data modeling.
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, GCP) and deployment pipelines.
- Passion for clean, maintainable code and building reliable, performant systems.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with a focus on continuous learning and improvement.
Bonus areas of expertise
- Experience with building production systems for LLM or AI-related products.
- Familiarity with component libraries and design systems.
- Exposure to performance optimization in frontend applications.
