Everyone is welcome at Handshake. We know diverse teams build better products and we are committed to creating an inclusive culture built on a foundation of respect for all individuals. We strongly encourage candidates from non-traditional backgrounds, historically marginalized or underrepresented groups to apply.
Your impact
We are bringing Handshake’s mission to Europe, and we want you to join our growing development team to help democratize opportunities for students globally! As a core member of our Engineering team, you will:
- Build scalable and efficient software solutions that empower students to kickstart their careers.
- Collaborate with senior engineers to learn and implement best practices in software engineering.
- Support feature development and bug fixes across various parts of the application stack, directly enhancing the student job-seeking experience.
- Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, testing, and deployment, ensuring seamless functionality for our users.
- Assist in maintaining system reliability by addressing technical issues and implementing enhancements that improve platform performance.
- Contribute to team documentation and knowledge sharing, fostering collaboration and project success.
You are
We value diverse perspectives and experiences. Whether you’re a recent graduate or transitioning to a software development career, we’d love to hear from you if you share our passion for building impactful software.
- A recent graduate or early-career software engineer with 0-1 year of experience in professional software development.
- Passionate about building software and eager to learn modern development practices.
- Curious, self-motivated, and excited to solve real-world problems using technology.
- A strong communicator with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
- Able to adapt quickly to new tools, frameworks, and technologies.
- Proactive in seeking guidance and feedback to improve your technical skills.
- Detail-oriented with a focus on writing clean, well-documented code.
Technical Skills We’re Looking For
We’re excited about what you already know and eager to help you learn more. You’ll thrive in this role if you have:
- Strong foundational understanding of programming concepts and software development principles.
- Basic knowledge of networking and system design concepts.
- Familiarity with one or more programming languages (e.g., Ruby, Python, Golang, JavaScript, TypeScript).
- Basic understanding of web technologies (HTML, CSS, REST APIs).
- Willingness to learn modern frameworks (e.g., RoR, React).
- Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines.
- Exposure to databases and basic query writing skills.
Growth Path
As an Associate Software Engineer, you'll:
- 0-4 months: Familiarize yourself with the codebase, tools, and development workflows. Work on small, well-defined tasks such as bug fixes and minor feature updates. Collaborate closely with team members to learn best practices and deploy your first updates to production.
- 4-8 months: Take on medium-sized tasks and contribute to feature development under the guidance of senior engineers. Develop a deeper understanding of the application stack, participate actively in design discussions and code reviews, and work cross-functionally with design or product teams.
- 8-12 months: Own a small feature from start to finish, including design, implementation, and testing. Demonstrate increasing independence while continuing to seek feedback and mentorship. Build proficiency in debugging and addressing system reliability issues.
- Beyond: Gradually take the lead on initiatives, from project scoping to implementation, and tackle more complex technical challenges as you grow into a Software Engineer role.
We are committed to your development and will provide mentorship, training, and opportunities to advance your career.
If you’re passionate about technology, eager to grow, and excited about building impactful software, we’d love to hear from you!
For cash compensation, we set standard ranges for all U.S.-based roles based on function, level, and geographic location, benchmarked against similar stage growth companies. In order to be compliant with local legislation, as well as to provide greater transparency to candidates, we share salary ranges on all job postings regardless of desired hiring location. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors, including geographic location as well as candidate experience and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed above.
About us
Handshake is the career platform for Gen Z. With a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators, Handshake’s network is where career advice and discovery turn into first, second, and third jobs. Nearly 1 million companies use Handshake to build their future workforce—from Fortune 500 to federal agencies, school districts to startups, healthcare systems to small businesses. Handshake is built for where you’re going, not where you’ve been.
When it comes to our workforce strategy, we’ve thought deeply about how work-life should look at Handshake. With our hybrid-work model, employees benefit from collaboration and shared team experiences three days per week in our vibrant offices, and enjoy the flexibility of remote work two days per week. Handshake is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York, London, and Berlin.
What we offer
At Handshake, we'll give you the tools to feel healthy, happy and secure.
Benefits below apply to employees in full-time positions.
- 💰 Equity and ownership in a fast-growing company.
- 🍼 16 Weeks of paid parental leave for birth giving parents & 10 weeks of paid parental leave for non-birth giving parents.
- 💝 Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision policies including LGTBQ+ Coverage. We also provide resources for Mental Health Assistance, Employee Assistance Programs and counseling support.
- 💻 Handshake offers $500/£360 home office stipend for you to spend during your first 3 months to create a productive and comfortable workspace at home.
- 📚 Generous learning & development opportunities and an annual $2,000/£1,500/€1,850 stipend for you to grow your skills and career.
- 💰 Financial coaching through Origin to help you through your financial journey.
- 🛜 Monthly internet stipend and a brand new MacBook to allow you to do your best work.
- 🚃 Monthly commuter stipend for you to expense your travel to the office (for office-based employees).
- 🥗 Free lunch provided twice a week across all offices.
- 🤝 Referral bonus to reward you when you bring great talent to Handshake.
(US-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)
- 🏦 401k Match: Handshake offers a dollar-for-dollar match on 1% of deferred salary, up to a maximum of $1,200 per year.
- 🏝 All full-time US-based Handshakers are eligible for our flexible time off policy to get out and see the world. In addition, we offer 8 standardized holidays, and 2 additional days of flexible holiday time off. Lastly, we have a Winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off.
- 🍼 Family support: We partner with Milk Stork to provide comprehensive 100% employer-sponsored lactation support to traveling parents and guardians. Parental leave coaching and support provided by Parentaly.
(UK-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)
- 🏦 Pension Scheme: Handshake will provide you with a workplace pension, where you will make contributions based on 5% of your salary. Handshake will pay the equivalent of 3% towards your pension plan, subject to qualifying earnings limits.
- 🏝 Up to 25 days of vacation to encourage people to reset, recharge, and refresh, in addition to 8 bank holidays throughout the year.
- 🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco.
- 🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake UK employees.
(Germany-specific benefits, in addition to the first section)
- 🏝 25 days of annual leave + 5 days of a winter #ShakeBreak, a one-week period of Collective Time Off across the company.
- 🤝 Regular offsites each year to bring the team together + opportunity to travel to our HQ in San Francisco once a year.
- 🧘 Urban sports club membership offering access to a diverse network of fitness and wellness facilities.
- 🛍️ Discounts across various high street retailers, cinemas and other social activities exclusively for Handshake Germany employees.
Looking for more? Explore our mission, values and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.
Handshake is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Top Skills
What We Do
Handshake is the #1 place to launch a career with no connections, experience, or luck required. The platform connects up-and-coming talent with 650,000+ employers - from Fortune 500 companies like Google, Nike, and Target to thousands of public school districts, healthcare systems, and nonprofits. Earlier this year, we announced our $200M Series F funding round. This Series F fundraise and new valuation of $3.5B will fuel Handshake’s next phase of growth and propel our mission to help more people start, restart, and jumpstart their careers.
Why Work With Us
How someone builds their career is foundational. We believe in working with the higher education community to help students build meaningful careers. We are at the nexus of universities, students and employers— and we’re able to connect the very best pieces of each side. We’re proud to create a community where students can be more successful.
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