Software Engineer

Slate is hiring a software engineer to help us build the next iteration of Slate.com. The ideal candidate will have experience with full stack web development as well as in content publishing and scaling.

As a software engineer, you’ll be part of a small dev team of talented software engineers (think between five and 10) as well as a larger team of product managers and designers. You will be on the ground floor in choosing and implementing technologies that power Slate.com and other Slate-related products and services. This position is located in D.C. (preferred) or New York. This position is for an individual contributor and does not require managing other developers.

Tech You’ll Encounter at Slate

As an engineer at Slate, you’ll encounter loads of interesting technologies, including Node.js, Vue.js, Python, Django, Redis, Postgres, React Native, and Docker.

Desired Qualities of a Software Engineer

For this position to be a good fit, you MUST

• Have several years of experience building websites. Apps are good, but websites are important. You should also know the difference!
• Have significant experience in JavaScript and/or Python. You’re able to explain and talk through the changes coming along in ECMAScript but don’t mind writing jQuery when you need to fix something. Alternatively (or additionally!), you can talk about pip and tell someone why they “really should be using a virtual env.”
• Have experience with scaling web content—you know when to use the CDN vs. a cache, you know where that cache should live, and you know key-value stores and load balancers
• Have strong Git skills—you know when and where to rebase and understand the value of branching
• Have experience with continuous integration (Jenkins, Travis CI, etc.)
• Have significant experience with the command line
• Have an interest in Slate/the news/publishing content that lots of users see
• Have empathy (especially for users of websites and software)

For this position to be a good fit, you SHOULD

• Have experience with Agile development
• Have once tried to build your own CMS and understand how complicated of an idea that is
• Have knowledge of the current web landscape. Why is React so popular? Why is it so hard for people to just switch to Python3 sometimes? What’s the difference between CommonJS and AMD, and did ECMAScript 6 make it obsolete? Why can’t all the things be handled by Babel?
• Be located in D.C. (preferred) or New York (we cannot pay relocation for this position). Although engineers often work from home, everyone is within commuting distance of either office and frequently collaborate in person.

To apply for this position, you MAY:

• Include a brief statement about yourself and why you think Slate would be a good fit for you
• Include links as you see fit (GitHub? a thing you’ve built?)

About the Company

Slate, founded in 1996, is a daily online magazine and podcast network that helped invent the voice of the web. Our strong editorial voice and witty take on current events & culture have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online. Our podcast network, established in 2005, produces more than 20 podcasts, including Slow Burn, What Next, Decoder Ring, and more.

Slate is an affiliate of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC). GHC is a diversified holding company whose operations include educational services; home health and hospice care; television broadcasting, online, print, and local TV news; automotive dealerships; manufacturing; hospitality; and consumer internet companies.

Slate is an affiliate of Graham Holdings. Read the Graham Holdings Company California Worker Privacy Statement here.