[vancouver-scala] ex-Googler seed-stage startup looking for 3 crack Scala / Lift engineers for ≥3 month project
36 views
Skip to first unread message
Alex
May 9, 2010, 2:38:11 AM5/9/10
to vancouver-scala
[If this is a disallowed post, let me know and I will delete. Thanks!]
Do you love Scala, functional programming, Lift, the social web,
algorithms, machine learning, auctions, viral coefficients,
optimization, behavioral finance, or some or all of the above?
We are two ex-Google Product Marketers, and we're creating what we
believe is a genuinely novel, social, well-branded, useful, and highly-
monetizable app that leverages the best of Facebook's connection
points. Unlike typical product managers, who tend to think narrowly
about the product - how well it's designed, the evolution of its
feature set, its market positioning against competitors – and believe
users will just come, we also put on our marketing hats and thought
through very subtle but powerful factors such as early-stage
incentives, network effects, brand resonance, emotional attachment,
social reinforcement, ease of customer acquisition via quantifiable
channels, and the product's intrinsic viral potential/coefficient. We
also have some killer potential names (and own the associated domain
families).
Like all new tech ideas, we are facing significant risk. The
probability of success is low. But conditioned on that (potentially
low) chance of success, the payoff will be very high – we are
operating in markets of large magnitude, and our idea has broad
applicability across demographics. We see it as a 'binary bet', and
one that will take about 3-6 months worth of development time to
determine the outcome. It's in the nature of the incentive structures
we're building, the product's attachment and engagement methods, and
user acquisition strategy, that if it "works", positive feedback will
kick in quickly and the binary bet would pay off big.
We're looking for two or three lead Scala / Lift engineers to work
closely with us on a contract basis for 12-24 weeks to build version 1
of the product. We're based in SF Bay Area, and a remote team is OK
with us. We haven't raised money, and do not intend to at this early
stage (we can generate meaningful revenue even with a small number of
users, as long as they are engaged); that being said, we can afford to
pay a high quality developer market rates for early stage startups,
and can offer equity as a "kicker" upon successful and satisfactory
completion of the project.
A bonus if you're also an ex-Googler, have done significant work in
Scala / Lift before, can implement basic machine learning algorithms,
or have experience in the payments / micropayments space.
It's also a big bonus if you have a good head for design and user
experience. Major plus if your a font-addict like we are.
If this sounds interesting and you'd like to hear more, please get
back to me with your availability for a short interview, and forward
your resume/cv/recent projects. Also tell me about what brought you to
Scala, how experienced you are with the language and the lift
framework, and what fields of either theoretical computer science or
product architecture and development interest you the most. What does
your dream software engineering job looks like? What's your preferred
engagement model (contract, hourly, project-based, part-time, full-
time, cash, equity, a mix), and a short cover letter describing your
background.
About us: We're two ex-Google guys with significant experience in web
and non-web marketing. One of us sells his own line of furry sandals
at http://www.bonsaisand... and sells Hamburger Phones (from the movie
Juno) at http://www.thehamburg... – he started his first business from
his dorm room in 2000, selling surplus consumer electronics and
computer peripherals on eBay while taking a full engineering course
load. The other one has marketing in his blood and has been thinking
about marketing from an academic perspective for years.
Regards,
Alex
al...@bonsaisandals.com
--
This message courtesy of the "vancouver-scala" group.
Post: vancouv...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: vancouver-sca...@googlegroups.com
More? http://groups.google.com/group/vancouver-scala?hl=en
Do you love Scala, functional programming, Lift, the social web,
algorithms, machine learning, auctions, viral coefficients,
optimization, behavioral finance, or some or all of the above?
We are two ex-Google Product Marketers, and we're creating what we
believe is a genuinely novel, social, well-branded, useful, and highly-
monetizable app that leverages the best of Facebook's connection
points. Unlike typical product managers, who tend to think narrowly
about the product - how well it's designed, the evolution of its
feature set, its market positioning against competitors – and believe
users will just come, we also put on our marketing hats and thought
through very subtle but powerful factors such as early-stage
incentives, network effects, brand resonance, emotional attachment,
social reinforcement, ease of customer acquisition via quantifiable
channels, and the product's intrinsic viral potential/coefficient. We
also have some killer potential names (and own the associated domain
families).
Like all new tech ideas, we are facing significant risk. The
probability of success is low. But conditioned on that (potentially
low) chance of success, the payoff will be very high – we are
operating in markets of large magnitude, and our idea has broad
applicability across demographics. We see it as a 'binary bet', and
one that will take about 3-6 months worth of development time to
determine the outcome. It's in the nature of the incentive structures
we're building, the product's attachment and engagement methods, and
user acquisition strategy, that if it "works", positive feedback will
kick in quickly and the binary bet would pay off big.
We're looking for two or three lead Scala / Lift engineers to work
closely with us on a contract basis for 12-24 weeks to build version 1
of the product. We're based in SF Bay Area, and a remote team is OK
with us. We haven't raised money, and do not intend to at this early
stage (we can generate meaningful revenue even with a small number of
users, as long as they are engaged); that being said, we can afford to
pay a high quality developer market rates for early stage startups,
and can offer equity as a "kicker" upon successful and satisfactory
completion of the project.
A bonus if you're also an ex-Googler, have done significant work in
Scala / Lift before, can implement basic machine learning algorithms,
or have experience in the payments / micropayments space.
It's also a big bonus if you have a good head for design and user
experience. Major plus if your a font-addict like we are.
If this sounds interesting and you'd like to hear more, please get
back to me with your availability for a short interview, and forward
your resume/cv/recent projects. Also tell me about what brought you to
Scala, how experienced you are with the language and the lift
framework, and what fields of either theoretical computer science or
product architecture and development interest you the most. What does
your dream software engineering job looks like? What's your preferred
engagement model (contract, hourly, project-based, part-time, full-
time, cash, equity, a mix), and a short cover letter describing your
background.
About us: We're two ex-Google guys with significant experience in web
and non-web marketing. One of us sells his own line of furry sandals
at http://www.bonsaisand... and sells Hamburger Phones (from the movie
Juno) at http://www.thehamburg... – he started his first business from
his dorm room in 2000, selling surplus consumer electronics and
computer peripherals on eBay while taking a full engineering course
load. The other one has marketing in his blood and has been thinking
about marketing from an academic perspective for years.
Regards,
Alex
al...@bonsaisandals.com
--
This message courtesy of the "vancouver-scala" group.
Post: vancouv...@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: vancouver-sca...@googlegroups.com
More? http://groups.google.com/group/vancouver-scala?hl=en
Alex Cruise
May 9, 2010, 3:51:47 AM5/9/10
to vancouver-scala
On May 8, 11:38 pm, Alex <alex.var...@gmail.com> wrote:
> [If this is a disallowed post, let me know and I will delete. Thanks!]
No, we're cool. :)
> [If this is a disallowed post, let me know and I will delete. Thanks!]
I'd apply myself if I hadn't just signed on to a new startup. :)
-0xe1a
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages