28
Engineer spots left this month
Each month, I work with a curated group of cracked 0→1 engineers — the kind of founders founders want to hire or co-found with.
As of this issue, only 28 spots remain.
If you’re building something on the side, bored at Big Tech, or just too good to be cold applying, this is your sign.
🤖 AI / Industry Recap
🏗️ Amazon to invest $54B in UK AI infrastructure
Amazon plans to pour £40B (~$54B) into the U.K. over the next three years—expanding cloud and AI data centers and creating thousands of skilled tech jobs
💡 Meta poaches top-tier AI researchers from OpenAI
Meta just scooped up three researchers from OpenAI’s Zurich lab, signaling an aggressive attempt to catch up in the superintelligence race
⚔️ ServiceNow CTO: AI is reshaping engineering careers
ServiceNow CTO Pat Casey notes generative AI is automating routine coding, shifting engineer roles toward strategic system design or specialization
Megan’s Take
It’s wild how fast this space is moving. Execs are warning that routine coding is getting automated away. If you’re an engineer, this isn’t the moment to coast at a cushy FAANG role, actually, it might be a great time to look to make a move.
Recent job posting in
NewYork
jobTitle: Founding Product Engineer_
}
// Base: $135k - $220K;
// Company: Vecflow;
// Funding: $6M Seed (Pear VC, Afore Capital)
// Location: NewYork (Onsite);
// MustHaveSkills: React, TypeScript, building AI-native UIs, fast prototyping;
}
OUTPUT:
Recent job posting in
NewYork
jobTitle: Founding Engineer_
}
// Base: $85k - $175K;
// Company: Closure;
// Funding: YC-backed, investors include CRV, Box Group, Liquid 2
// Location: NewYork (Hybrid/Onsite, high travel);
// MustHaveSkills: Python, React, Typescript, customer-facing experience, startup grit;
}
OUTPUT:
Recent job posting in
SanFrancisco
jobTitle: Technical Support Engineer_
}
// Base: $TBD;
// Company: Cursor;
// Funding: $173M Seed (a16z, OpenAI, Stripe founders)
// Location: SanFrancisco (Remote);
// MustHaveSkills: SDKs, OAuth, web dev, AI/LLM familiarity, dev-focused support;
}
OUTPUT:
Recent job posting in
SanFrancisco
jobTitle: Founding Engineer_
}
// Base: $140k - $280K;
// Company: Mandolin;
// Funding: $12.5M (SignalFire, Maverick, Thrive)
// Location: SanFrancisco (Onsite, relocation supported);
// MustHaveSkills: TypeScript, Python, React, 0→1 projects, AI infra in regulated industries;
}
OUTPUT:
AMA
Question:
How Do I Plan the Next 5 Years of My Career?
Answer:
Over the next 5 years, you should be building a trajectory.
But how do you do that without getting stuck chasing titles or golden handcuffs?
The sharpest engineers I work with map their 5-year runway.
Year 1–2: Join a slope-heavy startup. Prioritize learning curve, visibility, and decision-making power.
Year 3–4: Become the go-to engineer. Own 0→1 initiatives, mentor others, and build public signal (OSS, blogs, talks).
Year 5: Decide > Staff+ IC? Founder? Angel operator? Hireable VP? By now, you’ve built the leverage to choose, not chase.
— This question was from Camille.
Send me your question by replying to this email.
💡
Thought Prompt of the Week
If you had to make one move this year to set up the next 5, what would it be?
Leaving FAANG?
Doubling down on infra?
Going full send on a startup bet?
Finding a mentor who’s 5 years ahead?
Most engineers overestimate what a title can do and underestimate what a trajectory can do.
→ Hit reply and tell me your move.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Working with Megan was great. We talked for hours on how I can set up the next five years of my career. I’m now at a Series A AI startup, building systems that’ll define this wave of tech. Her guidance helped me see where the real opportunities were.