Community Engineer (SWE3), Brilliant Black Minds (United States)

Karat; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 157,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Karat is building the Brilliant Black Minds program to increase access for diverse software engineers through live interviews and AI-enhanced preparation tools. You will be the sole engineer on the BBM program, combining hands-on development with community program management to deliver scalable tooling, automation, and experiences for 11,000+ engineers.

The role emphasizes end-to-end ownership, architecture, and integrating AI into recruitment-focused features, with a strong emphasis on

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience designing and shipping web applications or distributed systems
• Proficiency in Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Ruby; API design experience
• Experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure and cloud deployment
• Familiarity with LLM APIs and AI-enhanced features
• Strong communication skills and ability to work independently on end-to-end projects
• Active involvement in the technical community and mentorship roles

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end projects from design through release
• Build and maintain scalable services, APIs, and components
• Integrate LLM APIs and AI-enhanced capabilities into BBM offerings
• Develop tooling and automations to scale community operations
• Moderate and engage with the Discord community and study groups
• Identify community needs and ship practical solut ions

Skills

Python

JavaScript/TypeScript

Ruby

API design

Cloud infrastructure

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS

Tools

Discord bots

Automation workflows

Developer portals

Job description

We’re Karat, the world's largest interviewing company.

Karat is transforming organizations around the world. We provide a powerful system for technical leaders at companies like PayPal, Atlassian, and Citi who want to take control of how they hire top engineers, elevate their teams and contractors, and stay ahead. At the core of Karat’s system are live, expert‑led interviews, analytics designed to give leaders maximum visibility, and the most robust interview performance dataset in the world.

Come join our Brilliant Black Minds team

Our Brilliant Black Minds (BBM) team is committed to increasing access for diverse software engineers by connecting a community of 11,000+ members with networks, opportunities, and the technical interview preparation they need to thrive.

What you will do

• As a Community Engineer at Karat, you will drive the technical evolution of Brilliant Black Minds, building AI-powered tools, automations, and experiences that serve a community of 11,000+ diverse software engineers. This role is 70% hands‑on engineering and 30% community program management; you will be the sole engineer on the program, and staying close to the community is as important as the code you ship.
• Lead projects end-to-end from design through release, including those with significant ambiguity.
• Build and maintain clean, scalable services, components, and APIs; take accountability for the quality and reliability of all code you touch.
• Integrate LLM APIs and AI‑enhanced capabilities into BBM's technical interview preparation offerings, helping the community stay current with AI‑era engineering practices.
• Leverage AI‑assisted development as a core part of your engineering workflow to move quickly and build efficiently as a solo engineer.
• Build tooling and automations that scale BBM's community operations, including newsletter workflows, Discord integrations, and candidate‑facing resources.
• Manage day‑to‑day community operations: moderating Discord, engaging members across experience levels, and participating in study groups.
• Identify gaps in what the community needs, design solutions, and ship them.

The experience you will bring

• 5+ years of professional experience designing and shipping web applications or distributed systems to production
• Proficiency in modern programming languages and frameworks (experience with Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Ruby strongly preferred); comfort across the stack and with API design
• Experience with system architecture, database design, cloud infrastructure, and deployment technologies (AWS, GCP, or Azure)
• Familiarity with LLM APIs or AI‑enhanced product features; curiosity about how AI/ML technologies can enhance assessment, learning, or community experiences
• A track record of delivering projects independently, from problem identification to shipped solution, with high‑quality output
• Active involvement in the technical community as a mentor, advisor, or contributor, and genuine comfort engaging with engineers across all experience levels, from new grads to senior engineers
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate technical concepts clearly for a non‑technical audience when needed
• Experience building community‑facing technical products or tooling, such as Discord bots, automation workflows, developer portals, or equivalent, is a strong plus

This position is only available to candidates residing in the following U.S. states: CA, FL, IL, MA, MO, NY, OR, TX, WA.

While our team operates 100% remotely, we are currently limiting hiring to these specific locations. Applications from other states will not be considered at this time. Immigration sponsorship is not available.

U.S. Compensation Varies by Geographic Location

At Karat, salary ranges for each U.S.-based position are determined by the employee's work location. We structure our compensation into geographic tiers based on market data and regional economic factors. Please refer to our geographic classification document to view which tier applies to your location. If your area isn't included in our classification system, please connect with your Recruiter for specific details. These geographic classifications may be adjusted periodically.

• Base Salary (GeoLo 1)$157,284.10—$180,178.30 USD
• Base Salary (GeoLo 2)$141,555.69—$162,160.47 USD
• Base Salary (GeoLo 3)$125,827.28—$144,142.64 USD
• Base Salary (GeoLo 4)$110,098.87—$125,124.81 USD

Additional Information

By applying for a position, you consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with Karat’s Employee and Contractor Privacy Notice found here.

Statement of Inclusivity

In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on: race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on “protected categories,” we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at Karat.

We value a diverse workforce: people of color, womxn, and LGBTQIA+ individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know at .