Ask HN: Who wants to be hired? (July 2024)

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Hundreds of engineers, data scientists, designers, product managers, and other tech professionals worldwide use this July 2024 Hacker News hiring thread to advertise that they’re available for work. Profiles span junior to principal level across web and mobile development, AI/ML, DevOps/SRE, embedded systems, data engineering, and product roles, with a strong tilt toward remote‑friendly opportunities and contract flexibility, offering a broad talent pool for companies hiring across time zones and tech stacks.

Overall pattern

  • Thread is a long list of people actively seeking roles, not a back-and-forth debate.
  • Most posts follow a standard template: location, remote/relocation preference, tech stack, brief background, and contact info.
  • A small minority of entries are companies or teams posting open roles.

Roles and seniority

  • Strong skew toward senior and staff-level engineers, architects, SREs, and engineering managers (10–20+ years common).
  • Also present: mid-level full‑stack engineers, data engineers, ML/AI engineers, embedded/firmware engineers, game developers, DevRel, UX/UI and product designers, technical writers, QA/SDET, content/marketing, and product managers.
  • A minority are new grads, bootcamp grads, or career switchers explicitly looking for first or junior roles.

Technologies and domains

  • Web/backend dominate: JavaScript/TypeScript, Node.js, React/Next.js, Vue, Angular, Ruby on Rails, Python (Django/FastAPI/Flask), Go, Java/Spring, C#/.NET, PHP/Laravel.
  • Infrastructure/DevOps/SRE skills are widespread: AWS/GCP/Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform/CloudFormation, CI/CD, monitoring, Linux/BSD admin.
  • Data/ML/AI: many list Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, MLOps, data engineering, analytics, and increasing emphasis on LLMs, RAG, LangChain, vector DBs.
  • Systems/embedded: Rust, C/C++, FPGA/HPC, compilers, networking, firmware, IoT, robotics; some with deep OS/kernel experience.
  • Specialized domains mentioned: fintech, health/biotech, adtech, games, robotics, aerospace, sports tech, climate/sustainability, and education.

Remote work and geography

  • Remote work is heavily preferred; many have long remote histories and state “remote only”.
  • Posters span North America, Europe, UK, Latin America, Africa, Middle East, India, and Asia-Pacific.
  • Many are willing to relocate “for the right role”, often constrained to specific regions or visa situations; others are firmly no-relocate.

Engagement types and preferences

  • Mix of desired arrangements: full‑time employment, contract/freelance, fractional CTO/EM, consulting, and advisory roles.
  • Several express preference for small/startup environments, high-ownership roles, or mission-driven work; some explicitly avoid domains like ads, gambling, or crypto.

Meta and sentiment

  • A few posts reflect on the effectiveness of these threads and on difficulties in the current job market (e.g., layoffs, ageism, long searches).
  • Some highlight side projects, open‑source work, or HN-featured posts as signals of capability and initiative.