How to apply for Engineering Roles

About Survival and Flourishing

Survival and Flourishing is a public benefit corporation that operates as a philanthropic fund, supporting projects aimed at improving the survival and flourishing of humanity and other sentient beings. They have a notable track record, including donations to 80,000 Hours, and focus on high-impact giving. Working here means contributing directly to causes that matter, with a small, mission-driven team.

About the role

As an engineer at Survival and Flourishing, you'll build and maintain grant evaluation software used by philanthropists and grant evaluators to allocate funds effectively. Your work will span frontend, backend, and database development, with a strong emphasis on security and usability for sensitive data. You'll also develop automated testing systems using AI agents, making the evaluation process more reliable and scalable.

A typical day

You might start your day with a stand-up meeting to discuss progress on a new feature for the grant evaluation platform, then spend the morning coding a secure API endpoint for evaluator data. In the afternoon, you could collaborate with a designer to refine the user interface for a complex grant review workflow, and later experiment with an AI agent to automate regression tests. The pace is collaborative and mission-focused, with regular opportunities to see how your work directly supports philanthropic decision-making.

Who Survival and Flourishing is looking for

• Full-stack engineer comfortable with frontend, backend, and database technologies, ideally with experience in secure data handling.
• Has a strong security mindset, with experience implementing security hardening and protecting sensitive information (e.g., grant, evaluator, and funder data).
• Designs user-centric experiences for complex workflows, such as grant evaluation, and can translate intricate requirements into intuitive interfaces.
• Excited about leveraging AI agents for automated testing and verification, and eager to improve software reliability through innovative tooling.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience you have with grant-making, philanthropy, or nonprofit software—even if it's side projects or volunteer work—because it shows you understand the domain.
• Emphasize security-related work in your resume or portfolio, such as implementing encryption, access controls, or compliance (e.g., GDPR, SOC2), since protecting sensitive data is a key responsibility.
• Showcase full-stack projects where you built features end-to-end, especially those involving complex user workflows or data-heavy applications.
• Demonstrate familiarity with AI agents or automated testing frameworks; mention any projects where you used AI to improve software quality or verification.
• Tailor your cover letter to Survival and Flourishing's mission—express genuine interest in effective altruism or improving humanity's long-term prospects, as cultural fit is important.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your motivation for working at a mission-driven organization focused on survival and flourishing, and how your values align with theirs.', 'Specific examples of building secure, reliable software for sensitive data, and how you approach security hardening.', 'Experience designing user experiences for complex workflows, particularly in grant evaluation or similar domains (e.g., financial, healthcare).', 'Any work with AI agents or automated testing systems, and how you see this improving grant evaluation software.']

Research before applying

• Explore Survival and Flourishing's website, especially their past grant recommendations and the causes they support, to understand their philanthropic focus.
• Research 80,000 Hours and effective altruism to grasp the philosophical underpinnings and the impact-driven culture of the organization.
• Look into common challenges in grant evaluation software, such as data security, workflow complexity, and reporting needs, to speak knowledgeably in interviews.
• Investigate how AI agents are currently used in software testing and verification, and think about how they could be applied to grant evaluation.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you design a grant evaluation system to handle sensitive data while ensuring usability for evaluators?
• Describe a time you implemented security measures to protect sensitive data. What was your approach and what did you learn?
• What experience do you have with AI agents for testing or verification? How would you apply them to improve reliability in grant evaluation software?
• Walk us through a complex workflow you designed and how you ensured a good user experience.
• Why are you interested in working for a philanthropic organization like Survival and Flourishing, and how do you see your engineering work contributing to their mission?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on technical skills without showing any interest in the mission or philanthropic domain—this role requires alignment with the company's values.
• Neglecting to mention security experience, as it's a core requirement; even if you haven't worked in a highly regulated environment, highlight any relevant coursework or projects.
• Submitting a generic application that doesn't address the specific responsibilities like AI agent testing or complex workflow design—tailor your materials to show you've read the job description carefully.