How to apply for Full-Stack Developer

About Centre Pour la Sécurité de l'IA (CeSIA)

CeSIA is a French independent think tank focused on preventing major AI risks through research, education, and public policy analysis. It is not a typical tech company; it is a policy-oriented organization where the websites support research dissemination and public-facing content. This role offers a chance to work on infrastructure that directly supports AI safety communication.

About the role

You will maintain and improve multilingual websites built with Django, Wagtail, and Laravel on a flexible retainer basis. The work includes debugging backend issues, writing PostgreSQL migrations, deploying via Docker and GitHub, and managing multilingual content and translation fixes. You will also handle front-end tasks with Django templates and Tailwind CSS, and suggest visual improvements.

A typical day

A typical day might involve debugging a backend issue in a Django or Laravel application, writing a PostgreSQL migration, and deploying changes via Docker and GitHub. You could also spend time fixing translation issues in a multilingual Wagtail site and making front-end adjustments with Tailwind CSS. The work is flexible and retainer-based, so tasks vary based on current site needs.

Who Centre Pour la Sécurité de l'IA (CeSIA) is looking for

• Strong Django and Python skills with solid production website experience end-to-end.
• Comfortable debugging backend issues and writing PostgreSQL migrations.
• Experience with Docker and GitHub-based deployment workflows.
• Nice-to-have: PHP, Laravel Nova, Wagtail, and web accessibility basics.
• Able to manage multilingual content and fix translation issues.
• Can work on front-end with Django templates and Tailwind CSS and suggest visual improvements.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific production websites you have maintained or improved, especially multilingual ones.
• Show concrete experience with Django, Wagtail, and Laravel in your portfolio or GitHub.
• Mention any work with PostgreSQL migrations and Docker deployments in your application.
• If you have PHP or Laravel Nova experience, make it visible even if it is not your primary stack.
• Reference CeSIA's focus on AI safety and public policy in your cover letter to show you understand their context.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your hands-on experience maintaining and improving production Django and Wagtail sites.', 'Concrete examples of debugging backend issues and writing PostgreSQL migrations.', 'Experience with multilingual content management and fixing translation issues.', 'Familiarity with Docker, GitHub, and front-end work using Django templates and Tailwind CSS.']

Research before applying

• Read CeSIA's research publications and policy analysis to understand their work on AI risks.
• Look at their current websites to see the tech stack, multilingual setup, and design.
• Check if they have a GitHub organization or public repositories related to their web infrastructure.
• Understand the French context of AI safety and public policy, as CeSIA is a French think tank.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you have debugged a complex backend issue in a Django or Laravel production site.
• Your approach to writing and managing PostgreSQL migrations in a live environment.
• How you handle multilingual content and translation issues in a CMS like Wagtail.
• Your experience with Docker and GitHub for deployment and collaboration.
• How you would suggest and implement visual improvements using Tailwind CSS and Django templates.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without demonstrating specific production experience with Django and Wagtail.
• Ignoring the multilingual aspect of the role; not mentioning any experience with translation or i18n.
• Overlooking the part-time retainer nature of the role and applying as if it is a full-time position.