Senior Research Engineer, Synthesia

Since I joined Synthesia at the start of 2022, I have always been made to feel as if there was a path for me and that higher management were there to guide me and support me towards my career goals. Goals and targets were always clearly set and I always have support if I need it. Even though the company is a very fast paced start up I am able to trust my higher ups to communicate with myself and the team and to provide us with all the support we need.

Since the beginning, management made it very clear that all opinions are valued and that our feedback is taken on board. I’ve always been able to come to different levels of management with ideas or concerns and have continuously felt listened to. We also have a ton of channels to report feedback on things like product, so we all feel like we can make a difference in the company.

Leadership is strong throughout the company, and a lot of care is taken when hiring new leaders to ensure they'll be a good fit. It is also amazing to work for a company where the founders stay so involved and to see their passion for the company on a day to day basis.

The whole company is full of super smart, driven people. That's especially true about the RnD department which is packed with knowledgable colleagues one can learn from and grow together with. It may even be a bit daunting but being surrounded by such great talent is a great opportunity.

The product we're building at Synthesia is at the forefront of technology. We've made great strides since the start of the company and there's more innovations yet to be built. No greater place to be if you love technology and want to make an impact with real people.

There has never been micromanaging at Synthesia and I don't see that ever changing. In fact, ownership is literally one of the pillars of working at Synthesia. People are encouraged to be autonomous but can always get help when needed. And there's no greater pride that owning a crucial part of a smooth running operation.

In my 1.5 years at Synthesia, I've witnessed firsthand the continued success of our commercial team. The genuinely fun and caring culture here makes every day enjoyable, and the opportunities for career progression are outstanding. The exceptional management has been instrumental in my growth, providing clear guidance and support at every step.

Working at Synthesia, I get to communicate the continued advancement of our platform, which is truly cutting-edge. The rapid progress we make is exhilarating, and I genuinely look forward to our all-hands meetings each month to see all the exciting updates. It's rewarding to be part of something so innovative and transformative

My journey at Synthesia has been incredible, progressing from the SDR team to the CSM team. Both managers and team leaders have been exceptionally supportive and easy to work with. They’ve been instrumental in developing my skills and consistently celebrate everyone's successes. Their kindness, intelligence, and swift action in driving necessary changes have made a significant impact on my career growth and my enjoyment of each role!

Ownership is key to how everyone works at Synthesia. Over the past 18 months since joining, I have been given ownership of a vast array of exciting and challenging projects such as building the annual budget, designing GTM incentives and defining ARR to name a few. Having ownership of these projects rather than following a predefined process allowed for huge learning opportunities and forced me to find the optimal solution.

There is a clear distinction between people simply listening to your opinions and valuing them. Valued opinions lead to action. At Synthesia, if I have conduct an analysis and voice a recommendation, I can be confident action will be taken immediately. This is what drives innovation and ultimately success - its thoroughly satisfying to be a part of.

I work cross functionally with a lot of different people and I'm always amazed at how good everyone is at what they do. Everyone at Synthesia seems to be striving to find best and simplest solution to the problems they face. They're also all super friendly too!

Working at Synthesia is an incredible experience due to the exceptionally bright, hardworking, and intelligent team. The company boasts numerous experts across various fields, providing an excellent opportunity to lean on your colleagues to enhance your own skills. This supportive environment allows you to challenge yourself, fostering significant personal and professional growth.

One of the best things about working at Synthesia is the shared passion for our work. The innovative nature of our tech means we’re constantly pushing boundaries and setting new standards. This demands dedication, and I’m continually inspired by how everyone at Synthesia rises to the challenge. It’s a place where hard work is genuinely valued and rewarded, making it a fantastic environment for those who thrive on giving their best.

At Synthesia, hard work never goes unnoticed. The company really appreciates the effort everyone puts in, recognising and frequently highlighting all kinds of achievements in company 'All Hands'. This appreciation really motivates everyone to keep pushing for excellence and gives us a real sense of pride in what we do.

As the business grows, so do my opportunities to learn and grow as a person. Being part of a hyper-growth AI unicorn is a unique experience in its on right. Doing it with people that are insightful, inspiring and genuinely caring is magical.

People at Synthesia are just darn friendly. The culture across the business fosters a helpful, friendly exchange of ideas and collaboration. People are actually reasonable, and the business actually cares about the individuals. Simply an enjoyable place to be and work.

I have learned more in the last 2.5 years at Synthesia than in the 10 years before that. It's a magical opportunity for growth and learning. New challenges every day, some of the smartest people I've ever met to learn from, bleeding edge technology - what's not to love?

Working within the Support team provides immense opportunities to learn and grow. The direct feedback from customers allows us to gain a deep understanding of their needs and challenges. This constant interaction helps us refine and enhance our product, making it more effective and user-friendly. The open and collaborative work culture encourages continuous learning and innovation. Whenever we identify areas for improvement, we can easily discuss them with our colleagues and managers. This ensures that the best ideas are considered and often implemented, fostering a sense of teamwork and shared purpose. The management's motivational approach and the frequent release of new features keep the environment dynamic and exciting. Each new feature launch is a learning opportunity, allowing us to stay updated with the latest developments and contribute to the product's evolution. Moreover, the supportive atmosphere within the team promotes professional growth. The chance to openly suggest new features and see them come to life is both gratifying and educational. The development team's responsiveness to our suggestions further enhances our learning experience, making us feel valued and integral to the company's success. Overall, the Support team is a vibrant learning hub where addressing issues is just one aspect. The true reward lies in the continuous opportunities to learn, innovate, and contribute to the overarching mission of client success and product excellence.

The collaborative environment within the Support team fosters innovation. Whenever we identify a potential improvement, we can discuss it openly with our colleagues and managers. This open dialogue ensures that everyone's voice is heard and that the best ideas come to fruition. The development team's responsiveness to our suggestions is impressive and promotes a sense of teamwork and shared purpose. In addition to professional satisfaction, there is a strong sense of camaraderie among team members. The management's supportive and motivational approach, coupled with the frequent release of new features, keeps the work environment dynamic and exciting. It feels like we are all part of a forward-moving entity, always striving to make things better for our clients and ourselves. Overall, working in this team is not just about addressing issues; it's about contributing to a larger mission of continuous improvement and client success. This makes the job not only challenging but also incredibly rewarding.

Our all hands company meetings are very direct and clear, it allows a profound amount of clarity as to our goals and targets. Our CEO/COO are very approachable and speak within several meetings and feel part of the team. New starters are given such clear culture values and honestly, everyone here is aligned with the same goals and mutual respect !

Company is growing fast, leadership team is very on point and you are encouraged to do your best work - to figure it out. At the same time, you have all the support you need in case you get stuck. I've been at Synthesia for a year and despite having 8+ years of experience this last year I learnt and progress so much.

You don't have to ask for permissions, there are no unnecessary meetings - if you are hired you are encouraged to take action and ownership. If you have an idea for something, just do it and see how it plays out - you can always fix it. That's how we learn.

Compensation is above market value, stock options are amazing (the company is growing so fast and stock options are becoming more and more valuable), we always get a generous Christmas bonus, and when you get 1 additional month off and 10k$ cash when you are with Synthesia for 4 years. Amazing.

At Synthesia, I am trusted to manage projects and make decisions independently. Knowledge is shared within the team to support independent project work, however, management understand that being able to make independent decisions improves efficiency and results.

Working at Synthesia feels like you are living in a sci-fi movie. The technology is definitely game-changing and there is a real feeling that the products we are working on are going to change the way humans present information.

The energy within the firm is exceptional. Every week there is some sort of exciting announcement to celebrate. The belief in the product is like no-where I have ever worked before and provides huge inspiration to the employees.

My role as Content Moderator at Synthesia places high value on subjectivity. When we are moderating script excerpts that get submitted by users of our product, although there are policy guidelines that must be abided by, we have autonomy of opinion and discussion amongst our team. If one of our opinions didn't match the ultimate decision made on the particular script, they wouldn't be initially dismissed by the team, rather valued for having been included in the discussion, so as to clarify why that didn't impact the ultimate decision made. Our superiors value the engagement and interest in our work, therefore the more passion we demonstrate towards it, the more autonomy we'll have.

Our hierarchical superiors are only above us by role title; as people they establish human equality. We're all following the same mission, each one of us is turning a certain cog of the machine in a certain way, and everyone is appreciated for their efforts. I have personally bonded well with my line manager, the VPs, Directors, CTO, COO, CFO and CEO, regardless of age, status and stage of life. Management have also most recently assembled a channel for celebrating minor and major achievements, which is arguably the most supportive a team can be by allowing a space to celebrate.

I believe this applies to any role at Synthesia; whether you focus mainly on your specialised field, or you interact with colleagues with other responsibilities, there's never any dismissal of curiosity or indulging in new knowledge. We are provided the time to either learn from our peers, to learn skills to have roles like our peers, or to learn skills that can take us in many other directions creatively. As part of the creative team, I am especially given that flexibility to use my paintbrush to create whatever I wish, whilst also gaining other skills that play to my strengths.

There is room for every person to grow, as long as you are putting in the work and showing up it can happen in a matter of time. Set goals, encourage tough talks, be transactional, and of course track your progress.

The management has clear goals, and ways of accomplishing them. When something is unclear, there is a village of people willing to help. When you come to the office it feels good because of the positivity that is shown.

Synthesia AI Software is innovative and extremely useful for personal or corporate use. It is a game-changing product that will open doors and stand out.

A bunch of young people making it work. The company is scaling but also the product is something people have not seen before, so a lot of out-of-the-box thinking is going on.

A very intelligent team, high-performers. A lot of people with PhDs and just in general motivated, talented people, that believe in the product and want to make it work.

When joining there was a lot of questions about my own opinions and view of the things, the first fresh feedback is very welcomed and also I do have this experience that people do value your opinion and take it into account. Founders included.

Since I joined Synthesia about 15 months ago, I've had the opportunity to learn so much about digital video, AI, and real-time collaboration algorithms. Synthesia really gives us the space to self-develop as it helps keep us on the cutting edge! I feel like I've grown significantly as an engineer while being here.

Everyone I've met at Synthesia is incredibly kind, and humble about the amazing work they do. The people here will also go out of their way to help you when you're looking to understand something new.

I've never been micro-managed during my time at Synthesia. The management trusts employees to make decisions that make most sense for the success of the company. Our long-term roadmap meetings are an open forum, and the end-result is that everyone feels like a true owner of the work they do.

Everyone is really dedicated to make Synthesia a better user experience every single day. Product team is super skilled and ships on a daily basis, Support and CS teams work tirelessly to help customers, etc.

The tech is way ahead of any competitors and the stuff we have in the pipeline is mind blowing. It feels like we're just scratching the surface of what's possible with our technology.

Synthesia pays very good salaries and stock options. Above market. Awesome contributors progress very fast both as ICs or managers. Never heard anyone complaining about pay here.

What is great about Synthesia is that employees are seen as experts in their own field, and therefore given autonomy to do their tasks without much interference from the management. You sync on the general direction and focus of your work, but how exactly you do it is up to you.

Working hours aren't rigid - you can work earlier or later than the general working hours if that suits your working style better. You also have the ability to pop out and run errands or go to the doctor during the day if you need to - the management is very understanding when it comes to that.

The company focuses on hiring competent and experienced people, and everyone is compensated fairly. I was offered more than I even thought about asking for. Most job posts clearly state the salary range, which is unusual for a lot of job posts these days.

After over a year at Synthesia, I can confidently say that I am surrounded by intelligent, caring, and trustworthy people that genuinely enjoy what they do. The flat hierarchy is not just a statement, it's actually how the company is structured. Everyone is trusted and encouraged to take ownership while receiving constructive feedback along the way.

I am surrounded by extremely intelligent, kind, and fun people. As a result, I feel that I am a better professional and a better colleague. I have access to all the support and resources to be successful in my job. And yeah, people are also super fun.

Humans first, that's one of the core principles at Synthesia. The CEO and leadership team are hands-on working with everyone, not only providing direction but also seeking feedback from the team and working together. No BS and politics. Everyone is working towards the same goal.

Everyone is super intelligent (not just academic/tech wise) but emotionally and it provides a positive work culture. All employees are open to supporting one another from all different departments and there is a sense of team support across the board for all goals! I love that I am able to go to the CEO for support on a project I'm working on or ask someone from the Creative Team to help me with design. Everyone is available to help :)

Autonomy at Synthesia is great, everyone knows what they are required to do to help the business and their own goals for their teams. It provides a great style of working and there is no such thing as micro management. Everyone is treated as an adult and it really pushes you as an individual to work harder and do your best.

My manager has an open door and is always available for any open and honest conversation that would benefit the company. Synthesia is also transparent with all information and nothing is private (which works well with the trust of all employees) Our All hands meeting which is conducted every two weeks is very open and informative which allows us to see the direction we are headed as a company. This helps with our OKR's and overall the direction our teams/the overall company is working towards.

Not only intelligent, but everyone is also very nice! The people around are the best part of the job! Even now that the company is quite large, everyone is very focused and cares about the company, and there is virtually no drama going on.

I guess this one is pretty self-explanatory. We have a very flat hierarchy with little formalities and it's easy to get your voice heard - and people do listen. After all, everybody is on the same crew and with the same goal.

People don't hesitate to praise where praise is due, and I've heard that myself more than I'd expect, even when doing "not glamorous but necessary" jobs, people do get recognition for a job well done.

The huge success we've seen at Synthesia so far is mostly down to the fact everybody is so nice to work with. Tonnes of collaboration and ideas sharing, organically organised meet ups outside of work and regular team lunches make this a great place to work!

The product is INCREDIBLE! Seriously, even if we disregard the financial success we've had, the customer and investor sentiment alone is enough to prove that we are pioneering a brand new medium of communication and leading the pack while doing it.

Anonymous employee surveys that actually resulted in making this an even better place to work. I've done tonnes of surveys like this before at previous companies and rarely saw any meaningful change from it, but at Synthesia I'm already seeing improvements made to help us bring the best version of ourselves to work!