Software Developer, Top Hat
+ Stock options
Interactive software for higher education
Be an early applicant
Interactive software for higher education
201-500 employees
Be an early applicant
+ Stock options
201-500 employees
Company mission
To empower educators to engage students and unleash their potential.
Role
Who you are
- Our tech stack includes Python, TypeScript/React, and PostgreSQL, but experience with these is not a requirement. We’re looking for someone who is focused on the fundamentals rather than a specific language or tool. As long as you’re excited to learn and use these, we’ll be happy to help you master them
- Experience: 3+ years of experience in systems programming or web backend development on large code bases such as content management systems, databases, game engines, high frequency trading, or other complex performance sensitive systems
- Knowledge: A deep understanding of web backend fundamentals including the TCP and HTTP(S) protocols, caching, queuing, databases, authorization, security, and Linux/POSIX systems programming
- Strong analytical skills: Ability to quickly navigate and understand large, unfamiliar code bases to identify key components and implement effective solutions
- Data Orientation: Focused on the data and efficient transformations rather than the code, and constantly measuring to guide improvements to new and existing solutions
- Desire to dive deep: A track record of removing abstractions and working at lower levels to maximize the performance and reliability of the systems you work on
- Innovation-focused mindset: Excited by experimentation, eager to propose ideas that enhance both technology and platform design
- A proactive problem-solver: Navigate ambiguity confidently by asking the right questions, making informed decisions, and aligning with stakeholders
- Strong communication skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication, active listening, and the ability to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical audiences
- A commitment to quality: You take pride in writing reliable, tested, well-documented code and take full responsibility for the quality of your work and existing code you work on
What the job involves
- We are looking for a Platform Developer to join our Backend Platform Team
- This team is responsible for building and maintaining the underlying systems and tools our developers and customer support rely on every day
- The Backend Platform team thrives on a deep understanding of our technology and direction, and collaborates with people across the company to build the systems and tools they need to be successful
- With autonomy and data-driven iteration, you'll play a critical role in building and maintaining Top Hat's technology foundation, empowering developers to build products that spark better teaching and learning for a brighter world
- Drive impactful projects: Take ownership of initiatives, leading the entire SDLC—from discovery and planning to development and release—while collaborating with Product, Design, Support, Testing and Engineering peers
- Experiment and innovate: Use creativity and data-driven insights to propose, test, and iterate on solutions that improve both the technology and the products we build
- Collaborate in a dynamic environment: Contribute as part of a cross-functional team, designing and building our scalable, developer-focused platform and tools
- Contribute across the board: Support team goals through bug fixes, individual ticket completion, and ensuring continuous improvement in stability and product quality
Our take
Top Hat is at the apex of two major trends in education: the digitisation of platforms for content and the rising costs of higher education for students. By digitising work largely created by professors, Top Hat has delivered engaging content at lower cost for students across Canada and North America.
Where traditional publishers rely on analogue processes to provide high-quality but largely unengaging, uninteractive and expensive textbooks, Top Hat markets the platform to professors to publish their own interactive multimedia online textbooks. This gives them a cut and builds a holistic student experience on top.
The product has now had so much success that Top Hat’s strategy has evolved to include buying those conventional publishers of postsecondary course materials. This means the company can shift those quality materials into digitally distributed versions and make them available on a subscription basis.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
12% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)
Feb 2021
$130m
SERIES E
Feb 2020
$55m
SERIES D
Total funding: $234.9m
Company benefits
- Professional learning and development for all role levels
- The latest and greatest technology to do your job
- An awesome and welcoming Toronto HQ
- Competitive benefits and health/lifestyle spending accounts
- A management team focused on performance, growth, engagement and connection
- Employee-led, exec sponsored employee resource groups
Company values
- Good In The Woods - We believe that our success depends on being agile, resourceful and brave—no matter how great the challenge
- There Is No 'I' In Top Hat - We believe that teamwork is the key to meeting our goals. We work hard, we work smart and we work without ego
- Aggressive Growth - We believe in moving fast and aiming high, and that our company’s growth will revolutionize higher education
- Treat Professors Like Heroes - We believe professors should be celebrated for their contributions to higher education
Company HQ
Downtown Toronto, Toronto, ON
Articles
Leadership
Maggie (Moylan) Leen
(CEO & CMO)Formerly VP of Marketing and Communications, Medical and Healthcare at Adtalem Global Education. Also spent 14 years at Pearson and 2 years at Community Advocates.
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