Dev Talent Spotlight | May '26

+ a guide to writing job ads that actually work + new roles

Author

Lisa Deng
May 12, 2026 β€’ Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

🌟 Featured Developer

Front-end developer, Design engineer, UI engineer, software engineer
⏳ 7+ years
πŸ“ Sydney, Remote
πŸ₯ž React, TypeScript, Next.js
πŸ’΅ $145k p/a or $100 p/h
βœ… Salary negotiable for equity
A frontend engineer who has built two design systems from scratch β€” architecting an entertainment company's design system to launch two major radio sites in three months, and rallying their team to deliver a new design system for a VC backed scaleup despite management resistance, where it became the mobile standard. This led to measurable wins such as 40% bundle reduction and 60% faster builds.

They are looking for a people-first culture β€” Ideally working on design systems or visually-driven challenges.
Vouched for by
Jarrod Van den Heuvel
Software Engineer @ Propellor Aero
"This developer is an exceptional engineer who genuinely cares about the bigger picture as well as the details."

 Know a founder looking for a CTO or founding engineer?

Forward this newsletter and speed up their search

Hiring Tips

A Founder's Guide to Writing a Job Ad That Actually Attracts Good Developers

Stop writing lists of demands. Here's how to pitch your opportunity so people actually want to join
"
"When you're a startup that basically no one has heard of, you've got to have some hypothesis on how you are going to win the best talent"
β€” Steve Hind, Founder, Lorikeet

Most startup job ads read like procurement documents β€” and the best developers scroll straight past them. If you're struggling to attract strong engineering talent, the problem might be your ad, not your opportunity.

This article breaks down exactly how to write a job ad that competes for the developers you actually want:

  • Pitch like you would to an investor β€” give candidates a compelling reason to believe in what you're building
  • Use proof points β€” funding, customers, backers β€” to build credibility and reduce perceived risk
  • Show what candidates gain β€” autonomy, impact, equity, growth; lean into what startups offer that big companies can't
  • Rethink your requirements β€” the traits you list shape who applies, so be honest about what you actually value
  • Be transparent around salary β€” Especially if your offer is market competitive. don't make strong candidates guess

A better job ad means better candidates, less wasted screening time, and a reusable pitch for every future hire.

Read more

πŸ—“οΈ Other Notable Profiles

ο»Ώ
Frontend Engineer + UX designer
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’Ό 2-5 years
🏠 Sydney (Open to relocating), Remote
πŸ’΅ $85k p/a or $45 p/h
βœ… Salary negotiable for equity
Frontend engineer turned UX designer, with hands-on experience building web apps from ideation to deployment and teaching design programming at the University of Sydney.
Lisa Deng
Vouched for by
Lisa Deng
Product Designer | Founder of SkillsRobin
ο»Ώ
Software Engineer
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’Ό 5-7 years
🏠 Sydney, Remote
πŸ’» TS React, React Native, Go
πŸ’΅ $115k p/a or $110 p/h
βœ… Salary negotiable for equity
Cut mobile load times by 5x and feature build time by 80%, this frontend-leaning engineer brings full-stack experience from climate tech and a strong track record of mentoring peers.
Andy Hogan
Vouched for by
Andy Hogan
Product Designer @ Canva
ο»Ώ
Product designer / Researcher
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’Ό 7+
🏠 Sydney (Open to relocating), Remote
πŸ’΅
βœ… Salary negotiable for equity
Designed ribit.net's UI before it scaled to 40,000+ users β€” logo now trademarked. Brings that same precision to complex data platforms in engineering and healthcare.
Renee Noble
Vouched for by
Renee Noble
Cloud Advocate @Microsoft | CEO & Founder @ConnectEd Code | Chief Exec Director @Tech Inclusion

Get 5 pre-vetted developers sent to your inbox every month

New Job Opportunities

Full-time roles

Multiple Roles - VC Backed Chemical Intelligence AI Startup

πŸ“ Fully Remote
 πŸ’΅ Competitive market salary + equity
⏳  Permanent, Full-time

We’re building AI tools that transform how chemists work β€” operating at the unique intersection of the physical and digital world. Backed by Australia’s leading VC firms with strong traction and a clear path to scale.

From enhancing existing products to addressing world hunger. From protecting homes against the elements to protecting the sovereignty of nations. Chemistry touches nearly every aspect of our lives. We're building technology that will directly affect people's lives for the better

πŸ“ Sydney, Hybrid
πŸ’΅ $150-170k + equity
⏳  Permanent, Full-time

A seed-stage startup helping consultants draft winning proposals, transform data into strategic insights, and automate delivery. Already trusted by 100+ global consultancies and a finalist in the Consult Australia 2026 Awards.

You'd own features end-to-end, shape the product roadmap with the founding team, and work hands-on with AI every day. Small team, high velocity. Python, FastAPI, React, Pydantic AI, AWS Bedrock.

Part-time, Contract Roles

πŸ“ Remote
πŸ’΅ $55-65 p/h u
⏳  Contact, 3-5 days per week, up to 12 months to start (hours negotiable)

Build accessible transport solutions with a rideshare platform created for the disability community. Own mobile and web platforms (React Native, TypeScript, NestJS, AWS). 5+ years experience required. Real-world impact work.

Co-founder Roles

πŸ“ Remote
πŸ’΅ Equity-based
⏳ Part-time, Join as co-founder

Pre-MVP payment startup with strategic advisor and early partner lead already secured. Own technical architecture, build MVP, lead deployments, and grow into CTO role. Senior Node.js experience required plus CI/CD and UI/UX skills. Ground-floor opportunity for engineers ready for co-founder responsibility.

πŸ“ Sydney Preferred, Remote
πŸ’΅ Equity-based
⏳ Part-time, Join as co-founder

Join as the technical co-founder of an early-stage startup developing a first-of-its-kind digital marketplace for recruiter-qualified, de-identified contingent talentβ€”creating fairer, faster, bias-free hiring pathways. Currently pre-MVP and preparing to build a prototype, pilot with major employers, and raise the first investment round.

Looking to hire?

Post your role with SkillsRobin to receive personalised referrals from our network of trusted tech professionals.

Looking for a dev job or side-hustle?

Create a profile on SkillsRobin and get invitations to connect from startup founders and hiring managers.

About SkillsRobin

SkillsRobin is an open-source employee referral program that connects startups with pre-vetted technical talent through trusted industry referrers.

Our fees are simple and founder-friendly:

  • No upfront costs - you only pay when you hire

  • $750 for part-time hires, $4000 for full-time hires - only pay once they join your team

  • 6-month guarantee - additional fee of the same amount only if hire stays 6+ months

  • Up to 8x cheaper than an external recruiter

Candidates are developers based in ANZ, interested in working with early stage startups and come with referrals from industry professionals, saving you time in the initial screening process.

Offers

  • Get up to 43.5% of your research and development spending as a cash refund. If your research and development involves taking on technical risk, the R&D tax incentive could be an ongoing source of funding for your startup. Contact Grant Help and get $200 off your first invoice when you book through this link: https://hs.granthelp.com.au/rdti-eoi-skillsrobin

  • Work 3x faster - Translate speech to text with 95% accuracy with Wispr Flow. No need to stop to fix up punctuation. Get one month free of pro using this referral link 

  • Get 10% Google Workplace for the first year when you sign up through this link https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/9kwf

Know a founder looking for a CTO or founding engineer?

Forward this newsletter and speed up their search

Questions about any of these profiles or our process? Reply to this email ([email protected]) or visit our website