Founding Design Engineer, AI Capability Development, Education Labs: Anthropic

This is a "Unicorn" role. Anthropic is building a new internal startup called Education Labs. They are not looking for a standard Full-Stack Engineer, nor a standard Product Designer. They need a Design Engineer—someone who lives in the gray area between code and creativity.

The Core Philosophy: Most software optimizes for Engagement (Time-on-site, clicks). This team explicitly rejects that. They want to optimize for Capability (Did the user actually get smarter/better at the task?). You are building the interface that turns Claude from a "chatbot" into a "collaborative coach."

## Key Responsibilities
The "One-Person Shop": You are the second technical builder on the team. You will architect the frontend, write the backend (Python), and design the UI. You own the feature from concept to deployment.

"Front-of-the-Frontend": This terminology is crucial. They don't just want functional React code; they want high-polish interaction design. You care about animation curves, micro-interactions, and how the AI "feels" when it responds.

Defining "Good": Since this is a new team ("Founding" role), you aren't just executing tickets. You are defining the design system and the engineering standards for how Anthropic handles educational interactions.

## Strategic Analysis: The "Education Labs" Mission
Why does this team exist?

The Problem: AI often makes humans lazy (we let the AI write the email).

The Goal: Anthropic wants AI to increase human agency. They want to build tools where using the AI trains you to be better, rather than replacing you.

The Metric: You will be judged on whether users demonstrate skill acquisition. This is notoriously hard to measure, so a big part of your job is inventing the metrics to track "Human Capability Growth."

## Candidate Profile
The Hybrid: You probably have a Computer Science degree but a portfolio full of creative coding, or a Design background but you contribute to open-source repositories.

The Prototyper: You don't wait for a spec. You build a rough version in code to see if the interaction feels right.

The Skeptic: You share their skepticism of "Gamification" (badges, streaks) and "Tutorials" (pop-ups). You believe in learning by doing.

## Tech Stack Strategy
Frontend: TypeScript, React, CSS (likely Tailwind or custom styling solutions for high polish).

Backend: Python (standard for AI labs), API design.

AI Integration: You need to understand how to pipe LLM outputs into UI elements. It's not just a chat bubble; it might be a dynamic dashboard, a code editor that highlights errors, or a visual canvas.

## Application Strategy
Do not submit a standard resume. This role requires a Portfolio or Proof of Work.

Highlight "Interaction": Static screenshots won't cut it. Send links to live sites or Loom videos showing how your interfaces move and respond.

The "Why": In your cover letter (or the "Why Anthropic" section), focus heavily on the concept of Human-AI Symbiosis. Critique current AI tools for making people passive and propose how design can fix that.

## Critical "Knockout" Criteria
Full Stack + Design: If you are a backend engineer who "can do a little CSS," or a Designer who "can use Webflow," you will likely be rejected. They need deep expertise in both React/TS and Visual Design.

Product Instincts: You need to show you can make product decisions, not just build what you are told.

Ambiguity: You must be comfortable working on a team where the roadmap is undefined.