Engineering Jobs at Substack with Visa Sponsorship
Substack's engineering team builds the infrastructure and product experience behind one of the fastest-growing publishing platforms in the world. The company has a track record of sponsoring work visas for qualified engineers, making it a realistic target if you're on H-1B, F-1 OPT, or TN status.
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INTRODUCTION
Substack is building a new economic engine for culture, giving the brightest, most interesting, and most creative people on the internet the power of their own publishing platform. The terms of our culture should not be set by gate-keeping legacy media or chaos-fueling social media, but by the people who make and participate in that culture. Substack’s model, based on direct subscriptions, has fueled an explosion of independent publishing. It empowers creators with economic autonomy, creative ownership, and a direct connection to their most engaged audiences.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead a team that develops Substack apps for creators and their audiences.
- Engage in strategic product vision and direction-setting with your team, peers, and leadership.
- Scale systems to handle an ever-increasing load and a fast-growing ecosystem of writers and readers.
- Contribute to the whole product process in collaboration with designers, writers, support staff, and many others. From product concept and research to implementation and deployment, we expect you to own your work and deliver high-quality solutions.
- Work directly with customers to solve their problems. The entire company (CEO included) participates in customer support in order to drive empathy for our users and help us build better products.
- Partner with product and engineering leaders across the organization on team-wide initiatives and strategy.
- Collaborate with Substack’s recruiting team to hire and retain great engineers.
- We work with JavaScript, Typescript, Node/Express and React, and Postgres. It’s helpful if you know these technologies already, if not, we’ll be excited to help you learn.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 4+ years of software engineering management experience.
- Passion for recruiting and building healthy, diverse teams.
- Experience in building social and/or media networks.
- Can contribute across the full web stack, but may have a deeper passion for certain technologies and systems.
- Independent and autonomous. We’re too small to micromanage, and expect that every person at the company owns their work and can be a leader.
- Hold yourself and others to a high standard when working on production systems.
- Take pride in building elegant and delightful product experiences. Substack works best when it gets out of the way so writers can focus on writing and connecting with their readers.
- Enjoy collaboration with a diverse group of thinkers while bringing our own unique experience and background to the team.
- Believe in Substack’s mission to build a better business model for writing.
COMPENSATION
- Substack’s compensation package includes a market competitive salary, equity for all full time roles, and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation salary range for this role is $230,000 to $275,000/year. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.
Substack is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status), age, national origin, veteran or disability status. We’re seeking people passionate about enabling independent expression and building a better business model for creators. If you want to see what media, communities, and content can become when unmoored from advertising models, and you have the skills and experience to contribute, we’d love to meet you.
Please see our Privacy Notice for details regarding Substack's collection and use of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking here.

INTRODUCTION
Substack is building a new economic engine for culture, giving the brightest, most interesting, and most creative people on the internet the power of their own publishing platform. The terms of our culture should not be set by gate-keeping legacy media or chaos-fueling social media, but by the people who make and participate in that culture. Substack’s model, based on direct subscriptions, has fueled an explosion of independent publishing. It empowers creators with economic autonomy, creative ownership, and a direct connection to their most engaged audiences.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead a team that develops Substack apps for creators and their audiences.
- Engage in strategic product vision and direction-setting with your team, peers, and leadership.
- Scale systems to handle an ever-increasing load and a fast-growing ecosystem of writers and readers.
- Contribute to the whole product process in collaboration with designers, writers, support staff, and many others. From product concept and research to implementation and deployment, we expect you to own your work and deliver high-quality solutions.
- Work directly with customers to solve their problems. The entire company (CEO included) participates in customer support in order to drive empathy for our users and help us build better products.
- Partner with product and engineering leaders across the organization on team-wide initiatives and strategy.
- Collaborate with Substack’s recruiting team to hire and retain great engineers.
- We work with JavaScript, Typescript, Node/Express and React, and Postgres. It’s helpful if you know these technologies already, if not, we’ll be excited to help you learn.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 4+ years of software engineering management experience.
- Passion for recruiting and building healthy, diverse teams.
- Experience in building social and/or media networks.
- Can contribute across the full web stack, but may have a deeper passion for certain technologies and systems.
- Independent and autonomous. We’re too small to micromanage, and expect that every person at the company owns their work and can be a leader.
- Hold yourself and others to a high standard when working on production systems.
- Take pride in building elegant and delightful product experiences. Substack works best when it gets out of the way so writers can focus on writing and connecting with their readers.
- Enjoy collaboration with a diverse group of thinkers while bringing our own unique experience and background to the team.
- Believe in Substack’s mission to build a better business model for writing.
COMPENSATION
- Substack’s compensation package includes a market competitive salary, equity for all full time roles, and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation salary range for this role is $230,000 to $275,000/year. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.
Substack is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or transgender status), age, national origin, veteran or disability status. We’re seeking people passionate about enabling independent expression and building a better business model for creators. If you want to see what media, communities, and content can become when unmoored from advertising models, and you have the skills and experience to contribute, we’d love to meet you.
Please see our Privacy Notice for details regarding Substack's collection and use of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking here.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Engineering Jobs at Substack Jobs
Align your portfolio to Substack's stack
Substack's engineering work centers on scalable content delivery, payments infrastructure, and real-time publishing tools. Before applying, make sure your portfolio and resume reflect backend systems, growth infrastructure, or product engineering experience rather than generic full-stack claims.
Confirm LCA filings before your interview
Before accepting an offer, ask HR whether Substack has filed Labor Condition Applications for your target role. DOL's OFLC disclosure data shows approved LCAs by employer and job title, so you can verify sponsorship activity without relying on recruiting conversations alone.
Start your OPT extension timeline early
If you're on F-1 OPT in a STEM-eligible engineering role, USCIS requires the OPT extension application to be filed before your current EAD expires. Missing that window can interrupt work authorization, so start preparing your I-765 and employer I-983 at least 90 days out.
Use Migrate Mate to filter verified engineering openings
Searching general job boards won't tell you which roles come with active sponsorship intent. Migrate Mate lets you filter Substack's engineering listings specifically by visa type, so you're only applying to roles where sponsorship is already on the table.
Negotiate your start date around H-1B cap deadlines
If you need a cap-subject H-1B, USCIS only accepts petitions in April for an October 1 start date. Build that timing into your offer negotiation so your start date aligns with your approval window rather than forcing a gap in work authorization.
Prepare a TN qualification letter proactively
TN status for engineering roles requires documentation that your occupation falls within a qualifying USMCA category. Having a concise qualification letter from your employer and a clear credential summary ready before the border interview significantly reduces the risk of a secondary review.
Engineering at Substack jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Engineering at Substack JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Substack sponsor H-1B visas for Engineers?
Yes, Substack has sponsored H-1B visas for engineering roles. Sponsorship is not automatic for every open position, so it's worth confirming during the recruiting process whether a specific role includes H-1B support. The company's engineering function, which spans backend, infrastructure, and product work, is the area where sponsorship has been most consistent.
How do I apply for Engineering jobs at Substack?
Applications go through Substack's careers page, where engineering roles are listed by function. To find only the positions that include visa sponsorship, use Migrate Mate to filter Substack's engineering openings by visa type before applying. This saves time and ensures you're targeting roles where sponsorship is already part of the offer.
Which visa types are commonly used for Engineering roles at Substack?
Substack has worked with H-1B, F-1 OPT, and TN visa holders in engineering roles. H-1B is the primary long-term path for most nationalities. F-1 OPT, including the 24-month STEM extension available to engineers, is common for recent graduates. TN is an option for Canadian and Mexican nationals whose engineering occupation falls within a qualifying USMCA category.
What qualifications does Substack look for in engineering candidates?
Substack's engineering roles typically require a bachelor's degree or higher in computer science, software engineering, or a related technical field. That degree requirement matters beyond the job posting because H-1B eligibility depends on the role qualifying as a specialty occupation under USCIS standards. Practical experience with distributed systems, payments infrastructure, or consumer product engineering strengthens both your application and your visa petition.
How do I handle timing if I need H-1B sponsorship at Substack?
Cap-subject H-1B petitions are only accepted by USCIS in April, with work authorization beginning October 1. If you're currently on F-1 OPT, your employer can file your H-1B petition while you're still authorized to work, and your OPT status typically bridges the gap until October 1. Coordinating your offer start date around these deadlines is something to raise directly with Substack's HR or legal team early in the process.
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