ElevenLabs is the leading AI voice-generation platform — TTS, voice cloning, dubbing, and a real-time conversational voice agent. Founded by ex-Google/Palantir engineers. Series C in 2024. The interview emphasizes ML systems for audio, low-latency real-time inference, and the engineering of multilingual voice products.
Process
Recruiter screen → 60-minute coding (Python or systems language) → onsite virtual: 2 coding, 1 ML system design, 1 craft deep-dive, 1 behavioral. ML/research candidates get a research deep-dive. Cycle: 3–5 weeks.
What they actually ask
- Design a real-time TTS streaming server with sub-300ms latency
- Design voice-cloning enrollment plus abuse-prevention safeguards
- Design a multilingual dubbing pipeline (ASR → MT → TTS) with style preservation
- Coding: medium-hard DSA, often ML-flavored
- Behavioral: ownership, taste, fast-moving startup
Levels and comp (2026)
- SE: $190K–$260K total (London bands £110K–£160K plus equity)
- Senior SE: $270K–$370K total (London bands £160K–£230K plus equity)
- Staff / ML Research: $380K–$560K+ total at top of band
Prep priorities
- Be fluent in Python (research/serving), C++/CUDA helpful for inference roles
- Understand TTS architectures (autoregressive vs diffusion), streaming inference, and audio codecs
- Brush up on ASR, alignment, and multilingual NLP
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ElevenLabs remote-friendly?
Hubs in London (HQ), New York, San Francisco. Many engineering roles hybrid; some senior+ roles remote.
How does ElevenLabs compare to Deepgram or Descript?
Deepgram is ASR-first. Descript is creator-tools-first. ElevenLabs is TTS/voice-generation leader and now expanding to conversational. Comp is competitive for AI startups at top of band.
What is the engineering culture?
Small, technically dense, taste-driven, fast-shipping. Strong product-research-engineering blend.