The 5 coolest startup jobs of the week

So you want to join a startup? You’re ready for the crazy perks, long hours, and nagging fear that the company may buckle at any moment?

With tech jobs plentiful right now, it’s not easy to discern between the good, bad, ugly, and severely underpaid startup jobs. So we’ve started compiling a weekly jobs digest that will help you choose between an overwhelming number of positions. The list includes a variety of technical and non-technical jobs, so you may still find an attractive position even if you don’t code.

Thank you, readers, for alerting us to new opportunities. If you’ve got a tip, my preferred methods of communication are Twitter (reach me at @chrissyfarr) and email. Please include a description of the post. Bonus points if it’s not public yet.

To reiterate, here’s what I’m looking for:

• The job itself must be cool. I’m looking for a job description or opportunity that stands out.
• The company must not be boring.
• “Big swings” are good!
• Location is everything. We’ll give you a mix of startups in the Bay Area, New York, and other cities across the U.S.
• Culture and perks. Who doesn’t want a gym membership and opportunity for international travel?

Here are the startup jobs of the week:

Chief architect at Porch.com

Why: Home improvement is big business. Seattle’s Porch.com lets homeowners collect ideas for renovations by scrapbooking photos of cool projects. The experience feels like Pinterest, but it’s more practical, as you can also search for a roofer or plumber to hire. The service just launched in September, but the team has already clinched a partnership with Lowe’s and is hiring like mad. Oh, and the 17,000 square foot office is replete with swings.
The job: Chief architect (But we hear that the company is also hiring a CTO).
Stage: Early.
The location: Seattle.
Apply here.

Data scientist at Practice Fusion

Why: Practice Fusion almost shut it doors in 2009 when the chief executive Ryan Howard ran out of money. But it’s now one of the hottest health IT startups, helping doctors shift paper-based patient records to the web. The well funded company is hiring a data scientist to identify and aggregate potentially relevant data sets. To retain talent, the company offers some cool perks, including a free Fitbit, a gym membership, and fully stocked kitchen.
The job: Data scientist.
Stage: Mid.
The location: San Francisco.
Apply here.

Lead data scientist at Homejoy

Why: Homejoy is one of the fastest-growing startups in the new service economy. On the website, busy professionals can order a cleaning service at an affordable rate. According to its website, Homejoy has expanded to more than 30 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada and now covers more than 100 million households. The lead data scientist would manage a team, perform cool experiments (“Which scents work best in the home?”), then analyze the results.
The job: Lead data scientist.
Stage: Early to mid.
The location: San Francisco.
Apply here.

Viral content marketing manager at Crowdtilt

Why: Investors are betting that Crowdtilt will become the WordPress of the crowdfunding movement. The online service makes it easier for groups to pool their money to buy stuff. In more recent months, we’ve seen some unexpectedly cool uses for the site, like crowdfunded journalism projects and a wildly successful campaign to help the Jamaican bobsled team compete in the Sochi Winter Olympics. The startup is hiring for a number of positions, including a vice president of engineering, but this gig is the first of its kind. The viral content marketing manager will pinpoint campaigns that have a shot at taking off and help them “tilt.”
The job: Viral content marketing manager.
Stage: Early to mid.
The location: San Francisco.
Apply here.

User experience director at Pocket Gems

Why: Can’t get enough of mobile gaming? Pocket Gems is looking for a user experience expert to build intuitive and fun experiences for their next roster of viral games.  Some of Pocket Gems’ most popular games include Tap Paradise Cove and Animal Voyage: Island Adventure. The ideal candidate for this job has an ability to understand games — not just the industry, but what players want and need. The company faces some tough competition from powerhouses like Zynga, but it is is growing quickly. In 2013, it counted 150 million downloads and generated $82 million in revenue.
The job: User experience director.
Stage: Mid.
The location: San Francisco.
Apply here.

Not to toot our own horn, but…

Director of Content at VentureBeat

VentureBeat is hiring sales team members, PHP/JavaScript developers, and as of this month, a director of content. We’re looking for someone to oversee the content research and speaker recruitment for our portfolio of conferences. It’s a great gig for a networking pro with excellent writing and oral communication skills. Apply and read more here.