The StaffEng Podcast is Back

After a long hiatus, David and I are bringing the StaffEng podcast back. We’re back because our work is changing dramatically, weekly, and we want want to learn from folks who are riding this wave with us.

You can read more here: We’re Back

When we started the podcast back in 2021, we were exploring what it meant to be a Staff-plus engineer. We talked to practitioners about setting technical direction, mentorship, sponsorship, and all the things that set senior individual contributors apart. Those conversations were valuable, and I learned a tremendous amount from our guests.

But now, we are facing the most exciting/terrifying change to our work in our lifetime.

Over the last year or so, I’ve watched AI transform how I work in ways I didn’t anticipate. The kind of transformation that sneaks up on you until one day you realize you’re working differently than you were six months ago.

This is why we’re rebooting the podcast with a specific focus: practitioners using AI to deliver valuable outcomes, with specific examples.

Not thought leaders speculating about the future. Practitioners. People doing the work. People who can tell you exactly what they built, how they built it, and what they learned along the way.

I want to know: How are Staff-plus engineers (or other folks operating in the role of IC in any kind of work) integrating these tools into their workflows? What’s actually working? What’s hype and what’s substance? How do you think about AI when you’re setting technical direction for a team or an organization? How do you mentor engineers in a world where the tools are changing this fast?

These are the questions I’m sitting with, and I suspect I’m not alone. The conversations David and I have been having offline have been some of the most energizing discussions about technology I’ve had in years. We want to bring those conversations to you.

If you’re a Staff-plus engineer who’s been using AI to ship real things, I want to talk to you. If you’re figuring out how to lead teams through this transition, I want to hear your story. If you’ve found something that works — or discovered something that definitely doesn’t — those are exactly the kinds of insights we’re looking for.

New episodes are in production. We’re coming back, and I can’t wait to share what we’re learning.

We want to hear from your as well, so that we answer your questions. If you are interested in joining a listening session please fill out this form.