Developer Relation Engineer at Better Auth | Y Combinator

AboutWhat Happens at YC?ApplyYC Interview GuideFAQPeopleYC BlogCompaniesStartup DirectoryFounder DirectoryLaunch YCStartup JobsAll Jobs◦ Engineering◦ Operations◦ Marketing◦ SalesInternshipsStartup Job GuideYC Startup Jobs BlogFind a Co-FounderLibrarySAFEResourcesStartup SchoolNewsletterRequests for StartupsFor InvestorsVerify FoundersHacker NewsBookfaceOpen main menuApply for W2026 batch.ApplyBetter AuthThe authentication framework for TypeScriptDeveloper Relation Engineer$140K - $180K•0.25% - 1.00%•San Francisco, CA, USJob typeFull-timeRoleEngineering, Full stackExperience3+ yearsVisaUS citizen/visa onlySkillsNext.js, React, React Native, TypeScriptConnect directly with founders of the best YC-funded startups.Apply to role ›Bereket EngidaFounderBereket EngidaFounderAbout the roleAbout us
We’re a small, fast-moving team on a mission to make high-quality authentication something every developer can own.
Better Auth is one of the fastest-growing auth solutions in the world. We serve 10M+ downloads a month across our frameworks, and our OSS projects - Better Auth (23.5k⭐) and NextAuth/Auth.js (27k⭐) are two of the most widely used auth libraries on the internet.
Our work powers everything from weekend side projects to products at ChatGPT, Google Labs, Cal.com, YC startups, and thousands of developers building full-stack apps.
We have strong momentum and a fast-growing community. Now we’re looking for someone who can help grow it, educate it, and amplify it.
What you’ll do
This role blends engineering depth, public presence, and community leadership. You won’t just relay developer feedback - you’ll understand it, debug it, and often fix it yourself.
You will:

Be the main guide for developers across docs, examples, workshops, videos, and content
Build polished demos, tutorials, and reference apps
Engage deeply with the community on GitHub, Discord, X, and in-person events
Be actively present on social media (especially X and LinkedIn)—sharing insights, updates, and helping shape the broader conversation around auth and DX
Act as a public face of Better Auth for developers, helping define how the world perceives us
Identify friction in the developer journey and dive into the codebase when needed = debug issues, improve APIs, fix friction points, and contribute meaningful changes alongside the team.
Represent Better Auth at talks, streams, meetups, and hackathons
Highlight contributors and grow our plugin ecosystem
Turn complex identity concepts into clear, practical learning experiences

Why you should join
We’re early - you’ll be the first DevRel hire and help build the entire function from zero.

Huge creative freedom
Deep influence on product, docs, content, and community
High ownership and fast execution
A team that values initiative, strong opinions, and rapid learning
The chance to shape the identity of a framework used across the industry

You might be a great fit if you:

If you’re great developer
Have 3+ years in DevRel, DX engineering, or developer education
Communicate clearly in writing, speaking, and code
Can build great demos with TypeScript, React, or modern frameworks
Feel comfortable being public-facing and active on X/LinkedIn
Enjoy teaching and simplifying complex technical ideas
Understand (or want to learn) authentication and identity
Have contributed to open-source or fostered a developer community
Care deeply about clean developer experience and practical clarity

Bonus Points:

Experience maintaining open‑source projects
Experience on working on authentication

About the interviewWe keep our process simple and fast. There’s one intro call, and if it feels like a potential fit, we invite you to a 5-day paid trial. You’ll work closely with the team, build something real, and get a feel for how we operate day-to-day. At the end of the trial, we’ll make a final decision together.
About Better AuthBetter Auth is a comprehensive authentication framework for TypeScript that lets you implement everything from simple auth flows to enterprise-grade systems directly on your own database, embedded in your backend. It’s loved by developers all over the world and endorsed by leading voices in the ecosystem.
On top of the framework, Better Auth also provides an infrastructure layer to help you scale with user management and analytics, bot and fraud detection, transactional email and SMS, global session storage and more.
Better AuthFounded:2025Batch:X25Team Size:4Status:ActiveLocation:San Francisco FoundersBereket Engida FounderBereket Engida FounderFooterY CombinatorProgramsYC ProgramStartup SchoolWork at a StartupCo-Founder MatchingCompanyYC BlogContactPressPeopleCareersPrivacy PolicyNotice at CollectionSecurityTerms of UseResourcesStartup DirectoryStartup LibraryInvestorsSAFEHacker NewsLaunch YCYC DealsMake something people want.ApplyTwitterTwitterFacebookFacebookInstagramInstagramLinkedInLinkedInYoutubeYouTube© 2025 Y Combinator

Better Auth is seeking a Developer Relations Engineer to play a critical role in expanding its rapidly growing developer community and product ecosystem. This is a foundational role, offering the opportunity to build out the entire Developer Relations function from scratch. The position blends technical expertise with community engagement, requiring a deep understanding of authentication and identity solutions alongside strong communication and public-facing skills.

The core responsibility of this Developer Relations Engineer is to act as the primary guide for developers utilizing Better Auth across a range of resources, including documentation, examples, tutorials, and interactive workshops. This involves not only relaying existing information but also actively diagnosing and resolving developer friction—often requiring direct debugging of the codebase and contribution of meaningful changes alongside the engineering team.

A key aspect of the role is the creation of polished demonstrations and reference applications, leveraging technologies such as TypeScript, React, and modern frameworks. The Engineer will also be deeply engaged in the Better Auth community through platforms like GitHub, Discord, X (formerly Twitter), and in-person events, shaping the broader conversation around authentication and developer experience (DX). This individual will serve as a public face for Better Auth, influencing how the product is perceived within the industry.

The position demands significant community building activities, including highlighting contributors, fostering the plugin ecosystem, and translating complex identity concepts into accessible, practical learning experiences. This involves a proactive approach to identifying and addressing developer pain points, demonstrating a commitment to clear, concise documentation, and ultimately, a superior developer experience.

To be successful in this role, the candidate requires a strong engineering background—at least three years of experience in DevRel, DX engineering, or developer education. Crucially, they must possess excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, alongside the ability to express themselves effectively in code. Experience building and deploying demonstrations using TypeScript, React, or similar frameworks is essential. A comfort level with being publicly engaged on social media channels like X/LinkedIn, and a passion for teaching and simplifying technical ideas, are also highly valued. Furthermore, a demonstrated understanding of authentication and identity principles, coupled with experience contributing to open-source projects or fostering developer communities, would be a substantial advantage.

The interview process is structured around a streamlined approach, beginning with an initial introductory call. If the conversation indicates a strong potential fit, candidates will be invited to participate in a five-day paid trial. During this trial, they will work closely with the team, develop a tangible project, and gain firsthand insight into the day-to-day operations of Better Auth. A final decision will be collaboratively made at the end of the trial period.

Better Auth itself is positioned as a comprehensive authentication framework for TypeScript, offering developers the capability to implement everything from simple authentication flows to robust, enterprise-grade systems directly on their own databases, or integrated within their backend systems. Beyond the core framework, Better Auth provides an infrastructural layer to scale user management, incorporating features like analytics, bot and fraud detection, transactional email and SMS, global session storage, and more. The framework has gained significant traction, leveraging a strong community and endorsement from prominent figures in the technology ecosystem.