Tinder Engineering Manager Talks Data Systems

Tinder’s (Data) Engineering Manager, Kate Y., has spoken to Bullitin LA about the role of the engineering team in putting together the dating app’s user experience.

She explained that a data ecosystem is at the core of Tinder’s functioning, and that two-thirds of the 300 Tinder employees are engineers in some capacity.

The team is constantly working to optimise the way data sets are handled, ensuring relevant information is being passed on to consumers. At the moment, the system works with over 600,000 events each second, and that number is growing all the time.

Kate Y. said to Bullitin LA: “I love that I get to focus on complex engineering challenges that become exponentially larger with scale, making each design decision in the system critical.”

In a blog post last week, the dating app revealed that it was no longer going to attribute an ‘Elo Score’ to its users; a controversial system that made singles more visible if they were perceived to be more desirable.

When asked about what makes Tinder unique as a company, the engineer responded by celebrating its in-house culture. She felt the brand retained the benefits of a friendly, scrappy startup, while still being a large, profitable organisation.

Tinder was recently named as one of the top companies to work for in LA, and it has also unveiled plans for a new office in Palo Alto.

This week, GDI interviewed Badoo’s HR Director Ann Roberts about her firm’s current workforce and the fast-paced office environment.

Read more here.