# Y Combinator Jobs Scraper — Work at a Startup (`nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper`) Actor

Extract live startup openings from Y Combinator's Work at a Startup: engineering, product, design and GTM roles across YC companies. Records include title, company, YC batch, location, salary/equity hints and apply URL. The direct line into YC startup hiring.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Nomad.Dev](https://apify.com/nomad-jobs) (community)
- **Categories:** Jobs
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per usage

This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-usage

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md):

```bash
npm install apify-client
```

In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md):

```bash
pip install apify-client
```

In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):

````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash

In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md).

If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).


# README

## Y Combinator Jobs Scraper — Work at a Startup

Fetch live openings at Y Combinator startups from Work at a Startup (workatastartup.com) as structured JSON.

### What Y Combinator jobs data does this scraper extract?

Each result is one flat JSON record per job posting:

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `title` | Job title as posted |
| `company` | Hiring company / organisation |
| `location` | Location / duty station (may include remote hints) |
| `url` | Direct link to the posting |
| `postedAt` | Posting date where the source provides it |
| `salary` | Salary text where the source provides it |
| `snippet` | Short description excerpt |
| `id` | Stable source-side identifier |

### How to scrape Y Combinator jobs with this Actor

1. Click **Try for free** / **Run** — no login to the target site, no cookies, no proxies to configure.
2. Adjust the input (keyword, filters, `maxItems`) or keep the defaults.
3. Run it and export the dataset as JSON, CSV or Excel, or read it over the [API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2).

Run it from your own code:

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run = client.actor("nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper").call(run_input={"maxItems": 50})
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item["title"], "—", item["company"], item["url"])
````

Or a single HTTP call that runs the Actor and returns items in one response:

```bash
curl -X POST \
  "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/nomad-jobs~ycombinator-was-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"maxItems": 50}'
```

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| `queries` | array | `""` | List of role-specific search terms to fan out across. Each query fetches an independent page of results… |
| `maxItems` | integer | `50` | Maximum number of unique job postings to return. Set to 0 for no limit (all deduplicated results across… |
| `cacheTtlSeconds` | integer | `1800` | Cache the upstream fetch in the key-value store for this many seconds; re-runs within the window skip the… |

### Output example

```json
{
  "id": "was-73211",
  "title": "Founding Engineer",
  "company": "Lindy (YC S23)",
  "location": "San Francisco / Remote",
  "url": "https://www.workatastartup.com/jobs/73211",
  "postedAt": "2026-06-27",
  "salary": "$150K–$220K + equity",
  "snippet": "Join as founding engineer..."
}
```

### Pricing

Pay per event: **$0.05 per Actor start** and **$0.004 per job returned**.
100 jobs ≈ $0.45. No subscription, no rental — you pay only for what you fetch.

### Use cases

- Startup job boards and newsletters
- Tracking YC-company hiring by batch
- Sourcing candidates who want startup roles
- VC portfolio talent intelligence

### FAQ

**Is it legal to scrape Y Combinator jobs?**
This Actor reads only publicly available job postings — data any visitor can see without logging in. No personal data behind authentication is touched. Review the target site's terms and your local regulations for your specific use case.

**Do I need an account on the target site?**
No. Postings are fetched from public pages/APIs — no login, cookies or session tokens.

**How fresh is the data?**
Every run fetches live listings. Results are cached for `cacheTtlSeconds` (default 30 min, set 0 to always hit the source live).

**How many jobs can I get?**
`maxItems` caps the run (set 0 where supported for no cap). Most sources paginate from newest to oldest.

**Something broken or missing?**
Open an issue on the Actor's **Issues** tab — it is monitored and reliability fixes ship fast.

### Related Actors

- [Web Developer Jobs Scraper — 10 Boards in One](https://apify.com/nomad-jobs/web-dev-bundle)
- [AI & ML Engineer Jobs Scraper — 8 Boards in One](https://apify.com/nomad-jobs/ml-ai-dev-bundle)
- [Hacker News Who Is Hiring Scraper — HN Jobs](https://apify.com/nomad-jobs/hackernews-scraper)
- [Built In Jobs Scraper — US Tech & Startup Jobs](https://apify.com/nomad-jobs/builtin-scraper)

# Actor input Schema

## `queries` (type: `array`):

List of role-specific search terms to fan out across. Each query fetches an independent page of results which are then merged and deduplicated. Leave empty to use the built-in default set covering ML/AI engineering and frontend roles.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of unique job postings to return. Set to 0 for no limit (all deduplicated results across all queries).

## `cacheTtlSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Cache the upstream fetch in the key-value store for this many seconds; re-runs within the window skip the network call. Set 0 to disable.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "queries": [
    "machine learning",
    "data engineer",
    "react"
  ],
  "maxItems": 50,
  "cacheTtlSeconds": 1800
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=nomad-jobs/ycombinator-was-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

```json
{
    "openapi": "3.0.1",
    "info": {
        "title": "Y Combinator Jobs Scraper — Work at a Startup",
        "description": "Extract live startup openings from Y Combinator's Work at a Startup: engineering, product, design and GTM roles across YC companies. Records include title, company, YC batch, location, salary/equity hints and apply URL. The direct line into YC startup hiring.",
        "version": "0.1",
        "x-build-id": "qvOCGWO4vIC4mXhtf"
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
        }
    ],
    "paths": {
        "/acts/nomad-jobs~ycombinator-was-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-nomad-jobs-ycombinator-was-scraper",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/nomad-jobs~ycombinator-was-scraper/runs": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "runs-sync-nomad-jobs-ycombinator-was-scraper",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK",
                        "content": {
                            "application/json": {
                                "schema": {
                                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/nomad-jobs~ycombinator-was-scraper/run-sync": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-nomad-jobs-ycombinator-was-scraper",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    },
    "components": {
        "schemas": {
            "inputSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "queries": {
                        "title": "Search queries",
                        "type": "array",
                        "description": "List of role-specific search terms to fan out across. Each query fetches an independent page of results which are then merged and deduplicated. Leave empty to use the built-in default set covering ML/AI engineering and frontend roles.",
                        "items": {
                            "type": "string"
                        }
                    },
                    "maxItems": {
                        "title": "Max items",
                        "minimum": 0,
                        "type": "integer",
                        "description": "Maximum number of unique job postings to return. Set to 0 for no limit (all deduplicated results across all queries).",
                        "default": 50
                    },
                    "cacheTtlSeconds": {
                        "title": "Cache TTL (seconds)",
                        "minimum": 0,
                        "type": "integer",
                        "description": "Cache the upstream fetch in the key-value store for this many seconds; re-runs within the window skip the network call. Set 0 to disable.",
                        "default": 1800
                    }
                }
            },
            "runsResponseSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "data": {
                        "type": "object",
                        "properties": {
                            "id": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "actId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "userId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "startedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "finishedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "status": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "READY"
                            },
                            "meta": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "origin": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "API"
                                    },
                                    "userAgent": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "stats": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "inputBodyLen": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2000
                                    },
                                    "rebootCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "restartCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "resurrectCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "computeUnits": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "options": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "build": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "latest"
                                    },
                                    "timeoutSecs": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 300
                                    },
                                    "memoryMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1024
                                    },
                                    "diskMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2048
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "buildId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultDatasetId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultRequestQueueId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "buildNumber": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "1.0.0"
                            },
                            "containerUrl": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "usage": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "usageTotalUsd": {
                                "type": "number",
                                "example": 0.00005
                            },
                            "usageUsd": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "number",
                                        "example": 0.00005
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```
