Meet DeepL: The culture and traits we look for in employees

Key Takeaways

• DeepL’s culture starts with mindset, prioritizing curiosity, ownership, and empathy as the foundation for how teams work and grow.
• Chief People Officer Sally Sourbron focuses on a “pioneer” environment where ambition meets empathy and purpose drives progress.
• A growth mindset and comfort with risk are nonnegotiable, supported by feedback, self-reflection, and fast learning across global teams.
• Leadership is expected to act with purpose, take ownership, and lead with empathy so teams feel trusted to innovate and experiment.
• DeepL hires for potential as much as experience, then nurtures people through feedback, mentorship, and “learn fast, grow faster” opportunities.
• Candidates who are curious, open to feedback, and mission-driven are most likely to thrive at the frontier of DeepL's Language AI.

At DeepL, we believe success starts with having the right mindset. How we approach challenges, collaborate across teams, and grow together defines who we are not just as a company but as a community.

To better understand what truly helps people thrive at DeepL, we spoke with our Chief People Officer Sally Sourbron. Since joining DeepL in early 2024, Sally has helped shape how we embed growth, curiosity, and ownership into everything we do. 

Her insights reveal the key traits that drive both individual success and collective progress.

Mindset over metrics: how Sally Sourbron builds the culture behind the AI

Building a global leader in Language AI demands more than technical precision; it needs a workforce that acts with purpose and resilience. 

For Sally, the objective is to move beyond standard corporate values and foster a “pioneer” environment where ambition meets empathy. This balance ensures that as our technology scales, our people remain accountable and curious. And we become empowered to solve the industry’s most complex communication challenges.

Here’s what she had to say about what DeepL looks for in employees. Her advice comes in handy whether you’re interested in products, sales, or another exciting role.

Could you introduce yourself and your role at DeepL?

"My name is Sally, and I lead our People function here at DeepL. I joined in January 2024, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since! Our focus has been on enhancing the employee experience and evolving our culture as DeepL grows, both in maturity, and in its global footprint.

In essence, my role is about creating an environment where people can do their best work, where ambition meets empathy, and where purpose drives progress."

In practice: The People function at DeepL focuses on building a global environment where high-level ambition and human empathy coexist.

What are the core traits or mindsets you believe can help people thrive at DeepL?

"DeepL’s values represent our culture. They show what we stand for, how we make decisions and how we behave and take action—both together and for our customers.

A big part of our culture journey has been about embedding a growth mindset. We are pioneers at heart. So creating an environment that embraces challenges, being comfortable with risk and learning from our mistakes is critical."

In practice: A growth mindset is nonnegotiable for pioneers who must stay comfortable with risk and rapid learning.

How do these traits show up in how we work, collaborate, or solve problems?

"We’ve instilled a feedback culture, starting with our own self-reflection. It helps us understand where we can learn and grow, ensuring that we not only meet our own goals, but accelerate the growth of the business, too.

We take ownership, stay accountable and move quickly—which are essential qualities in the world of AI. As a global community, we collaborate closely and take inspiration from the successes of others."

In practice: Self-reflection, accountability, and tight collaboration fuel fast growth across DeepL’s global teams.

Why are these traits so important for leadership at DeepL?

"These qualities set the foundation for how we lead and make decisions. Leadership at DeepL is all about acting with purpose and integrity, while creating an environment where others can do their best work.

When our leaders show curiosity, take ownership and lead with empathy, they empower their teams to innovate and grow. In doing so, they build trust, inspire confidence and move us forward together, aligned with our purpose and values."

In practice: Purposeful, empathetic leadership builds trust so teams take ownership, innovate, and stay aligned with DeepL’s values.

Can you share an example where one of these traits made a meaningful difference?

"One moment that stood out for me came from our early work on evolving our People strategy. We moved fast, and not everything went perfectly the first time. What I loved was how the team leaned into reflection, taking on lessons from building a minimal viable product.

That mindset shift—taking feedback as a learning opportunity—helped us continuously improve our processes and deliver a better solution in the next iteration. It’s a great example of how curiosity and ownership come together to drive progress at DeepL."

In practice: Treating feedback as a learning tool rather than a critique allows DeepL to iterate quickly on complex strategies.

How do we support or recognize these traits within our culture?

"Our values guide how we hire, develop and recognize people, and they shape how we work every day. We celebrate learning moments, encourage feedback and highlight examples of people living our values in action.

Through recognition shoutouts, self-reflections of performance and leadership programs, we make sure that purpose, curiosity and collaboration are living qualities that are seen, supported and rewarded."

In practice: Our values shape how we hire, develop, recognize, and reward people at every stage of the employee lifecycle.

What advice would you give to someone applying to DeepL who wants to understand our values or expectations?

"Be yourself and stay curious. We’re looking for people who are eager to learn, open to feedback and excited to make an impact. You don’t have to know everything, but you do need the courage to ask questions and the drive to grow.

When applying to DeepL, we want to see how you act with purpose, pioneer new ideas and collaborate with integrity. DeepL is a place where ambition meets empathy—where people care deeply about each other and what we’re building for the world."

In practice: We prioritize courage and curiosity over "knowing everything." This makes DeepL a home for people who care about the mission as much as the tech.

How do these traits shape who we hire, and how do we help them grow once they’re here?

"We hire for potential as much as experience. Throughout the interview process, we look for traits that reflect our values—curiosity, ownership, collaboration and resilience. Once you’re here, our growth and learning practices help you strengthen those same qualities.

Through feedback, mentorship and new challenges, we give people the space to thrive.

As one of our values states, 'Learn fast, grow faster.' The goal isn’t just to succeed in your role today, but to evolve into who you want to become tomorrow."

In practice: We hire for potential and resilience, then use feedback and mentorship to help people grow beyond their current role.

Bring your curiosity to the frontier of Language AI

At DeepL, traits like curiosity, ownership, and empathy aren’t just ideas. They form the foundation of how we grow and work together. When we combine purpose with curiosity, we unlock our full potential, both as individuals and as one global team.

Want to grow with us? Explore careers at DeepL and discover what it takes to thrive.

Already breaking language barriers in your own work? Talk with our team about DeepL Language AI and how it can support your workflows.