Founding Full-Stack Software Engineer
Job Title: Founding Full-Stack Software Engineer, MyFriendBen
Location: Denver, Colorado - Hybrid (In-Person 2 days/week for flexible core collaborations hours)
Organization : MyFriendBen (Independent 501c3 in formation)
Type: Contract-to-Full-Time (via Impact Charitable, fiscal sponsor)
The Role :
At MyFriendBen, we're looking for a passionate Founding Full-Stack Software Engineer to become a core member of our product team. This is a mid-to-senior level founding role for someone excited to work across the stack, lead by doing, and thrive in ambiguity. You’ll shape and build our open-source platform (Python Django/React TypeScript) used by tens of thousands of households, embracing modern tech stacks and experimenting with AI-driven tools to scale our social impact nationally.
Aligned with MyFriendBen Values:
Grounded. We design, build and improve in direct partnership with community members and end users and in response to community demand.
Audacious. We take risks, think big, and move quickly.
Impatient. We are driven by the urgent needs of our community and are committed to delivering value in the near-term.
Key Responsibilities:
Build & Scale: Develop and enhance both backend systems and frontend components of our benefits screening platform.
Innovation & Learning: Experiment with modern development methods and AI/agentic coding tools, learning from user feedback to continuously improve our platform.
Quality & Reliability: Champion robust testing, perform thorough code reviews, and maintain high standards for scalability and reliability.
Social Impact Delivery: Work closely with community stakeholders, ensuring our tech meets real user needs and maximizes positive impact.
Open Source Collaboration: Engage actively with the civic tech and nonprofit open-source community, contributing reusable components and best practices.
Qualifications:
We value potential as much as credentials. Even if you don’t meet every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply — your experience and passion for impact may make you our top candidate.
3+ years of experience in a software engineering role
Proficiency with modern frontend technologies (React, TypeScript, Vue, etc.) and backend languages (Python, Node.js, Ruby, etc.).
Experience developing robust APIs , managing databases , and developing modern UI/UX.
Demonstrated ability to ship features quickly in agile startup or small-team environments.
Openness to experimenting with and accelerating impact through AI/LLM-driven coding tools.
Strong alignment with MyFriendBen’s social impact mission.
Why Join Us:
Direct Impact: Your code helps families nationwide secure critical financial support.
**Ownership & Growth: **Early-stage founding role with ample opportunities to shape the platform and grow professionally.
Flexible & Equitable Culture: Hybrid, remote-friendly team with an emphasis on collaboration, trust, and caregiving flexibility.
Balanced Role: Blend hands-on coding with high-level strategic influence.
Future Growth: Help shape our evolving business model and technology roadmap.
Competitive Compensation: Robust pay with equitable and performance-driven benchmarks and career growth philosophy.
Upside Potential : A chance to share in the organization’s success as we seek to evolve beyond a traditional nonprofit model via profit-sharing, equity, and/or other rewards.
Compensation:
Initially a contract position (1099) through our fiscal sponsor, Impact Charitable, at $60-100/hour depending on experience.
Conversion to full-time employment with competitive salary and benefits after the organization becomes established independently.
Additional benefits such as desk space, parking, snacks, and access to conference rooms at Gary Community Ventures office near Union Station in downtown Denver.
Hybrid Work Culture:
MyFriendBen operates with a hybrid work model, emphasizing regular, meaningful in-person collaboration while supporting flexible, caregiving-friendly, remote-first practices:
Denver Metro Requirement : Must reside locally; remote-only applicants will not be considered.
In-Person Cadence : 2 core days per week at our Denver Union Station office.
Core Collaboration Hours : 5-hour focused blocks each in-person day for clustered meetings, teamwork, and shared meals 10 am to 3 pm.
Flexibility First : Supportive of caregiving responsibilities and diverse working styles; flexible remote hours encouraged outside and throughout in-person days.
Purposeful Interaction : We prioritize consistent face-to-face teamwork to accelerate innovation—this is not a remote team with occasional team meetups.
Application and Selection Process:
Interested candidates should apply by submitting their resume through the Ashby applicant tracking system. The position will remain open until filled.
We respect candidate time with a clear, efficient selection process:
Initial Screen (30-minute video call):
Conversation to discuss your experience, alignment with MyFriendBen's mission, and mutual expectations.Second-Round Technical Interview (60-minute video call):
Deeper dive into your technical skills, experiences, and your approach to solving engineering challenges.Final Round (In-Person, ~2 hours, Denver):
* Technical presentation and discussion (topic provided in advance with minimal preparation needed, covering technical skills and problem-solving), evaluated by engineers here.
* Team conversations focused on culture fit, collaboration style, and vision alignment.
About MyFriendBen:
MyFriendBen is a rapidly growing technology nonprofit dedicated to transforming how Americans access public benefits and tax credits. Backed by prestigious national funders, we're spinning out from Gary Community Ventures to become a standalone 501(c)(3) organization. Our innovative open-source platform has already helped tens of thousands of families unlock critical financial resources.
Now, we’re looking for a Founding Full-Stack Software Engineer excited to help us scale our platform nationally—while positively impacting countless lives. Join us to build transformative technology
Learn more about MyFriendBen at myfriendben.org.
Note: This position is initially contracted through Impact Charitable, our fiscal sponsor.