Software Engineer - Full-stack

Company Overview

Promise modernizes how government agencies and utilities support people in financial difficulty. We build technology that makes it simple for residents to receive benefits, engage with assistance programs, set up flexible payment plans, and stay on track—while helping agencies increase efficiency, recover revenue, and deliver services with dignity. Our mission is to transform public systems so they work better for everyone, especially the most vulnerable.

Our team includes experts from companies like Palantir, Google, Stripe , and esteemed government leaders. We work hard and believe deeply in what we do. We're looking for excellent people to build innovative, resilient technology.

Backed by over $50 million in funding from top investors – such as Reid Hoffman, Howard Schultz, Michael Seibel, Y Combinator, 8VC, The General Partnership, First Round Capital, Kapor Capital, XYZ Ventures, and Bronze Investments – Promise has been recognized as one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies of 2022,” “Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups 2024,” and Y Combinator’s #1 GovTech startup.

About the Role

At Promise, we’re building technology that helps families stay afloat—turning financial stress into stability through flexible, affordable payment solutions. As a Senior Full-Stack Software Engineer with a frontend focus, you’ll shape the way people directly experience that mission.

You’ll design and build intuitive, high-impact web applications that connect individuals facing financial hardship with essential public services. Using modern tools like React, TypeScript, and GraphQL, you’ll craft seamless user journeys powered by robust backend systems.

This is a hands-on role for someone who cares deeply about product experience and engineering craft. You’ll move fluidly between frontend architecture and backend integrations, mentor teammates, and help define how we build as we scale. If you love turning complex systems into elegant user experiences — and want your work to matter — this role is for you.

Why This Role Is Different

We’re still early enough that your architectural decisions will shape the foundation of our product — but far enough along that your work will immediately impact real users at scale.

At Promise, your code won’t just render UI. It will reduce stress, increase access, and improve how people interact with critical financial systems.

If you’re excited about building beautiful, resilient systems that make a tangible difference in people’s lives, we’d love to meet you.

What You’ll Do

Build with impact

Design and deliver scalable, reusable frontend systems and components that power critical financial workflows used by thousands of families each month.

Craft exceptional experiences

Collaborate closely with product and design to create intuitive, accessible, and high-performing web applications that guide users through complex payment and relief flows with clarity and empathy.

Bridge frontend and backend

Partner with backend engineers to define and evolve APIs, contribute to service design when needed, and ensure data flows cleanly from distributed systems to user interfaces.

Architect for scale

Help shape our frontend architecture, state management patterns, orchestration layers, and shared component libraries as we grow.

Raise the bar

Write clean, maintainable, production-ready code. Identify and resolve performance issues, edge cases, and UX friction points to maintain a high quality bar.

Lead and mentor

Support and mentor engineers, contribute to thoughtful code reviews, and help cultivate a culture of ownership, curiosity, and engineering excellence.

What Will Help You Succeed

Experience:
3+ years building production-grade software, with significant experience in modern frontend development.

Frontend expertise:
Strong proficiency in React and TypeScript. Experience building complex user flows, managing application state, and integrating APIs at scale.

Full-stack fluency:
Comfortable working across the stack — contributing to backend services (Node, GraphQL, REST, etc.) when needed to unblock progress and improve end-to-end delivery.

Systems thinking:
Ability to translate complex distributed systems into simple, reliable user experiences.

Product mindset:
You care about usability, performance, accessibility, and clarity — not just shipping features.

Cloud familiarity:
Exposure to AWS, GCP, or similar cloud platforms.

Bonus:
Experience in fintech, payments, or government technology environments.

Who Thrives at Promise

You’ll love it here if:

• You are energized by big, complex challenges and the opportunity to solve them.

• You want your work to have a real, measurable impact on people’s lives.

• You take ownership and run toward problems, not away from them.

• You value clear, candid, and constructive communication.

Promise is not for you if:

• You prefer hierarchy and rigid structures. We operate with freedom and responsibility.

• You are uncomfortable with change. We move fast, adapt often, and expect agility.

• You want a typical corporate culture. We are mission-driven, ambitious, and direct.

• You believe efficiency means “doing less.” We believe efficiency means doing better.

Promise is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or military or veteran status. Additionally, the Company complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates. Promise is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, pregnant individuals, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs, in accordance with applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email [email protected].

Promise engages in US government contracts and restricts hiring to US persons, which includes US citizens and permanent residents (e.g., Green Card holders). Additionally, candidates must reside in the US.