JUNIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Lawrence, Kansas| Remote-First
Full-Time | Base Salary: $70,000 - $80,000
About backstitch
backstitch is a venture-backed HR technology company changing the way organizations communicate with their employees. Our software and strategic services help leading organizations, including Fortune 100 companies, create more connected, informed, and engaged workforces.
We're a small, collaborative company where developers have the opportunity to own meaningful work, influence technical decisions, work directly with company and technology leadership, and see the impact of what they build.
The Role
We're looking for a Junior Software Developer with a strong Computer Science or engineering foundation to join our Product team. This position is designed for a recent graduate or early-career developer who is ready to move from learning software development to building, testing, and shipping production software as part of an experienced engineering team. You'll contribute to customer-facing features, backend services, bug fixes, integrations, automated testing, and ongoing improvements to the backstitch platform. You'll receive guidance from experienced developers and our CTO while being given increasing ownership as your technical skills and understanding of the platform grows.
AI-assisted development is an established part of how our engineering team works. Our developers use tools such as Codex and Claude Code throughout the development process, including implementation, debugging, testing, code reviews, architecture exploration, and UI design.
We're looking for someone who is already comfortable using modern AI development tools and, just as importantly, understands that good software engineering requires independently understanding, testing, and validating the solutions those tools produce.
How We Work
This is a remote-first position based in the Lawrence area. You'll work from home most of the time while maintaining regular opportunities for in-person development and mentoring.
Junior developers based in Lawrence are expected to work from our Kansas City office approximately once per month for an in-person sprint kickoff meeting and their monthly one-on-one meeting with our CTO.
At the beginning of each quarter, our entire company also comes together in Kansas City for approximately two days of company meetings, planning, and a team activity. backstitch pays for required travel and lodging for employees outside the Kansas City area to attend these quarterly company meetings.
New employees should also expect to spend approximately two days onsite in Kansas City as part of onboarding. backstitch will pay for required travel and lodging associated with onboarding.
What You’ll Do
- Build, test, and ship features and improvements across our web and mobile applications.
- Contribute to frontend functionality, backend services, APIs, and integrations.
- Investigate and resolve bugs in production applications.
- Write automated tests and learn how we build reliable, maintainable production software.
- Work within an established codebase and learn how different parts of a production SaaS application fit together.
- Participate in peer code reviews and incorporate feedback from experienced developers.
- Use AI development tools such as Codex and Claude Code to assist with development, debugging, testing, code review, architecture exploration, and UI implementation.
- Learn to critically evaluate AI-generated code for correctness, security, maintainability, and fit within an existing application.
- Participate in sprint planning, sprint kickoff meetings, and technical discussions.
- Collaborate with Product, Customer Success, and other members of the company.
- Take on increasing ownership and responsibility as your knowledge and experience grows.
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a closely related computing discipline, completed by your employment start date.
- Strong computer science fundamentals, including programming, data structures, algorithms, object-oriented development, databases, and software design principles.
- Demonstrated software development experience through internships, co-ops, research, substantial coursework, or meaningful personal projects.
- Familiarity with modern web application development.
- Experience programming in one or more languages such as Ruby, Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
- Familiarity with web APIs, relational databases, Git, and automated testing.
- Demonstrated experience using AI-assisted software development tools such as Codex, Claude Code, or comparable platforms through coursework, internships, personal projects, or professional work.
- Ability to explain how you approached a technical problem and how you verified that your solution worked correctly.
- Strong problem-solving skills, curiosity, initiative, and willingness to learn.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Helpful Experience
Experience with any of the following is helpful but not required:
- Software development internship or early career experience
- React or Next.js
- Ruby or Python
- TypeScript
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Elasticsearch
- AWS or another cloud platform
- CI/CD and automated deployment
- Mobile application development
Benefits & Perks
- 100% company-paid employee medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Generous company stock options
- 9 paid company holidays per calendar year
- 60 hours of paid sick time per 12-month period
- Uncapped planned paid time off, subject to manager approval
- Paid parental leave
- Remote-first work environment
- Company-provided MacBook Pro and premium workstation setup
- Quarterly company meetings and team activities
- Regular direct interaction and mentoring from company and technology leadership
Work Authorization
Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. backstitch is unable to provide current or future employment visa sponsorship for this position.
Start Your Career at backstitch
We're looking for someone who genuinely enjoys building software, wants to continue learning quickly, and is excited about how AI is changing the way great software gets developed.
If you're looking for an early-career role where you'll work on real production software, learn alongside experienced developers, interact directly with our CTO, and gradually take ownership of meaningful parts of a SaaS platform, we'd like to hear from you.
backstitch is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome qualified applicants and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- AD&D insurance
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Lunch & learns
- On-the-job training
- Paid holidays
- Paid jury duty
- Paid parental leave
- Paid sick time
- Prescription drug insurance
- Unlimited paid time off
- Vision insurance
- Work from home
Application Question(s):
- Which AI coding tools do you use day to day, and roughly what share of your coding involves them?
- Tell us about a time an AI tool gave you code that was wrong or subtly broken. How did you catch it?
Education:
Work Location: Remote
