Staff Software Engineer

Job description

Staff Software Engineer (fullstack/backend focus, consumer products) - Hybrid, Seattle, WA RentSpree is looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help lead the development of core consumer and business-facing product experiences . In this role, you'll be responsible for building and evolving high-impact features end-to-end, from backend APIs to polished interfaces, with an emphasis on delivering fast, intuitive, and reliable experiences for our users. As a technical leader, you'll help set the architectural direction, lead complex initiatives from idea to delivery, mentor engineers, and work closely with product, design, and engineering teams and leaders to build intuitive, performant, and reliable experiences for millions of users. We're an AI-first engineering team. AI tools are part of how we design, build, review, and ship every day, and we expect our technical leaders to keep finding new ways they can make our practices better and our engineers more productive. This position is hybrid (2 days/week) in our Seattle office. What You'll Do Lead end-to-end development of user-facing features across web and backend systems Champion back-end architecture, performance, and accessibility best practices Champion AI-first engineering across the team, setting the example for how we use AI tools in design, coding, code review, testing, and debugging Continuously identify and build ways to boost productivity with AI , from automating repetitive work to improving our workflows and developer tooling, and measure what actually helps Collaborate with product managers and designers to translate customer needs into thoughtful, scalable solutions Drive technical decision-making and execution on complex initiatives Contribute to and shape our engineering standards, architecture, and tooling, including how we adopt and get value from AI Mentor other engineers and contribute to the growth of engineering culture and technical excellence Balance delivery speed and quality, making pragmatic choices around trade-offs Help evolve our backend infrastructure and testing strategies, using AI where it improves quality and speed Our job descriptions evolve with our business needs and priorities. Your role may include other tasks, projects, and team support. What We're Looking For 8+ years of professional software development experience, including leadership on high-impact projects Proven ability to ship production features end-to-end , including frontend UI, APIs, and backend services Deep expertise in modern back-end technologies (Java or Kotlin with SpringBoot, Node.js, GraphQL/REST APIs, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, cloud platforms) Full-stack fluency, including experience with frontend technologies (React, TypeScript, JavaScript) Hands-on, daily experience with AI coding tools (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, Copilot), with sound judgment about where they help, where they don't, and how to keep quality high Proven ability to drive technical direction and architecture in cross-functional settings across multiple teams Strong product sense and empathy for end users Experience mentoring engineers and helping grow technical capabilities on a team Comfortable working in fast-paced, iterative environments with evolving requirements Bonus Points Experience with large-scale infrastructure Track record of delivering consumer-scale web applications Familiarity with experimentation, analytics, and product iteration cycles Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, and production readiness best practices Experience building LLM-powered product features or internal tools (e.g., prompt design, evals, agents, MCP integrations) Track record of rolling out new engineering practices or tools across a team and driving adoption We are Fueled by our Guiding Principles How we work and who we are comes down to six guiding principles. These are the principles we hire for and hold ourselves to: Customer obsession : Our customers' needs come first. Not eventually, not when it's convenient. Every decision runs through one question: does this make things better for the people who depend on us? Take action, forge solutions : When there's a problem, we don't wait for permission to solve it. We move with urgency, think past the obvious fix, and build something that holds. Be candid, yet respectful: Say what you think. Name the problem. Challenge the idea. We don't do polite silence, but we also don't do cheap shots. Honest, direct, respectful. Disagree, then commit: The best decisions come from real debate. Say what you think, even if it's uncomfortable. Once we decide, we move together. Be audacious, learn loudly: Take the big swings our mission demands, treat every outcome as impact or a lesson, and share what you learn openly so the whole company grows stronger. Strive for excellence: We don't settle at "done." We ask whether it's right, whether it's better than last time, and whether it's something we'd be proud to put in front of a customer. AI Compounds the Work AI is a core skill. The people who thrive here are curious, take ownership, and use AI to compound their thinking, not replace it. Why Join Us? The work here is real, the problems are hard, and you'll have teammates who push you to do your best. Compensation. $230-270k base. Equity. Share in what you help build. The team. Talented colleagues who push you and back you up. Room to grow. Coaching, resources, and development beyond the role you start in. Health coverage from day one. Medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents. HSA/FSA options. Headspace Care+, gym discounts, and more. A real plan for your future. Life and disability coverage, plus a SIMPLE IRA with company match. Flexible vacation. Take the time you need. We trust you to manage it. 11 holidays a year, plus 3 recharge days. Ways to connect. Reimbursed weekly team lunches, game nights, and events. In-person and remote. Recognition. Recognize a peer with Sprees (redeemable for gift cards or donations). Nominate someone for a S.P.R.E.E. Award with a potential spot bonus. The tools to do your best work. Business expense allowance and internet reimbursement. Family support. Parental leave and fertility benefits. Legal and tax help. Legal benefits and tax support through RocketLawyer. Seattle HQ perk. Company-sponsored Orca card for public transit to and from the office. High impact, lean team. Small teams, close to customers, shipping work that matters. Your fingerprints are on the product. SpreeHours RentSpree has teams in the US and Bangkok. Collaboration across that distance requires a shared window: Monday-Thursday, 5–7pm PT / 7-9am ICT. How often you're in SpreeHours depends on your role, team, and projects. Any SpreeHours you work, you take back as flex time the same week. Outside of SpreeHours, your schedule is yours. Ready to Build Something Big? If you take ownership, move with urgency, and want to work on problems that matter, we'd love to hear from you. You don't need to meet every requirement. If this feels like the right place to do your best work, reach out. EEO Statement RentSpree is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. This applies to all employment practices, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Hiring decisions are made on qualifications, merit, and business need. Don't see the right role, but we're the right company? We're always on the lookout for talented people. If you don't see a fit today, apply to Future Opportunities and we'll reach out when something matching your background opens up. About RentSpree Renting should be faster, fairer, and less stressful than it is. We're the infrastructure that makes that happen. Five million users. 300+ real estate company and MLS partnerships. Ten years of consistent growth. From applications and screening to payments and lease management, the full rental journey runs on RentSpree. Recognized by Forbes as a Best Startup Employer and by BuiltIn Seattle as a Best Place to Work.