Senior Software Engineer (Data, Tools, and Infrastructure)

Hello, we’re Instrumentl.

We’re a mission-driven startup helping the nonprofit sector to drive impact, and we’re well on our way to becoming the #1 most-loved grant discovery and management tool. To get there, we’re hiring a Senior Software Engineer (DTI) to help us build the code, tools, and infrastructure that keep our product running smoothly and reliably for our customers. 

About us:

Instrumentl is a hypergrowth YC-backed startup with over 4,000 nonprofit clients, from local homeless shelters to larger organizations like the San Diego Zoo and the University of Alaska. We are building the future of fundraising automation, helping nonprofits to discover, track, and manage grants efficiently through our SaaS platform.

Our charts are dramatically up-and-to-the-right 📈 — we’re cash flow positive and doubling year-over-year, with customers who love us (NPS is 65+ and Ellis PMF survey is 60+). Join us on this rocket ship to Mars!

About the role:

As a Senior Software Engineer (DTI) at Instrumentl, you will work closely with our Head of Engineering and partner with team members across design, product, content, and support functions, providing a best-in-class experience to every user.

Our small, distributed engineering team builds, scales, and improves our customer experience and in-house tooling from end to end. We’re accountable for the quality and reliability of our product, support, and data stack, and we believe in continuous improvement. Get to know us at instrumentl.com/about!

Our ideal candidate is eager to learn, willing to experiment, and excited to empower both teammates and customers to accelerate social progress and propel innovation.

The Instrumentl team is fully distributed (though if you’d like to work from our Oakland office, we would love to see you there). For this position, we are looking for someone who has significant overlap with Pacific Time Zone working hours.

What you'll do:

• Build, operate, and continuously improve the datastores, tools, and cloud infrastructure used by Instrumentl’s engineering teams to deliver the high-quality software that delights our customers.
• Relentlessly iterate to remove bottlenecks and improve our delivery pipeline, accelerating time-to-market and driving product impact.
• Contribute high-quality, thoroughly tested code that powers resilient and high-performance backend systems.
• Define, implement, and monitor security policies and processes to protect customer data and maintain a strong security posture.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product, sales, support, and content, to enhance internal tools and workflows, ensuring our best-in-class product remains competitive.
• Own complex problems from end to end, engaging with stakeholders to deliver both short-term fixes and long-term solutions that align with business goals.
• Act as a strategic partner by considering everything from business outcomes to system reliability and the user experience, delivering with precision and quality.
• Uphold Instrumentl’s high standards for product excellence and mentor team members, fostering growth and consistently raising the bar for engineering quality.

Who you are:

• Experienced: you’ve been a software or infrastructure engineer for 5+ years - startup experience is a huge plus!
• Generalist: you enjoy working on frontend, backend, infrastructure, data pipelines, or billing pipelines as needed.
• Hands-On: you’ve used PostgreSQL, Redis, Heroku, Google Cloud (or AWS), Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, and you’re open to adopting new tools to get the job done.
• Collaborative: you thrive in an environment involving different functions, stakeholders, and subject matter experts.
• Methodical: you take pride in delivering projects from ideation to completion.
• Hungry: you’re on a mission to make an impact and motivated by constant learning.
• Results-Driven: you have a history of executing in a fast-paced environment.
• Passionate: you’re excited about Instrumentl’s mission to propel nonprofits into a bigger, brighter future.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary ranges are based on market data, relative to our size, industry, and stage of growth. Salary is one part of total compensation, which also includes equity, perks, and competitive benefits. 
• For US-based candidates, our target salary band is $160,000 - $190,000/year + equity. Salary decisions will be based on multiple factors including geographic location, qualifications for the role, skillset, proficiency, and experience level. 
• 100% covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employees, 50% for dependents
• Generous PTO policy, including parental leave
• 401(k)
• Company laptop + stipend to set up your home workstation
• Company retreats for in-person time with your colleagues
• Work with awesome nonprofits around the US. We partner with incredible organizations doing meaningful work, and you get to help power their success.

What to expect:

Instrumentl is evolving rapidly. You’ll always have new challenges and opportunities to grow in your role - you won’t be bored! You’ll be an early member of our small but mighty team, playing a huge part in shaping our culture for the years and teammates to come.

At Instrumentl:

- We’re customer-focused. We routinely seek feedback from our customers to improve the Instrumentl experience for everyone. Our first company value is "The customer is the hero" and we mean it.

- We love to experiment. We are constantly generating new concepts and iterating to see what works - ideation and experimentation are essential here. "Bend the curve" is another key company value.

- We appreciate authenticity. We have a diverse range of life experiences, and we encourage open, clear communication with each other about the things that matter most to us.

- We’re approachable and collaborative. Everyone has a voice, and we’re all building Instrumentl together.

- We kick it every day with some of the nicest people in the world. No joke, our customers are often on the front lines educating kids, saving endangered species, and restoring watersheds. In helping them take advantage of Instrumentl’s technology, you’re helping them move the world forward.

Ready to apply?

Please submit a written response addressing the prompts below:

1. Why are you interested in Instrumentl and this role?

2. What makes you a good fit for this role? 

Don't forget to include the word moxie in your application to show you read this from start to finish! Along with your written response, please attach your CV or resume.

At Instrumentl, we pride ourselves on building a diverse team from the ground up. Every role is an opportunity to teach, learn, and create some of your best work - if you’re excited to grow along with us, we encourage you to apply!