Forward Deployed Software Engineer

Kaizen Labs•New York, NY

13d•$130 - $160•Hybrid

About The Position

Have you struggled to reserve that coveted summer camping spot at a state park? Wondered why you’re still filling out a paper form at the DMV? Or tried (and failed) to book your favorite pickleball court from your phone? Kaizen Labs is rebuilding the government’s digital front door - bringing modern, people-first software to the public services millions of Americans rely on every day. From parks & recreation and permitting to licensing and payments, we’re replacing outdated systems with intuitive, beautiful technology designed for residents and the public servants who serve them. Our platform now powers over 50 agencies across 17 states, reaching more than 30 million residents. Recent partners include Maricopa County (AZ), San Bernardino County (CA), and the Cherokee Nation. In Maryland, our platform helped eliminate seven-mile traffic jams at state parks, saving hundreds of thousands in costs and dramatically improving the visitor experience. Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, Kaizen has raised $35 million from world-class investors, including NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, 776, and Carpenter Capital. We’re a team of builders, designers, and operators redefining what it means to serve the public in the digital age - and we’re just getting started. We’re looking for our first Forward Deployed Software Engineer (FDSE) to work directly with our customers, understand their requests, and build solutions that deliver immediate impact. FDSEs sit at the intersection of engineering and deployment. You will partner closely with external customers to translate real-world workflows into polished, scalable software. You’ll also help our engineering team build expertise in rapid iteration, pattern recognition, and utilizing AI tooling to accelerate development. This role is ideal for an engineer who loves building fast for real users, thrives in ambiguous contexts, and is energized by operating at the edge of customer needs.

Requirements

3+ years of professional software engineering experience
Experience building full-stack applications with modern web technologies (React/Next.js, TypeScript, Node.js, Postgres)
Ability to translate customer workflows and pain points into technical solutions
Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Comfort supporting deployments, integrations, or customer-facing technical work
A bias toward action, learning, and continuous iteration
Excitement about using AI tools to improve engineering speed, quality, and reliability

Nice To Haves

Have experience in civic tech, public sector deployments, consulting, or forward-deployed engineering
Have built AI-enhanced workflows or used AI agents extensively for development
Have led customer-facing implementations or integrations in complex environments
Have contributed to internal documentation, tooling, or cultural practices that improve team velocity

Responsibilities

Build end-to-end solutions: Design and implement full-stack features (React/Next.js, TypeScript, Node, Postgres) driven by customer needs
Turn ambiguity into clarity: Scope unclear customer problems and translate them into buildable engineering work
Prototype and iterate rapidly: Gather feedback directly from users and incorporate it into tight iteration cycles
Use AI to accelerate workflows: Leverage AI copilots and automation to code faster, debug smarter, and synthesize user patterns
Drive cross-functional alignment: Collaborate with product, design, engineering, and deployment to unblock issues and move work forward
Contribute to scalable systems: Identify recurring customer needs and build reusable components, playbooks, or internal tools

Benefits

🩺 Comprehensive Health Coverage We offer Gold, and Platinum PPO plans through Oxford (United), with 85% of premiums covered for employees on the Platinum plan, with a $0 premium option
🏥 Dental, Vision & Financial Wellness You’re covered with Guardian PPO dental and Beam vision plans - Kaizen pays 99% of premiums for employees and 50% for dependents. We also offer:
💳 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA & Dependent Care FSA)
🛡️ $100,000 in fully paid life insurance
🏦 401(k) access through Guideline
🤰🏼 Parental Leave That Supports Families Because time with your growing family matters.
🍼 16 weeks fully paid for birthing parents and 10 weeks paid for non-birthing parents
🗽 Everyday Support & Flexibility
🚆 $50/month toward your commute
🏡 One-time setup stipend (up to $750) for your home or NYC office
💪 $100/month for wellness or productivity
🎡 Perks That Make Life Better
🎉 $250/year for recreation - because fun matters
📚 $500/year for professional development - because growth does too
🍱 Expensed lunch three days a week when you're in the office
💻 Company-provided laptop
🌴 Time Off to Recharge
🌅 Unlimited PTO
🇺🇸 All federal holidays off
☃️ A company-wide winter break during the week of Christmas