Description
We are seeking a hands-on Forward-Deployed Product Engineer to help maintain, support, and extend a portfolio of production software products. This is a coding role first — but it is a coding role for someone who wants to sit close to the business, talk directly to the people using the software, and own outcomes rather than tickets.
You will work across the full software development lifecycle: scoping problems with stakeholders, designing the approach, writing the code, testing it, shipping it, and supporting it in production. Our stack centers on Angular and TypeScript on the front end, with Node.js, Firebase, Firestore, and Google Cloud Platform behind it, plus PostgreSQL where relational data is the right fit. Claude Code and other AI-assisted development tools are part of our daily workflow.
The ideal candidate is a practical software generalist with strong Angular fundamentals, genuine communication skills, and curiosity about why a feature is being requested in the first place. You will not only write code — you will help improve how our products are maintained, supported, tested, documented, and enhanced over time.
IS THIS ROLE FOR YOU?
You will work across several products and industries in a given quarter, and you will talk to the people who use what you build. If you want to go three years deep on a single product with a product manager between you and the customer, this is not that role. If you like variety, ownership, and direct contact with the business, it is a very good one.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Engineering and Delivery
• Own features end-to-end across multiple projects — from scoping conversations through design, implementation, testing, deployment, and post-launch support.
• Maintain and evolve Angular front ends, including component and service architecture, RxJS, routing, state management, dependency updates, UI improvements, and cross-browser compatibility.
• Build and modify backend logic and services using Node.js and TypeScript, including Firebase Cloud Functions, scheduled jobs, and third-party integrations.
• Work confidently in inherited codebases you did not write, including applications of different vintages, conventions, and framework versions.
• Perform safe refactoring, code cleanup, and modernization without creating unnecessary disruption for users.
• Develop and maintain unit tests, integration tests, and release validation practices appropriate to the risk of each change.
• Use Claude Code and other AI-assisted development tools as a daily part of the workflow — reviewing, steering, and validating generated output rather than shipping it unexamined.
Platform, Data, and Cloud
• Build and maintain Firebase and Google Cloud Platform backends, including Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Functions, Hosting, and related services.
• Design data models across both NoSQL (Firestore) and relational (PostgreSQL) stores, and exercise judgment about when each is the right tool.
• Write and tune SQL queries, manage schema changes, and support reporting and data extract needs.
• Implement and maintain Firestore security rules, authentication flows, and role-based permissions.
• Manage cloud resources with attention to uptime, security, performance, and cost efficiency.
• Maintain version control discipline, deployment readiness, and CI/CD workflows.
Business Partnership and Product Ownership
• Sit in directly with business stakeholders and end users to translate vague or evolving problems into concrete technical requirements — then build the solution.
• Ask why a feature is being requested, and push back constructively when there is a simpler, cheaper, or more durable approach.
• Translate business needs into clear technical tasks, acceptance criteria, and implementation plans.
• Contribute to estimation, sprint planning, prioritization, and roadmap conversations rather than waiting for fully specified tickets.
• Develop working familiarity with the business context of each product — the industry, the workflow, and what it costs the customer when the software is wrong.
• Communicate status, risk, and tradeoffs to technical and non-technical audiences in writing and in person.
Support, Release, and Documentation
• Serve as the technical owner for escalated support issues, determining whether an issue is user error, configuration, defect, data problem, or a feature request.
• Investigate production issues, identify root causes, implement fixes, and put safeguards in place to prevent recurrence.
• Own or support the release process, including deployment coordination, testing, release notes, and post-launch follow-up.
• Maintain current technical documentation covering application architecture, integrations, code changes, troubleshooting steps, and release history.
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.
Requirements
• 3+ years of relevant software development, SaaS engineering, application support, or product engineering experience preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field preferred, but equivalent hands-on experience is fully acceptable.
• Strong Angular fundamentals — components, services, RxJS, routing, and state management — deep enough to transfer across projects with different conventions and framework versions.
• Solid TypeScript and JavaScript skills; comfortable working in a typed codebase and committed to keeping it that way.
• Working Node.js experience for backend services, Cloud Functions, scripting, and integrations.
• Hands-on experience with Firebase and Google Cloud Platform, including Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Functions, and Hosting.
• SQL fluency, ideally with PostgreSQL, including query writing, joins, and basic performance awareness.
• Experience with Git, CI/CD concepts, deployment workflows, testing practices, bug tracking, and production troubleshooting.
• Comfortable using AI-assisted coding tools such as Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, or Cursor while maintaining human review and quality control.
• Genuinely strong written and verbal communication — able to explain a technical tradeoff to a non-technical stakeholder and write a status update that does not generate follow-up questions.
• Comfort with ambiguity and frequent context-switching across clients in different industries.
• Self-directed working style with light supervision — able to unblock yourself, and willing to escalate early when you cannot.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond to support needs, and maintain professionalism under pressure.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Prior consulting, agency, forward-deployed engineering, or other client-facing delivery experience.
• Experience supporting an established SaaS product, legacy application, government software, legal or court software, or a regulated workflow platform.
• Experience with public sector, records, filing, case management, document management, or workflow software.
• Experience supporting or modernizing older Angular versions and migrating them forward.
• Experience with APIs, authentication, permissions models, reporting tools, and system integrations.
• Experience with CI/CD tooling such as GitHub Actions or Cloud Build.
• Experience with Jira, Zoho, Notion, Trello, GitHub Issues, or similar project and ticket tracking systems.
• A track record of improving testing, documentation, deployment reliability, or developer productivity on a team.
CORE COMPETENCIES
End-to-End Ownership
Angular Craftsmanship
Cloud and Data Judgment
Stakeholder Communication
Business Curiosity
Problem Solving
Product Judgment
AI-Assisted Development
Documentation
Accountability
Customer Service Mindset
Continuous Improvement