Staff Software Engineer - Kin

Quick Summary

Lead technical direction for Kin’s Ruby on Rails platform, architect scalable systems, and mentor engineers while building products that power a modern insurtech.

Who We Are

Kin makes life simpler, more affordable, and better for homeowners — especially in the places where climate risks, rising costs, and outdated systems make it harder. We start with smarter homeowners insurance and expand to everything homeowners need to thrive.

Using data, technology, and thoughtful human support, we’re building products that are clear, fair, and help homeowners feel confident. Founded in 2016, Kin is a remote-first employer with team members across more than 35 states.

The Opportunity

We’re looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help us scale the architecture, systems, and engineering practices that power Kin’s rapid growth.

As a recognized subject matter expert across multiple technologies, you’ll play a high-impact role shaping full-stack architecture and influencing technical strategy across teams. You won’t just write code — you’ll define standards, guide architectural decisions, and ensure our systems are scalable, reliable, and aligned with business priorities.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead and define full-stack architecture within scrum teams, setting a clear technical vision aligned with business goals.
• Write clean, maintainable, and efficient Ruby and TypeScript code while modeling engineering excellence.
• Own architectural planning, design, and documentation for distributed, full-stack systems.
• Identify, evaluate, and mitigate technical risks before they impact delivery or scalability.
• Mentor engineers at all levels through pair programming, design reviews, and technical coaching.
• Partner with Product and Design to translate business needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement through refactoring, test automation, experimentation, and modern engineering practices.
• Influence Kin’s broader architectural strategy by collaborating with engineering leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Deliver fast, reliable, and scalable applications supporting customer-facing and internal platforms.

What You'll Bring

Technical & Domain Expertise

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Expert proficiency in full-stack development using Ruby on Rails and TypeScript (experience with Angular preferred).
• Proficiency with SQL and relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred), with exposure to NoSQL systems.
• Experience designing and implementing scalable, distributed, and event-driven systems.
• Demonstrated experience in architectural planning, system design, and technical documentation.
• Proven ability to identify and mitigate technical risks in complex systems.

Leadership & Execution

• Experience leading and guiding multiple engineering teams through execution.
• Ability to operate with little-to-no technical guidance.
• Experience mentoring engineers across different levels of seniority.
• Ability to clearly articulate the value of technical investments to non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to simplify complex concepts.

How We Support You

• Compensation & Equity: Competitive salary and RSUs as part of standard compensation.
• Retirement: 401(k) with company match up to 4% of eligible earnings.
• Health Coverage: Multiple medical plan options, dental, vision, and company-funded HSA contributions.
• Financial Protection: Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability; optional long-term disability, critical illness, and legal plans.
• Wellbeing: Access to mental health support and confidential counseling resources.
• Time Off: Flexible PTO for exempt employees, plus 8 company-observed holidays.
• Parental Leave: Paid parental leave (up to 14 weeks at 100% pay for birthing parents; 8 weeks at 100% pay for non-birthing parents).
• Growth: Professional development budgets for certifications, conferences, and courses.

Where We Work

Kin is a remote-first company with offices in Chicago, IL and St. Petersburg, FL.

• US Applicants: Eligible to work from 41 approved US states (AL, AR, AZ, CA [exempt only], CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI).
• Canada Applicants: Eligible for remote technical positions residing in Ontario, Canada.