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Full-Stack Software Engineer

Posted today

prairielearnColorado Springs (CO)

SENIORITY

Lead

SALARY

$100k-$140k

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About the role

Full-Stack Software Engineer Are you passionate about building innovative web applications and using AI to address real-world learning challenges? Do you want to help shape the future of education? PrairieLearn is an early-stage EdTech startup. We are hiring talented Full-Stack Software Engineers.
Location: Fully remote (anywhere in the US)
Position Type: Full-time
Visa Sponsorship: Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas at this time.
About Us: PrairieLearn is an open-source assessment platform, originally developed at the University of Illinois and now used at top universities across the US, including Berkeley, Princeton, Michigan, and UIUC. We empower mastery-based learning and large-scale assessment with an emphasis on reliability and innovation. We are like a "power-user" version of Gradescope/Canvas/Moodle. We’re also developing AI tooling in the product, including LLM agents to help instructors create content, and vision-language models to help grade student work. This is practical, user-facing AI work with real-world impact — not a research sandbox.
About the Role: We are a small, profitable, open-source, bootstrapped company growing quickly. Our users love us and we have very high retention and rapid spread through word of mouth. As an early-stage hire, you’ll work across the stack and enjoy meaningful ownership from day one. You’ll help deliver practical, user-facing features with clear guardrails and authentic educational impact.
Responsibilities:
  • Build and maintain systems across the stack: Node.js/TypeScript backend, Postgres, and React. We use tRPC, TanStack, and AWS.Design features end-to-end, from conception to rollout, working in a small team to architect and iterate on these features
  • Collaborate directly with educators and TAs to translate academic needs into high-quality features
  • You Might Be a Fit If You…Have experience with full-stack web development
  • Enjoy engaging directly with users—especially instructors and TAsLove owning projects from initial idea through to production
  • Love using the cutting edge of AI development tools (Claude, Codex)
Even if you don’t meet every requirement: If you’re a quick learner and passionate about education and engineering, we encourage you to apply! Our Tech StackNode.js / TypeScript backend Postgres, Redis, AWS, DockerReact / tRPC / TanStackOpen source: PrairieLearn on GitHubWhy Join PrairieLearn? Bootstrapped & Profitable: We’re growing quickly and sustainably Open Source: Collaborate with a global community of developers and educators Stock Options: As an early hire, you’ll receive stock options with your offer Remote Culture: Work from anywhere in the US with a flexible schedule Unlimited PTO & Flexible Hours: Take time when you need it and work when you perform best Career Growth: Early-stage team members have outsized opportunities for impact and learning Details
Location: Remote (US only)
Salary: $100k-$140k depending on experience
Benefits: Stock options (0.5% - 1.5%), unlimited PTO, flexible hours
Type: Full-time
Visa sponsorship:
  • Not available
  • PrairieLearn is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
  • Thank you for applying to PrairieLearn!

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