Backend Software Developer – Justice Reform Innovation Lab

San Quentin SkunkWorks; San Quentin (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A collaborative tech organization is seeking a Backend Software Developer to join their justice reform innovation lab at San Quentin. The role involves building features and API endpoints for a workflow app that improves volunteer onboarding. This is an opportunity to make a real-world impact in the prison system alongside a hybrid team of incarcerated leaders and professionals.

Qualifications

• Experience with modern JavaScript frameworks like React.
• Understanding of backend development with Node.js and Postgres.
• Ability to collaborate on technical design and security discussions.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on feature design and workflow mapping.
• Build intake forms, dashboards, and API endpoints.
• Contribute to the development of the Postgres data model.

Skills

React

TypeScript

Node.js

Postgres

API development

Tools

ESLint

PostCSS

Turbopack

Job description

Overview

Backend Software Developer – Justice Reform Innovation Lab at San Quentin SkunkWorks. San Quentin SkunkWorks is an incarcerated-led innovation lab transforming prison from the inside out. We unite incarcerated leaders with outside professionals to design bold solutions — from art and gaming to research and software — that shift prison culture and create scalable models of reform.

One current build is Gate Clearance, a workflow app designed to replace the outdated, paper-heavy system for volunteer onboarding at San Quentin. Today, volunteers must pass through multiple steps (fingerprinting, TB testing, training, approvals), tracked by email and spreadsheets. The result is long delays and lost data.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on feature design and workflow mapping for the Gate Clearance project and other initiatives.
• Build intake forms, dashboards, and API endpoints.
• Help shape the Postgres data model and secure document handling.
• Contribute to authentication, security, and scaling discussions.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: Next.js (App Router), React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
• Backend/API: Next.js API routes (Node.js), Postgres with Drizzle ORM
• Tooling: ESLint, PostCSS, Turbopack
• Integrations (planned): Google Workspace, Gmail, Calendar
• Hosting: Vercel (or comparable)

Why Join?

Be part of a skilled, hybrid team of incarcerated leaders and outside professionals working shoulder-to-shoulder. See your code have immediate, real-world impact — enabling hundreds of volunteers to bring education, healing, and opportunity into prison. Join a tech-for-good movement where software is a lever for systemic change.

Seniority level

• Associate

Job function

• Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

• Civic and Social Organizations and Non-profit Organizations