Software Engineer 1, Platform

Sydecar; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sydecar is seeking a Software Engineer I to join the Platform Team in a hybrid role based in San Francisco or New York City, with two to three in-person days per week. You will help build and scale the internal developer platform, CI/CD pipelines, and core services that empower our engineering org.

This early-career role emphasizes ownership, thoughtful execution, and a sustainable pace, offering mentorship from senior engineers and opportunities to contribute from concept through deployment

Qualifications

• Strong CS foundation in data structures, algorithms and systems.
• Familiar with AI-assisted development tools as part of daily workflow.
• Curious, fast learner, and a self-starter who takes ownership.

Responsibilities

• Build and improve the internal developer platform — CI/CD pipelines, build/deploy automation, and environments.
• Design, operate, and scale core shared services and cloud infrastructure as code (Terraform).
• Advance release and test automation to enable safe, low-risk production deployments.
• Strengthen security posture and contribute to a distributed security practice.

Skills

Data structures

Algorithms

Systems fundamentals

AI-native tooling

Ownership & initiative

Education

CS degree or equivalent

Tools

Terraform

GCP

PostgreSQL

NestJS

Playwright

Job description

About Us

Sydecar is on a mission to transform the world of private markets. Our goal is to make these markets more accessible, transparent, and liquid, and we're achieving this by revolutionizing the way investment vehicles are created and executed.

At Sydecar, we're not just a platform; we're a trusted partner in venture capital. We're dedicated to simplifying and standardizing the private investing experience, empowering capital allocators to discover and support visionary entrepreneurs who are shaping the future.

Our platform is designed with ease and efficiency in mind. We take care of all the behind-the-scenes tasks, from automating banking, ensuring compliance, handling contracts, managing taxes, to streamlining reporting. This leaves investors the freedom to concentrate on what matters most: making valuable deals and nurturing meaningful relationships.

Join us at Sydecar, as we lead the charge in revolutionizing private investing.

About the Platform Team

The Platform Team owns the shared foundations — developer productivity, core services and infrastructure, release and test automation, and security — that lets all of engineering ship safer, faster, and at scale. We're a multiplier: we build paved roads and enable product teams, not product features.

The Opportunity

As a Software Engineer 1 on the Platform Team, you'll help build the systems and tooling that raise the floor for every engineer at Sydecar. You'll join a collaborative, high-trust team that values ownership, thoughtful execution, and a sustainable pace. Your work — faster pipelines, reliable infrastructure, safer releases, and a stronger security posture — will be felt across the entire engineering organization. This is a great role for an early-career engineer who wants to grow quickly alongside experienced platform engineers.

This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco or New York City with in-office attendance of two to three days per week.

What You'll Do

• Build and improve the internal developer platform — CI/CD pipelines, build/deploy automation, and local and preview environments — creating a "golden path" that helps every engineer ship quickly and safely.

• Design, operate, and scale core shared services and cloud infrastructure as code (Terraform), with strong reliability, observability, and cost efficiency.

• Advance release automation and test automation so shipping to production is routine and low-risk, with safe rollout patterns and easy rollbacks.

• Strengthen the platform's security posture and help build a distributed security practice across the engineering org.

• Partner with product teams as an enabler — help build standards and interfaces, and co-build where teams share an interest or have a timely dependency — while keeping the platform focused on general-purpose foundations rather than product-specific work.

• Contribute to projects from concept through deployment, learning to balance speed with scalability.

• Grow through pairing, code review, and mentorship from senior engineers, and take part in architecture discussions.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, product, design, and operations.

What We're Looking For

• A strong computer science foundation — data structures, algorithms, and systems fundamentals (degree in CS/related field or equivalent practical experience).

• AI-native: fluent and comfortable using agentic / AI-assisted development tools as part of your everyday workflow.

• Curious, a fast learner, and a self-starter who takes ownership and figures things out.

• A collaborative team player with clear communication skills.

• 0–2 years of professional work experience (internships, co-ops, and substantial personal or academic projects count).

Bonus Qualifications

• Fintech experience (payments, compliance, or regulated environments).

• Exposure to internal developer platforms or developer-experience tooling.

• Terraform and GCP familiarity; observability tooling (logging, metrics, tracing).

• Security interest — OWASP-style practices, secrets management, or dependency/vulnerability scanning.

• Exposure to TypeScript/Node.js, NestJS, Prisma, PostgreSQL, and Playwright / React Testing Library.

Our Tech Stack

• Frontend: TypeScript and React (mono-repo)

• Backend: TypeScript, NestJS, Prisma

• Database: PostgreSQL

• Testing: Jest, React Testing Library, Playwright

• Design: Figma

• Infrastructure: Terraform (IaC)

Sydecar’s values

Our values are important to the way we live and work at Sydecar. They guide our priorities, behaviors and interactions.

Be Committed

As a team, we rise to meet challenges and recognize that we become stronger and develop character when facing adversity.

Be Excellent

We measure our success not just by what we achieve, but by how we achieve it—through integrity, creativity, elegance, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Excellence is not just doing things well—it's looking for ways to do them better.

Be Humble

Humility is our key to personal and professional growth. We appreciate that great ideas can come from anywhere, regardless of seniority, pedigree, or experience. We care more about collective outcomes than who gets credit or who does what. We try to not let our ego cloud our judgment.

Win Together

Winning is no accident. It is the result of collective hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, and most of all, loving what we do. Winning requires that we give extra—sometimes winning calls for late nights or extra effort, and we show up for clients and each other with urgency and heart. While excellence is a journey, winning is a destination.

Sydecar is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Sydecar are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Sydecar will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Sydecar encourages applicants of all ages.