Staff Software Engineer

Re:Car, Inc; Washington; Hybrid; USD 171,000 - 285,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity program

Discretionary annual incentive program

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Job summary

Slate is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the technical design of core systems across our digital platform. You will design and evolve major systems, own critical components, and mentor engineers to raise the technical bar while balancing speed with long‑term technical excellence.

Collaborate with UX and product teams to put customers first and shape the future of our automotive software stack. You will drive architecture decisions, deliver scalable distributed services, and navigate

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional software development experience building and operating scalable, customer-facing software systems.
• Technical leadership including architecture design and cross-team trade-offs.
• Experience designing and building reliable, scalable distributed systems with web services, APIs, and cloud infrastructure.
• Ability to work through ambiguity, simplify complex problems, and deliver high-quality solutions in fast-paced environments.
• Experience integrating third-party platforms and SaaS via APIs, events, and webhooks.
• Experience with ecommerce or marketplace systems (catalog, checkout, payments, or order management) is a plus.
• Experience building high-performance customer experiences, including frontend performance optimization, is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, architecture, implementation, and delivery of major systems spanning multiple teams.
• Code and test system components, lead reviews, and bring significant designs to technical committee review.
• Own code quality, system tests, functional tests, and integration for your systems and interfaces.
• Collaborate with UX and product teams to build new solutions that place customers first.
• Mentor engineers to raise the technical bar and guide cross-team initiatives.

Skills

Technical leadership

Architectural design

Distributed systems

Web services & APIs

Cloud infrastructure

Third-party integrations

Webhooks

Ecommerce systems

Frontend performance

Mentoring engineers

Job description

ABOUT SLATE

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

Who we are looking for:

Slate is looking for a Staff Software Engineer to lead the technical design of key systems across our digital platform. We’re building a direct-to-consumer EV brand from the ground up, and our software connects customers to their Slate at every step, from discovering and customizing their vehicle to managing their ownership journey. You’ll design and evolve major systems and components, work across teams to align on direction, and make technical decisions that shape the customer experience. You thrive in environments where the path is not always defined. You enjoy solving complex problems, making thoughtful decisions with incomplete information, and balancing speed with long-term technical excellence. At Slate, there is no distance between what you build and the impact it creates. Your work will help define how customers experience an entirely new automotive brand.

What you get to do:

You lead the design, architecture, implementation, and delivery of major systems and initiatives that span multiple teams. You code and test system components, leading code and design reviews and bringing significant designs to technical committee review. You own code quality, system tests, functional tests, and integration for the systems you build and the interfaces between them. You relentlessly simplify, bringing creativity and sound judgement to significant, ambiguous problems that have no established answer. You collaborate with UX and product teams to build and invent new solutions that put customers first. You are a recognized technical authority and are regularly consulted on difficult trade-off decisions across groups. You use your expertise to help shape company technical objectives, and you build formal networks across groups to align on direction. You act independently on new and special assignments, guide the work of others, and mentor engineers to raise the technical bar.

What you bring to the team:

10+ years of professional software development experience building and operating scalable, customer-facing software systems. Technical leadership experience, including designing architecture, making complex trade-offs, and driving engineering decisions across teams. Experience designing and building reliable, scalable distributed systems, including web services, APIs, and cloud infrastructure. Proven ability to work through ambiguity, simplify complex problems, and deliver high-quality solutions in fast-paced environments. Experience integrating third-party platforms and SaaS products through APIs, events, and webhooks. Experience with ecommerce or marketplace systems, such as catalog, checkout, payments, or order management, is a plus. Experience building high-performance customer experiences, including frontend performance optimization, is a plus.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

SALARY RANGE

The compensationfor this position is the range Slate reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including job‑related knowledge; skillset; experience, education and training; certifications; work location; and other relevant business and organizational factors. $171,191.00 - $285,319.00 USD Annual Base Pay Range:

ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Slate offers a wide range of competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and 401k. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in the equity program and/or a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing such programs.

WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE?

At Slate, we’re fueled by grit, determination, and attention to detail. The start‑up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect, and is motivated by shared principles. Safety First Delight Customers One Team Relentless Improvement Fast, Frugal, and Scrappy Respectful Collaboration Positive Legacy

WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason. Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

About Us

At Slate, we’ve got one job: building a vehicle you’ll fall in love with, right here in the USA. We believe that car buyers—not car companies—should call the shots. We like looking at a road, not a screen. We don’t like paying for stuff we don’t need. We like picking out the stuff we do need. We think dings are badges, not blemishes. But we know not everyone likes what we like. So, we built you a Slate: you make it yours.