Staff Software Engineer, Back-End Focus

Kin Insurance; United States; Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a Staff Engineer to join their team and help redefine the insurance industry. This role involves developing cutting-edge products in a Ruby on Rails environment while working closely with cross-functional teams. You'll be responsible for writing clean, maintainable code, mentoring junior engineers, and setting engineering standards. With a focus on customer-centric solutions, this position offers the chance to tackle complex problems in a fast-paced startup environment. If you're passionate about technology and eager to make a significant impact, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401K with company match

Flexible PTO

Paid parental leave

Continuing education opportunities

Equity options

Qualifications

• 6+ years of software engineering experience required.
• 5+ years coding with Ruby on Rails is essential.
• Experience mentoring engineers and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop products and features in a Ruby on Rails environment.
• Mentor junior engineers and lead pair programming sessions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on engineering problems.

Skills

Ruby on Rails

Typescript

Python

SQL

NoSQL

API Design

Event-driven Architecture

Big Data Engineering

Tools

PostgreSQL

AWS

DataBricks

Job description

Kin is redesigning insurance to be smarter, faster, and centered on the customer. We use intelligent pricing, offer seamless bundling, and make every step (from purchasing, servicing to claims) simple and friction-free, especially in the places traditional insurers often ignore.

We empower people to protect what matters most, starting with their homes and expanding to all they value, in a world where climate risks, rising costs, and outdated systems leave too many behind. Our approach has fostered amazing growth, attracted marquee investors, and earned us accolades, including being named to:

• Built In Chicago's Best Places to Work, Midsize Companies (2021-2025).

• Forbes' America's Best Startup Employers (2021- 2024, Ranked #37 in 2024).

• Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

• Forbes’ Fintech 50.

Simply put, our people are what make us great – we need forward-thinking, inspired game-changers like you to join us in our mission.

So, what’s the role?

As a Staff Engineer at Kin, you'll develop the products and features that make Kin operate. We're a Ruby on Rails environment with Typescript front-end and PostgreSQL database, and we apply Agile methodologies to our product and software development processes. In your role, you will have the opportunity to work on more complex engineering problems while collaborating with peers in Dev, Product, QA, and other cross-functional teams. As a senior team member, you'll have the opportunity to mentor more junior engineers, and on occasion lead small teams.

A day in the life could include:

• Writing clean, maintainable, and efficient code in Ruby on Rails and occasionally some Python and Typescript

• Setting the standards for the Engineering team by example

• Leading pair programming sessions and providing mentorship to team members

• Driving and fostering advanced design or architectural tasks

• Developing technical roadmaps

• Participating in daily stands and weekly retros

• Collaborating with cross-functional team members, including our Insurance Product and Actuarial teams

• Providing subject matter expertise and support

I’ve got the skills… but do I have the necessary ones?

• 6+ years of professional software engineering experience

• 5+ years experience coding with Ruby on Rails

• Strong understanding of SQL and RDBMS, with exposure to NoSQL

• Experience in designing and implementing scalable, API-first systems

• Experience with event-driven architectures

• Experience in big data engineering on AWS and/or DataBricks is a plus

• Ability to articulate value of technical investments

• Ability to operate with little-to-no technical guidance

• Experience mentoring engineers

• Comfortable in a startup environment – we’re fast-paced, self-motivated, and determined to change the industry

• A fast learner, ready to bring previous knowledge to this position and continue developing along the way

• Location in Central or Eastern US time zones (CDT & EDT) strongly preferred

• At this time, we are unable to sponsor employment visas

Oh, and don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

We offer a comprehensive benefits program, allowing you to choose the

benefits that are best for you and your family including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and Disability Insurance options, Employee Assistance Program, as well as elective voluntary benefits such as accident insurance, hospital indemnity, critical illness, legal assistance and pet insurance.

In addition to these benefits, we also are excited to offer the following:

• Competitive salary and equity

• 401K with company match of up to 4%

• Flexible PTO for exempt employees, along with 8 company-observed holidays

• A paid parental leave program that provides 100% salary continuation of up to 14 weeks for birthing parents and 8 weeks for non birthing parents

• Continuing education and professional development opportunities

Applications for this role are accepted on an ongoing basis

#LI-REMOTE

For Sales Agents and Customer Service Agents: These roles sit in any of the following 30 states: AL, AZ, CO, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, and WI.

For all other positions, these roles can sit in any of the following 40 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA (exempt only), CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, 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, and WI. Please only apply if you are able to live and work full-time in one of the states listed above.

State locations and specifics are subject to change as our hiring requirements shift.

About Kin

Kin is the only pure-play, direct-to-consumer digital insurer focused on the growing home insurance market. We make policies convenient and affordable through a technology platform that delivers a seamless user experience, customized options for coverage, and fast, high-quality claims service. Kin is a fully licensed carrier that offers coverage through its reciprocal exchanges which are owned by its policyholders. To learn more, visit www.kin.com.

EEOC Statement

Kin is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We don't just accept difference – we honor it, nurture it, and celebrate it. We don’t discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.