Software Engineer

15Five

Location: United States
Job Type: full-time
Salary: $127,000 - $149,000
Posted: December 16, 2025

Job Description

15Five is a strategic performance management platform that helps businesses and their people thrive by turning insights into action. It empowers HR leaders with data-driven recommendations, equips managers to drive change, and boosts engagement, performance, and retention. The platform combines generative AI, custom analytics, and human-centered design in one solution, offering 360° reviews, engagement surveys, goal and OKR tracking, manager coaching, and ongoing feedback tools like guided 1-on-1s and check-ins.

A career at 15Five is more than a job, it’s a culture of personal and professional growth. We’re a fully remote, high-purpose, high-performance team that values meaningful connections and celebrates diverse experiences.

Our software engineers work in a highly collaborative, fast-paced, startup-like environment that prioritizes communication, trust, and delivering the highest value to our customers. Engineers at 15Five don’t just write code — they are product-minded problem solvers who leverage data and AI to create intelligent, scalable solutions for HR leaders.

As we push the boundaries of what’s possible with data and AI, we value engineers who are energized by the unfamiliar — those who dive into new tech stacks, GenAI tools, and codebases with curiosity and resourcefulness, quickly acquiring the knowledge they need to make an impact while balancing speed of execution with thoughtful risk management.

Note - the first step in our interview process is a short exercise. If you are chosen to participate you will receive an email from one of our talent partners explaining what to expect.

Develop high-quality software that delivers value to our customers

I write clean, and well-documented code - often leveraging AI-assisted tools (e.g. Copilot, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) responsibly and effectively.
I write efficient and more performant code with support from more senior engineersI proactively explore and adopt new frameworks, tools, and patterns when they provide leverage for faster learning and better results.
I design and implement solutions that often integrate with AI and agentic workflows.I understand my respective business unit’s personas and their needs
I cover my code with tests and deliver high-quality software

Active collaboration in a startup-paced environment

I collaborate closely with data scientists, product managers, designers, and cross-functional teammates to rapidly prototype, validate, and deliver AI-powered workflows and insights, ensuring business goals and user needs drive each decision.
I am an active member of my squad. My team is healthier and more effective because of my contributions.
I challenge assumptions with strong questions, provide actionable insights, and bring forward new technologies and AI-assisted solutions.

Technical growth

I proactively seek out opportunities to grow technically (e.g. system design, scalability, AI/LLM patterns).
I work with my manager to know which areas of growth are most needed by my team and focus my effort on improving those areas.

Ownership

I execute on defined tasks and contribute to solving problems with defined solutions, but also take initiative in ambiguous problem spaces.
I actively seek feedback from more experienced engineers.
I take ownership of my own learning and growth by seeking feedback from my manager and my peers.
I ask clarifying questions to ensure I fully understand a task, engage the right people across teams when necessary, and provide feedback where improvement can be made.

Communication

I communicate in a respectful manner, assume positive intent, and own my impact on others.
I write and speak clearly, with an emphasis on async communication in a remote-first environment.
I respond in a timely manner.
I listen to understand others and ask clarifying questions with curiosity, not judgment.
I share progress regularly and escalate blockers quickly.
I ask for help when needed, and learn from it.
I speak up when something isn't working or didn't go as planned and take accountability.
I do this as soon as possible to avoid further escalation.
I follow through on my commitments and regularly share progress with my team.

Code/Craft

I can navigate a complex, data-rich codebase.
I’m able to effectively debug others’ code.
I participate in code reviews to ensure the quality of our code, and for my learning and growth.
I leverage AI-assisted code generation tools effectively but also go beyond them — ensuring my code is correct, secure, and performant.
My code is reliable and edge cases are well-considered.
I document and test my code where applicable.
I’m proficient with the basics of my language, but some advanced usage may still be unfamiliar.
I bring a spirit of curiosity and resilience when working with unfamiliar stacks, seeking out the resources I need to deliver impact quickly.

Architecture

I can follow and replicate existing patterns and approaches within the codebase

Teamwork

I follow through on my commitments and take responsibility for my work.
I work to build strong relationships with my teammates and manager.
I understand my team's objectives and goals and work to accomplish them.
I effectively participate in the core processes of my team, including recommending and implementing process improvements.
I reach out to the team when I see something happening that isn’t quite right.
I am able to give direct feedback to others on my team and avoid indirect criticism.
I collaborate and pair program within my team for my personal growth and the growth of others.

Desired Experience

2+ years of experience with web-based application development.
Experience with and eagerness to learn AI-assisted development tools and practices.
Familiarity with LLMs, data pipelines, or applied AI/ML concepts is a plus.
Experience/proficiency with fundamental front-end languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Experience/Proficiency with JavaScript frameworks, especially React.
Experience/familiarity with server-side languages such as Python, Ruby, Java, PHP, and .Net (Python is a plus)
Experience/familiarity with Python frameworks, especially Django
Familiarity with database technology such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB

Sample Week

Monday: Begin the week with the all-hands Boost to hear company updates, join the squad stand-up, then review pull requests and leverage AI-assisted coding tools to write code for product features/bugs.
Tuesday: Shadow fellow engineers as they create technical specifications with the squad, then research existing implementations to deepen your understanding of the code base and make improvements where needed.
Wednesday: Join your squad for standup, later meet with your manager for a 1:1, spend time on a project pair programming with more senior engineers.
Thursday: Join the weekly engineering ‘Techbytes’ to share and learn about new frameworks, AI techniques, or data-driven practices; review pull requests, write code for product features and/or bugs, and write your 15Five check-in.
Friday: Participate in the ‘First Fridays’ call to create connections through personal storytelling and guided conversation, join a planning session for the upcoming sprint, write product code, and take advantage of weekly ‘thrive’ time to invest back into yourself and build the skills that drive personal and company success.

$127,000 - $149,000 a year

Equity and benefits are part of the total comp package

We offer amazing benefits that align with our values and culture:

Your Health

Medical, dental, vision with 15Five cost subsidy

Employer paid Short-Term, Long-Term Disability, and Term LifeFamily planning support with enhanced medical plans and consultation programs

Inclusive Benefits Stipend

Access to mental health support via TalkSpace

Physical wellness online coaching

Your Life

Flexible Time Off Program

Generous leave for new parents

Military leave

16 Paid Holidays

Sabbatical Program

Your Future

401K with 4% Matching after 6 months

Your Work Life

Remote work

Work with experts in leadership, culture, and personal development

Weekly Thrive Time

Reimbursement programs

Reading over the role description and feeling like you don’t check every box? That’s okay; if you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily meet all the criteria, please apply—you could be exactly who we are looking for!

15Five follows equitable hiring practices. Our compensation programs are designed to attract, motivate, and retain talented employees who are highly engaged, high performing, and have an exceptional impact on the business and our customers.

The base salary range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the role across all US locations. We benchmark all roles for compensation in ranges relative to the top half of the market of similar tech companies using up-to-date market data. Within the range, individual pay is determined by budget allocated for the role and additional factors, including job-related competencies and skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US job postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

Note that base salary ranges are reviewed each year based on up-to-date market data, and team members who are performing are eligible for a merit increase, budget permitting. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

🎯 Who is this job for?

This role suits a junior–mid software engineer who enjoys building web applications with React, JavaScript, and Python/Django, and wants to work in a product-minded, high-collaboration environment that embraces AI-assisted development. It’s a great fit for someone eager to navigate a complex codebase, learn quickly, contribute to AI-powered features, and take ownership in an agile, fully remote team while growing their technical depth across frontend, backend, and modern AI tooling.

💬 Potential Interview Questions

What tech stack do you primarily use for building web applications?
React with TypeScript on the frontend and Python/Django (or a similar backend framework) with PostgreSQL or MySQL on the backend.
How do you typically structure a React application for maintainability and scalability?
I use a feature-based folder structure, separate UI components from business logic via hooks/services, and centralize shared utilities, types, and design system components.
How do you leverage AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor) in your daily development?
I use them to scaffold boilerplate, explore alternative implementations, and refactor code faster, while always reviewing, testing, and optimizing the generated code manually.
What is your experience working with Python and Django on the server side?
I’ve built RESTful APIs and business logic in Django, using Django REST Framework for serialization, authentication, and permissions, and managed migrations and ORM queries against relational databases.
How do you design and consume REST APIs between your frontend and backend services?
I design clear, resource-oriented endpoints with consistent status codes and error shapes, document them, then consume them via typed API clients or custom hooks handling loading, errors, and retries.
How do you approach testing in a full-stack application?
I combine unit tests (e.g., pytest/Jest), integration tests (React Testing Library or API tests), and selective end-to-end tests, integrating them into CI to block regressions before deployment.
What is your process for debugging issues in a complex, data-rich codebase?
I reproduce the issue, inspect logs and traces, use browser dev tools and backend logging, narrow down the faulty component or endpoint, add targeted logging if needed, then fix and cover it with tests.
How do you incorporate performance considerations into your frontend work?
I minimize unnecessary re-renders, use memoization and code splitting, optimize data fetching and caching, and profile the app with browser and React DevTools to address real bottlenecks.
What experience do you have with databases in web applications?
I’ve worked with PostgreSQL and MySQL using ORMs (like Django ORM), designed schemas, optimized queries with indexes, and handled migrations as the data model evolved.
How do you stay productive and collaborative in a remote-first, async environment?
I communicate clearly and frequently in writing, break work into small deliverables, share progress updates, ask for help early when blocked, and make active use of code reviews and pair programming sessions.

📋 Job Summary

15Five is hiring a remote Software Engineer (US-based) to build AI-powered, data-rich features for its strategic performance management platform used by HR leaders and managers. You’ll work across JavaScript/React on the frontend and Python/Django plus relational databases on the backend, leveraging modern AI-assisted development tools to ship high-quality, well-tested code. This full-time role offers $127,000–$149,000 in base salary plus equity, strong benefits, and a fully remote, people-first culture focused on personal and professional growth. Join a mission-driven team pushing the boundaries of performance management with generative AI, analytics, and human-centered design.