Software Engineer
Holly · Brooklyn, NY (Hybrid) / New York, NY
About the opportunity
We're hiring a software engineer to join our team as we build upon the platform that's transforming how local governments manage their workforce. This is an opportunity to join as the second engineer on our technical team in developing innovative solutions that address real-world challenges in the public sector.
Holly's mission is to bring millions of Americans into public service through software that treats them with hospitality and care. We're building the first AI-powered platform to help local governments design and manage their workforces effectively, starting with automated job design and compensation benchmarking.
We’re built by former public servants and civic tech operators who met and incubated the company at Harvard Innovation Labs. We've raised $2.2M from leading investors in government technology and the future of work, including J2 Ventures, Roble Ventures, Gaingels, and prominent govtech founders and operators.
Our platform is live with jurisdictions representing 1% of the US population and growing rapidly. We're getting overwhelmed by demand as cities and counties look to replace expensive consultants ($100K+ annually) and plan for a modern workforce.
We need a strong builder/problem-solver who excels at turning complex data challenges into elegant solutions while wearing many hats. If you're energized by building data-intensive applications that leverage machine learning to drive meaningful change in the public sector, we'd love to hear from you.
What You’ll Do
- Build and maintain features across our stack:
- NextJS (app router, server actions, edge functions, etc) deployed on Vercel
- TypeScript
- PostgreSQL (deployed via Supabase) with Drizzle ORM
- Tailwind CSS
- Sentry
- Design and build robust data pipelines for processing job information from government sources
- Implement responsive, data-intensive interfaces using React Server Components and client components where appropriate
- Develop robust error handling and monitoring using Sentry
- Write clean, maintainable code with appropriate test coverage
- Help maintain and improve our CI/CD processes and deployment infrastructure
- Support our AI/ML integration efforts by implementing data processing pipelines and working with LLM-powered features
- Participate in code reviews to improve code quality and knowledge sharing
- Contribute to technical documentation to ensure knowledge transfer
- Work closely with the product team to understand requirements and translate them into technical solutions
What You’ll Have
We’d love to talk if you:
- Have 3-5 years of professional experience in full-stack product development, ideally with strong backend expertise in data modeling and scalable architectures
- Have built and maintained production deployment pipelines and complex database systems
- Know your way around rendering large data sets in performant web applications, with UI frameworks that are built with an emphasis on simplicity and reusability
- Take ownership and move fast – You drive solutions independently, ship often, and thrive in the ambiguity of an early-stage startup
- Have a growth mindset and roll up your sleeves – You eagerly learn new technologies like LLMs, find resourceful solutions to problems, and love teaching others
- Are a true builder at heart – You're excited to shape team culture, bring best practices to the organization, and excel with limited oversight. Bonus points for prior startup exp.
What You’ll Get
- System impact – Build core systems that will shape our product architecture and data models for years to come
- Technical breadth – Develop expertise in backend systems, data pipelines, and modern AI/ML applications
- Collaborative ownership – Work directly with founders while having ownership over significant technical components
- Growth opportunities – Join at an early stage with clear path for advancement as the company grows
- Mission-driven impact – Your work will directly improve how local governments operate, helping millions of Americans find fulfilling careers in public service
- Competitive package – $120-160K base salary, 0.25-0.5% equity (depending on experience), comprehensive health benefits (platinum plan, vision, & dental), and hybrid work environment (3-4 days in office)
Our Interview Process
We believe in hiring fast, but thoughtfully. Our interview process is designed to simulate the most important tasks of the job and give you a full perspective on what it’s like to be part of our team.
- Initial call (30 min) – Quick intro with Cherie & Brendan to learn about your background and share more about the company.
- Technical take-home (1-2 hours) - Explore your problem solving and data architecture skills.
- Technical interview (30 min) – Deep dive into technical capabilities.
- Product exercise (45–60 min) – Brainstorm and discuss feature development so we can experience collaborating on a tough product & technical question.
- On-site day in NYC – Hands-on hacking session, architecture planning, culture alignment.
- References – Two-way reference checks to ensure mutual fit.
- Offer – Welcome aboard!
Ready to Join Us?
Send us a brief note on why this role excites you to [email protected], along with your resume and links to any personal or professional projects you think may be relevant and where you heard about this job opportunity.
Please take careful note of the following:
- Note: Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship.
- As an early stage startup with ambitious growth targets, both for individuals and org-wide, this is not a 9 to 5 role. We’re happy to share more specific details, but generally we expect 50-60 hour workweeks on average, with occasional late nights and weekend work.
Our commitment to inclusion and belonging: Holly is committed to building a diverse company and working with the broadest talent pool possible. We encourage applications from all races, religions, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
We strive to also provide a disability inclusive application and interview process. If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in order to submit an application, please contact us at: [email protected]. Please include your full name, the role you’re applying for and the accommodation necessary to assist you with the recruiting process.
We’re excited to build with you!
~ Team Holly 🌆
