Software Engineer - UX

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Engineer - UX
Company: Offstream
Location: Denver, Colorado, United States
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Software Engineering / UX Design
Date Posted: October 19, 2025
Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Seeking a Software Engineer with a strong emphasis on User Experience (UX) to join a growing, early-stage engineering team.
• This role is pivotal in shaping the user-facing aspects of the Offstream product, contributing to both web applications and future physical hardware initiatives.
• The position offers significant impact potential within a mission-driven climate tech startup focused on carbon removal.
• Expect a collaborative environment where you will influence product direction and evangelize UX best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is uniquely positioned at the intersection of software engineering and UX design, indicating a need for a candidate who can not only build but also deeply understand and advocate for the user. The "4th engineer" status suggests a high degree of autonomy and influence in shaping the engineering function and its processes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborating closely with the existing engineering team and cross-functional stakeholders to translate product requirements into robust and user-centric technical solutions.
• Dedicating approximately 20% of time to UX design activities, including the creation of user flows, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes using tools like Figma.
• Championing UX best practices and user-centered design principles throughout the engineering team and the wider organization.
• Actively participating in code reviews, technical design discussions, and Agile ceremonies such as sprint planning and retrospectives.
• Contributing to the development and refinement of the company's tech stack, with a focus on front-end technologies like React.
• Mentoring and knowledge-sharing with fellow engineers as the team scales, fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development.
• Engaging in discussions about expanding into physical hardware and real-world infrastructure to support company growth and carbon removal goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of dedicating 20% of time to UX design, alongside core software engineering duties, highlights the dual nature of this role. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in both coding and design thinking, with a clear understanding of how to integrate user needs into the development lifecycle.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, or a related technical field.

Experience:

• 2-5 years of professional software engineering experience, with a preference for candidates who have worked in early-stage startup environments.
• Proven experience in front-end development, particularly with React.
• Demonstrable experience in UX design, either through formal design roles, product management experience, or significant front-end development with a strong UX focus.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in software engineering principles and best practices.
• Expertise in front-end development with React.
• Familiarity with TypeScript and Next.js for building modern web applications.
• Experience with GraphQL for efficient data fetching.
• Working knowledge of PostgreSQL for database management.
• Demonstrable UX design skills, including user flow mapping, wireframing, and mockup creation.
• Proficiency with design software such as Figma.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, essential for cross-functional teamwork and evangelizing UX.
• Passion for working in a startup environment and contributing to a mission-driven company.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with other aspects of Offstream's tech stack beyond the core requirements.
• Exposure to hardware development or real-world infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and project management tools like Asana.
• Experience in blameless incident management and process improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "high-slope individuals" and "quickly grow into this profile" statement indicates a strong emphasis on learning agility and potential over strict adherence to every listed qualification. Candidates with a solid foundation in React and UX principles, coupled with a drive to learn the broader tech stack and company mission, are highly encouraged to apply.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of front-end development projects, particularly those built with React, demonstrating clean code, efficient architecture, and responsiveness.
• Examples of user-centered design processes, including problem definition, user research (even informal), ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and final mockups.
• Case studies that illustrate how user needs were translated into functional features and improved user experiences.
• Projects that highlight familiarity with Offstream's tech stack (TypeScript, Next.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL), demonstrating an ability to work within a defined technology ecosystem.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of participation in or contribution to Agile development processes, such as sprint planning, code reviews, and retrospectives.
• Examples of how you have approached problem-solving for user-facing issues, detailing the steps from understanding the problem to implementing and validating a solution.
• Any experience in evangelizing design principles or improving development workflows within a team setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's dual nature, a portfolio that clearly delineates engineering accomplishments from UX design contributions will be most effective. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their design process and how they integrate user feedback into their development cycles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $115,000 - $135,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Meaningful equity in an early-stage startup poised for growth in the climate tech sector.
• A comprehensive suite of benefits, typically including health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), with a mandatory minimum of two weeks off per year.
• Observance of all federal holidays.
• A company-wide shutdown for the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, approximately 40 hours per week.
• The company utilizes a two-week sprint cycle, implying a structured yet adaptable work schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific and aligns with mid-level software engineering roles in a high-cost-of-living area like Denver, especially for startups offering equity. The benefits package, particularly unlimited PTO with a mandated minimum and a company-wide holiday shutdown, indicates a focus on work-life balance and employee well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Environmental & Sustainability Technology (Climate Tech), Carbon Removal. Offstream is actively contributing to the growing carbon removal market by developing innovative solutions that blend software, hardware, and real-world infrastructure.

Company Size: Early-stage startup, with the engineering team currently consisting of a small, foundational group. This role is for the 4th engineer on the software side, indicating a highly collaborative and impactful environment where individual contributions are paramount.

Founded: While the founding date is not explicitly stated, the company is described as "early-stage," suggesting a dynamic and evolving operational landscape.

Team Structure:

• The engineering team is lean and growing, with this role being a key addition to the software development function.
• Reporting structure is likely flat in an early-stage startup, with direct access to leadership and significant influence on technical direction.
• Cross-functional collaboration is expected to be high, involving close work with founders, product, and potentially other operational departments as the company scales.

Methodology:

• Agile development practices are employed, with a two-week sprint cycle and standard tooling like GitHub and Asana.
• A "blameless incidents" culture is emphasized, promoting a safe environment for learning from mistakes and focusing on process improvement rather than individual blame.
• The company values steady, long-term effort and progress, suggesting a focus on sustainable growth and impactful innovation.

Company Website: http://www.useoffstream.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "early-stage startup" and being one of the foundational software engineers means the culture will be fast-paced, hands-on, and require a proactive, self-starter mentality. The "blameless incidents" culture is a significant positive for engineers, fostering psychological safety.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Software Engineer with a specialized UX focus. It represents an opportunity to grow with the company, potentially evolving into a senior engineering role, a design lead, or a technical leadership position as Offstream scales.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports directly to a Head of Engineering, CTO, or a founding engineer. The small team size allows for direct mentorship and visibility with leadership.

Operations Impact: As one of the early software engineers, this role has a direct and substantial impact on the core product offering. Contributions to both the technical architecture and the user experience will be critical to Offstream's success in the carbon removal market. The expansion into hardware also presents unique opportunities for cross-disciplinary impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in React, Next.js, and full-stack development. Opportunity to gain experience in hardware integration and infrastructure development.
• UX Leadership: Grow into a more senior UX role, shaping design strategy, leading design initiatives, and mentoring junior designers/developers in UX.
• Team Growth: As the team expands, opportunities for technical leadership, mentorship, and potentially managing other engineers will emerge.
• Industry Expertise: Develop deep knowledge in the climate tech and carbon removal sectors, an area of significant growth and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "high-slope individuals" and "quickly grow into this profile" phrasing strongly suggests that the company is looking for individuals who are ambitious and eager to expand their skill sets rapidly. Career progression will likely be tied to the company's growth trajectory and the individual's ability to take on increasing responsibility.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, with a requirement to be in the office three days per week. The office is located near Union Station in Denver, CO, an accessible and central location.

Office Location(s): Denver, Colorado, United States (near Union Station).

Workspace Context:

• The office environment near Union Station provides a collaborative space for the hybrid team.
• Expect a dynamic, fast-paced startup atmosphere where close collaboration and communication are key.
• Access to standard professional tooling (GitHub, Asana, Slack) is provided.
• The environment encourages innovation, problem-solving, and a shared commitment to the company's mission.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours, aligned with a two-week sprint cycle. The hybrid model allows for focused work at home and collaborative sessions in office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid requirement with specific in-office days suggests a need for candidates who can thrive in both independent and collaborative settings and are comfortable commuting to the Denver office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Intro Call with Zach: An initial conversation to learn about Offstream's mission, goals, tech stack, upcoming projects, and to answer candidate questions. This is an opportunity to gauge cultural fit and assess alignment with the company's vision.
• Technical Screen (Automated): An online assessment designed to evaluate front-end software development skills, specifically with React. This is typically a timed exercise.
• 2nd Technical Interview (UX Problem Solving): A hands-on session focused on solving a user experience challenge. Candidates will walk through uncovering requirements, designing a solution, and potentially outlining implementation steps. This tests practical UX thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Team Interview: A discussion with Zach and Varsha to delve into the candidate's background, professional experience, motivations for joining an early-stage climate tech startup, and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Dual Expertise: Clearly showcase both your software engineering projects (especially React) and your UX design work. Use case studies to demonstrate how these skills are integrated.
• Showcase UX Process: For design contributions, detail your process: problem identification, user research (even if informal), ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and final mockups. Explain the rationale behind your design decisions.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, quantify the impact of your work. For engineering, this could be performance improvements or feature delivery. For UX, it could be improved user flows or usability metrics (if available).
• Tailor to Offstream: Emphasize projects that align with Offstream's tech stack (React, TypeScript, Next.js, GraphQL, PostgreSQL) and its mission in carbon removal. Discuss your understanding of the challenges in this space.
• Prepare to Discuss Challenges: Be ready to discuss the UX problem-solving exercise and how you approached it, detailing your thought process and design choices.

Challenge Preparation:

• UX Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down user problems, defining requirements, sketching out solutions, and explaining your design rationale. Think about how to balance user needs with technical feasibility.
• React & TypeScript: Refresh your knowledge of modern React patterns, state management, and TypeScript fundamentals.
• Company Mission: Understand Offstream's mission in carbon removal and how the engineering and UX functions contribute to it.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both technical proficiency and design acumen. The "UX problem" interview is a key differentiator, requiring candidates to demonstrate their ability to think critically about user needs and translate them into actionable design and development plans.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Frontend Framework: React
• Web Application Framework: Next.js
• Programming Language: TypeScript
• API Query Language: GraphQL
• Database: PostgreSQL

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools aren't listed, expect a need for analyzing user behavior and product performance. Proficiency in general analytics concepts and potentially tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not explicitly mentioned, but familiarity with CRM concepts and workflow automation is valuable in a startup environment.

Design Tools:

• Prototyping & Design: Figma (explicitly mentioned as required)

Development Tools:

• Version Control: GitHub (standard for code reviews and collaboration)
• Project Management: Asana (standard for sprint planning and task tracking)
• Communication: Slack (standard for team communication)

📝 Enhancement Note: The tech stack is modern and focused on building scalable web applications. Proficiency in React and TypeScript is paramount. Experience with GraphQL and PostgreSQL demonstrates an understanding of robust data handling and API design. Figma is a critical tool for this role, bridging the gap between design and development.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to the company's mission of advancing carbon removal and sustainability.
• User-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and serving customer needs through excellent product design and engineering.
• Collaboration & Communication: Open dialogue, knowledge sharing, and teamwork are essential, especially in a hybrid and early-stage environment.
• Continuous Improvement: A dedication to learning from mistakes ("blameless incidents") and iteratively improving processes and products.
• Steady Effort & Long-Term Vision: Valuing consistent progress and sustainable growth over short-term gains.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close collaboration between engineering, design, and potentially product/leadership to ensure alignment on goals and execution.
• Open Feedback Culture: Encouragement of constructive feedback during code reviews, design discussions, and retrospectives.
• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in sharing technical insights, design principles, and best practices within the team.
• Agile Ceremonies: Regular participation in sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives to ensure team alignment and iterative development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "blameless incidents" and "steady effort over a long period of time" paints a picture of a mature, psychologically safe, and forward-thinking team culture, even within the fast-paced startup environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Engineering and Design: Effectively managing time and focus between core software development tasks and dedicated UX design responsibilities.
• Early-Stage Startup Environment: Navigating the inherent ambiguity, rapid iteration, and evolving priorities typical of startups.
• Expanding into New Domains: Contributing to the integration of software with physical hardware and real-world infrastructure, requiring adaptability and learning new domains.
• Scaling the Engineering Team: Helping to establish best practices, mentorship structures, and team processes as more engineers are hired.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Intensive Skill Development: Rapidly enhance skills in React, TypeScript, Next.js, GraphQL, and PostgreSQL within a practical, real-world context.
• UX Acumen Growth: Develop a strong portfolio and deep understanding of UX principles through dedicated design time and problem-solving exercises.
• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Gain exposure to hardware development, infrastructure, and the complexities of the carbon removal industry.
• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to shape the engineering culture and technical direction of a growing startup, with potential for future leadership roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of roles that blend multiple disciplines in a startup. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to develop a unique and highly valuable skill set at the intersection of technology and sustainability.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss how you balance your software engineering responsibilities with your UX design duties.
• Articulate your process for translating user needs into functional and aesthetically pleasing product features.
• Describe a time you evangelized UX best practices or improved a team's design process.
• How would you approach designing a new feature for Offstream, considering both user needs and technical constraints?

Company & Culture Questions:

• Research Offstream's mission in carbon removal and articulate why you are passionate about this area.
• Discuss your experience in startup environments and how you contribute to a positive team culture, particularly regarding the "blameless incidents" philosophy.
• How do you approach collaboration in a hybrid work environment?
• What are your expectations for growth and development within an early-stage company?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution (both technical and design), and the outcome/impact.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (screenshots, mockups, code snippets) to illustrate your work. For UX, walk through your design process.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify achievements where possible. For UX, discuss how your designs improved user experience or solved specific problems.
• Tailor to the Role: Highlight projects that demonstrate your React, TypeScript, and UX design skills. Be ready to discuss your familiarity with GraphQL and PostgreSQL.
• Engage Your Interviewers: Treat the portfolio review as a conversation, inviting questions and discussion about your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical problem-solving and cultural fit. Candidates should prepare to articulate their thought processes for both technical and design challenges, and demonstrate a genuine interest in Offstream's mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby link: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/offstream/88b5f60c-5ce4-4cc6-930b-b8867951e556
• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature your strongest React development projects and your UX design case studies. Ensure these examples clearly demonstrate your ability to integrate both disciplines, aligning with Offstream's needs.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, such as "Software Engineer," "UX Design," "React," "TypeScript," "Figma," and "startup." Quantify achievements where possible and emphasize your experience in collaborative environments.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions. Prepare to walk through your portfolio projects and discuss your UX problem-solving approach. Research the company's mission and values thoroughly.
• Company Research: Deeply understand Offstream's mission in carbon removal, its current product offerings, and its company culture. Be prepared to discuss why you are drawn to working at an early-stage climate tech startup.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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