Software Engineer I

About PublicInput

PublicInput develops and supports Software-as-a-Service (Saas) solutions designed for government agencies and their consultant partners to facilitate and manage better communication with the public.

Based in Raleigh, NC, the company was founded with a vision to access and elevate historically underrepresented communities in the municipal and state planning process, while simultaneously streamlining cumbersome administrative work that so often prevents equitable outcomes.

With a shared background in planning consulting, the company’s co-founders believe that technology can play a key role in making government more responsive and representative of communities' broadest needs.

Our Approach

Many engagement solutions only address small parts of the engagement process, offering a piecemeal approach that relies on third-party partnerships to fill in the gaps. 

PublicInput uses a unified approach, blending traditional and virtual engagement tactics via one integrated platform. 

Reliable, equitable, and simple, our easy-to-use user interface gives governments all the tools needed to facilitate successful public engagement.

Our Culture

PublicInput is driven by the idea that “life is all about the people you meet and the things you create with them.” We are privileged to work with exceptionally talented colleagues to create a meaningful change for governments and society.

PublicInput’s mission is to enable collaborative democracy through technology. This means creating systems that allow governments to build relationships with their community through more reliable communication, lowered barriers to participation, and data analytics to understand what they’re hearing.

That is why we work hard to be the experienced and empathetic innovation partner that state and local governments deserve, while building an exceptional team and company.

About The Role & You:

PublicInput is looking for a frontend-leaning Full Stack Software Engineer to help build and improve the applications our customers and their communities interact with every day.

While this is a full stack engineering role, much of your work will be focused on the frontend and user experience —building responsive interfaces, developing reusable components, translating product and design requirements into working software, and improving the usability, accessibility, and performance of our platform.

You’ll primarily work with React, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS on the frontend , while also contributing across our C#/.NET, ASP.NET MVC, MSSQL, and Azure-based backend and infrastructure as needed. We’re looking for someone who enjoys owning features end to end but is especially energized by turning complex workflows into intuitive, polished product experiences.

You’ll collaborate closely with product managers, designers, technical leads, and other engineers to understand customer problems and build solutions that are reliable, maintainable, and easy to use.

AI-Assisted Engineering

Software engineering is changing rapidly with AI, and PublicInput has embraced AI-assisted development as part of our day-to-day engineering workflow .

We expect engineers to be comfortable using modern AI development tools to accelerate implementation, explore unfamiliar areas of the codebase, debug issues, generate and improve tests, refactor existing code, document systems, and evaluate different approaches to a problem.

Experience with tools such as GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude Code, ChatGPT/OpenAI coding tools, or similar AI-assisted development environments is strongly preferred. We’re particularly interested in engineers who have developed effective workflows for using these tools as a genuine productivity multiplier rather than simply for occasional code generation.

Deliver Value with Broader Impact

Partner with stakeholders—including product managers, designers, technical leads, and support teams—to understand customer and business requirements for features and enhancements. Contribute to implementing solutions that align with product goals while incorporating customer feedback and insights with support from senior engineers. Develop an understanding of how technical decisions impact the broader product experience, and proactively seek opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, observability, and consistency across systems and operations. 

Skills and Experience:

Professional Qualifications

• React, Javascript,HTML/CSS, .NET, C#, jQuery, Azure, DevOps.
• Leverage AI as a productivity multiplier to solve business problems and improve internal processes.
• Solid problem-solving and debugging skills, with the ability to tackle more complex and ambiguous issues.
• Proficiency in software development best practices, including SOLID principles, design patterns, and testing strategies.
• Experience designing, developing, and maintaining end-to-end features or services of low to moderate complexity.
• Familiarity with system architecture concepts and ability to articulate trade-offs.
  

Personal Qualifications

• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to work independently on medium to larger scopes.
• Proactive communicator who ensures alignment across team members and stakeholders.
• Demonstrates leadership qualities, including empathy, patience, and strong collaboration/communication skills .
• Curious and forward-looking—consistently seeking ways to improve systems, processes, and team practices.

Compensation

This role pays between $95,000-$115,000 and is eligible to participate in the company’s annual bonus plan.

You may also be eligible for our equity incentive program that awards high-performing employees on an annual basis. These option grants are awarded at the CEO’s discretion to acknowledge employees who have made significant contributions to achieving our goals.

Benefits

• Unlimited Paid Time Off : You know yourself best, so we trust you to take the time you need to maintain a rewarding work/life balance.
• Group Health, Dental, and Vision Plan : PublicInput offers a company-subsidized healthcare plan that covers 100% of your medical premiums or up to $800 per month for you and your dependents. We also have options to add Dental, Vision, Life, and other benefit coverages for the employee and their family.
• $1,000 HSA Contribution : PublicInput will contribute $1,000 annually (spread over each month) to an employee’s Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Pre-tax 401 (k): The company provides access to make pre-tax contributions to a 401 (k) plan, and will match 50 cents on the dollar up to 6% of an employee’s base salary.

Company Culture

Our offices are based out of Raleigh Founded in the Glenwood South neighborhood of Downtown Raleigh. We’re fortunate to be surrounded by fellow social entrepreneurs and high-growth companies. Glenwood South contains a multitude of restaurants, bars, unique shops and art galleries.

The Legal Bits

PublicInput is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

As a condition of employment, you are required to sign and comply with an Employee Confidential Information Invention Assignment Agreement that requires, among other provisions, the assignment of rights to any invention made during your employment at the Company, and non-disclosure of Company proprietary information.

All company offers are contingent upon the completion of a criminal background check. Your employment is at-will and either you or we may terminate your employment at any time, with or without notice.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

PublicInput celebrates all people and is committed to working actively towards equity and accessibility for everyone. 

We believe society is strongest when everyone is listened to, respected, valued, and able to contribute to the decision-making process, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, religious faith, disability status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

We seek talented individuals whose skills and experiences can help us transform the way government and communities work together.

We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all areas of our company.