Staff Software Engineer

About Gusto

At Gusto, we are dedicated to empowering small businesses by simplifying complex HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance processes. Our mission is to grow the small business economy by providing innovative, reliable, and user-friendly solutions that allow owners to focus on what they do best—serving their customers and expanding their craft. With a presence in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, Gusto proudly supports over 400,000 small businesses nationwide. Our commitment extends beyond technology; we foster a workplace culture that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and the entrepreneurial spirit of our customers. We believe in creating a positive impact through our Total Rewards philosophy, ensuring our team members are motivated, supported, and rewarded for their contributions.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Staff Software Engineer to join our dynamic engineering team. In this role, you will take ownership of end-to-end project development, influencing everything from initial feature specifications to deployment and ongoing improvements. You will work on our customer-facing products that span payroll, benefits, HR, time tracking, tax credits, and more, helping us build scalable, reliable, and elegant software solutions. As a key technical leader, you will mentor other engineers, help scale our large Ruby on Rails and JavaScript/React applications, and collaborate closely with product management and design teams to deliver solutions that genuinely enhance the customer experience. Your work will have far-reaching effects in the modern economy, supporting small businesses across the country and beyond.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software development experience
• Proven track record of owning multi-quarter projects that solve complex engineering problems
• Experience building scalable solutions that address customer pain points
• Strong communication skills across engineering teams and business stakeholders
• Experience or interest in Ruby on Rails development
• Ability to mentor and lead engineering teams to maximize impact
• Experience with large-scale refactors, performance optimization, and reliability improvements
• Passion for creating memorable and positive customer experiences
• Familiarity with collaborative, test-driven development environments
• Ability to produce well-structured, maintainable, and well-documented code
• Preferred: Experience leveraging AI tools to accelerate development, improve testing, and enhance product capabilities
• Interest in emerging AI frameworks and best practices for safe and effective AI integration

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and test Gusto’s suite of products including Payroll, Benefits, HR, Time, and Tax Credits
• Mentor and guide other engineers to solve complex technical challenges and improve team performance
• Scale and optimize one of the largest Ruby on Rails and JavaScript/React applications globally
• Collaborate with product management and design teams to understand customer needs and develop innovative solutions
• Prototype, iterate, and deploy new features rapidly, ensuring high quality and reliability
• Participate in code reviews, technical discussions, and documentation to maintain high standards
• Address performance, scalability, and reliability issues proactively
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering practices and tools
• Explore and experiment with AI integrations to enhance product features and development workflows

Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $163,000 to $247,000 annually, depending on location and experience
• Stock equity options to share in the company's success
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Flexible work arrangements and remote work opportunities
• Paid time off and holidays to support work-life balance
• Professional development programs and continuous learning opportunities
• Inclusive and diverse workplace culture that values innovation and collaboration

Equal Opportunity

Gusto is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with applicable laws. Gusto is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and ensuring all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

Key skills/competency

• Software Development
• System Architecture
• Ruby on Rails
• JavaScript
• React
• AI Tools
• Mentorship
• Scalability
• Performance Optimization
• Test-Driven Development (TDD)