Founding Engineer

About Us Halfpricesoft is a fintech company that has quietly dominated the small business payroll and tax compliance space for 20 years. We aren’t a VC-backed "moonshot" burning cash on a third pivot. We are a profitable, revenue-positive engine serving accountants and businesses across all 50 states. We have a massive national customer base and a decades-long track record of stability. Now, we are entering a new era: transitioning our proven solutions into a modern, cloud-native suite of products. While Halfpricesoft is an established company, this role is a founding-level position for our next generation cloud platform. We are looking for a Founding Engineer to serve as our technical partner in this expansion. Compensation Range: 175k-210k/yr Equity: 0.6-1.5% Why This Role Exists We have the customers, we have the revenue, and we have the vision. What we need is technical leadership. We aren’t looking for a "cog in the machine" to close Jira tickets. We need an architect who wants to step into a leadership role and own the technical future of a multi-million dollar company. You are the right fit if you are: A Product-First Engineer: You care about why we are building a feature, not just how. You’re excited to speak with customers to understand where the real pain points are. Technically Fearless: You are comfortable touching every part of a system, from legacy C# logic to modern Kubernetes deployments. Scrappy & Ingenious: Our mission is to provide the most effective software at the best price. We value "smart" solutions over "expensive" ones. Why Join Us? (The Bootstrapped Advantage) Real Equity, No Games: We use a Phantom Stock Plan with a transparent, revenue-based valuation formula. No VC Dilution: Phantom equity is calculated against a fixed ownership pool with a transparent, revenue-based formula. Dividend Equivalents: As a profitable company, when we distribute profits to owners, you receive a cash bonus equivalent to your stake. Proven Stability: We’ve been here for 20 years; we’ll be here for 20 more. This isn't a lottery ticket—it's a path to real wealth. Total Autonomy: You report directly to the Founder. You will have high-level ownership over our tech stack (Django/React/K8s) and the authority to ask the questions no one else is asking. Main Responsibilities Lead the 2.0 Transition: Scope, plan, and execute the modernization of our legacy software into a Django + React cloud system. Own the Infrastructure: Maintain and scale our Kubernetes cloud deployment. Build the Team: As we grow, you will help set the hiring bar and mentor the next generation of Halfpricesoft engineers. Product Integration: Architect integrations with modern financial services and API partners. Required Qualifications 3+ years as a full-time software engineer (ideally with "Founding" or early-stage experience). Cloud Architecture: Deep experience building and managing Kubernetes/cloud-native deployments. Full-Stack Expertise: Proficiency in React and a backend language (ideally Python/Django or C#). Leadership DNA: Demonstrated ability to manage open-ended projects and turn vague product needs into clear technical roadmaps. Bonus Points Experience in Fintech (Payroll, Tax, or Banking). Experience "strangling" legacy systems (migrating from monolith to modern cloud). Previous experience as a technical lead or manager. Pay: $175,000.00 - $210,000.00 per year Experience: software engineer: 3 years (Required) Ability to Relocate: Berkeley, CA 94704: Relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person