Associate Software Engineer

Reports To: CTO
Location: San Francisco, CA

Reinventing Government Interactions for a Sustainable Future

At Symbium, we’re on a mission to streamline how citizens interact with local government and cut through the red tape in permitting processes. Imagine a world where homeowners and contractors can effortlessly navigate complex regulations, instantly determine what projects are possible on their property, and secure approvals with the click of a button. Symbium is making that world a reality. By transforming dense rules into user-friendly software, we empower people to get work done without frustration and delay.

Symbium’s proprietary computational law (Complaw®) technology – initially developed at Stanford’s AI Lab – performs permit compliance checks in real time, enabling instant permit approvals. Symbium is currently partnered with 60 California cities – and growing fast. Our platform accelerates clean energy adoption by simplifying approvals for installations of solar panels and EV chargers to heat pumps and beyond. This streamlined process helps communities transition more quickly to decarbonization and energy independence.

The Opportunity

As an Associate Software Engineer at Symbium, you’ll support the building of next-generation tools that make navigating regulatory processes as easy as online shopping. You’ll work across the full stack to support and enhance existing products, assist with new functionality, and help keep our software reliable and efficient.

This is an entry-level role for which we will prioritize curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to learn – of course prior experience is a plus. For the right hire, this role is designed to grow into greater engineering responsibilities within the company.

You’ll tackle challenging technical problems (think translating law into code!), collaborate with a passionate team, and expand your engineering skills in a supportive environment.If you love the idea of using technology to disrupt the status quo and make a positive impact on society, you’ll thrive in this role.

What you’ll do (Responsibilities)

• Assist with feature development and planning:
• Work with product managers, domain experts, and fellow engineers to support the development of new features and products.
• Contribute to planning discussions, identifying potential gaps or misalignments early, and proposing solutions to ensure projects stay on track.
• Proactively monitor progress, address roadblocks, and adjust strategies as needed to support timely execution.
• Communicate clearly with the team about project updates, blockers, and timelines. Strong communication is essential – you should be responsive to messages and emails, provide timely updates, and ensure alignment across the team and stakeholders to maintain smooth execution.
• Write and contribute to project proposals: Author technical proposals for focused improvements, outlining the assumptions, impact, approach, and effort. Present these proposals to team members, incorporating feedback to iteratively refine the proposed solution.
• Develop internal tools: Create, maintain, and improve tools and scripts to streamline team workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and improve productivity.
• Maintain and support data integrity: Extend and maintain data pipelines used in core application functionality while working to optimize storage and retrieval processes.
• Ensure software quality through testing and QA:
• Perform unit, integration, and regression testing to maintain high code quality and reliability.
• Develop early prototypes to clarify product requirements and surface technical challenges.
• Actively participate in code reviews and debugging efforts.
• Provide technical support: Help intake, diagnose, and resolve support requests from users.
• Write clear, thorough documentation: Maintain up-to-date documentation for APIs, internal tools, and development processes.

Who we’re looking for (Qualifications)

We welcome creative problem solvers who are excited by our mission. You might be a great fit if you have:

• A bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Exposure to full-stack development. Experience building or contributing to web applications, with a willingness to grow in both front-end and back-end development.
• Experience with JavaScript (Node.js). Proficiency is highly advantageous.
• Front-end skills: Experience using HTML, CSS, or associated frameworks.
• Database knowledge. Understanding of relational databases (particularly SQL) – you should be able to write queries and work with data models.
• Strong communication and documentation skills. Ability to write clearly, explain technical concepts, and present ideas effectively.
• Quality-focused mindset. Interest and experience in testing, debugging, and ensuring code reliability.
• Team player attitude. Passion for being part of a tight-knit, agile team. You communicate well, enjoy collaborating, and take accountability for your work (and welcome feedback from others).

Nice-to-Have Skills (Not required, but let us know if you have them)

• Data pipelines: Experience with data processing pipelines or scripts to extract or transform data.
• Graph databases: Familiarity with graph DBs and query languages (e.g., Neo4j and Cypher) for working with connected data.
• Logic programming: Exposure to logic programming or rule-based systems (e.g. Prolog). This will help in understanding our Complaw engine, though you can learn it here too.
• AI/Machine Learning: Experience with ML algorithms or AI techniques – e.g., training models, working with large datasets, or applying AI to solve complex problems. Our domain is unique, and we value team members who bring fresh perspectives from AI and other fields.

Our Culture & Why You’ll Love Symbium

• Mission with Impact: Your work will directly accelerate the adoption of clean energy and make government services more accessible. Every feature you build can help someone install solar panels, get an EV charger, or improve their home with less hassle. If you’ve wanted to do good with your coding skills, this is it.
• High-Ownership Environment: We believe in ownership and accountability. On our team, everyone trusts each other to deliver results. You’ll have the freedom to innovate, make decisions, and drive projects, with the support of experienced mentors when you need it.
• Tight-Knit & Hands-On: We work side by side every day – C-level executives, engineers, and interns alike – sharing ideas and tackling problems together. You’ll find us walking to the Ferry Building for lunch, debating product decisions, and jumping in wherever needed to keep things moving. Everyone has a voice, and we focus on collaboration and execution over titles and hierarchy.
• Competitive Benefits: We offer a competitive startup package, including:
• Competitive salary.
• Stock options in a growing, venture-backed company.
• Attractive 401k and health benefits.
• Working alongside a highly mission-driven, small, supportive team of ambitious, smart creatives in an environment that fosters continuous learning and adaptive problem solving. We turn complex challenges into beautiful, impactful solutions.

How to Apply

If Symbium’s mission and team resonate with you, we’d love to hear from you! To apply, please send an email to careers@symbium.com with your resume, LinkedIn information, and a brief note about why you’re excited to join Symbium.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and be willing to relocate to California prior to the start of employment. Symbium does not provide visa sponsorships at this time.

Symbium is an equal opportunity employer.