Software Engineer
At a glance
Mid-level Software Engineering role at Variance. San Francisco · full-time · $160,000–$250,000 base.
techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Build and release product features across backend and frontend, working in cycles that can take hours
- Turn loosely defined problems into dependable product experiences across the stack
- Create real-time AI decision systems that balance accuracy, speed and user trust
- Test new industries and workflows through quick pilots, live demos and product experiments
- Work directly with the founders on large-scale technical challenges and product improvements
What you bring
- You have one to three years of professional software engineering experience
- You care about software craftsmanship and have clear standards for product quality
- You can work with React/Next.js, TypeScript, MySQL and ClickHouse, with fundamentals valued over stack-specific experience
Who this fits
This role suits an engineer who wants end-to-end ownership, short build cycles and direct work with founders. It is fully in person in San Francisco.
From the employer
Role
At Variance, we are teaching machines to make the hardest judgement calls at scale. That means building AI agents for the high-precision gray-area of risk investigations, fraud, and identity reviews.
We’re a small, talent-dense team in San Francisco, tackling problems that touch billions of events and entities. Our customers include several Fortune 500s, global marketplaces, and regulated financial services. If you thrive on extreme ownership, moving fast, and working directly with founders, you’ll feel at home here.
You’re a fit if you:
Have 1-3 years of experience of professional software engineering experience
Care deeply about craftsmanship and have strong opinions about building high-quality products
Are comfortable with our tech stack: React/Next.js, TypeScript, MySQL, and ClickHouse for agent context, though we value strong fundamentals over experience with any specific technology
Enjoy owning features end-to-end, from backend systems to polished UI to production
Thrive in fast-moving environments with short iteration cycles and a high degree of responsibility
Are excited by the prospect of building AI interfaces for high-stakes decisions that protect people from fraud, scams, and abuse
What you’ll do
Build and ship features end-to-end with iteration cycles measured in hours, not quarters
Work across the stack to turn ambiguous problems into reliable product experiences
Partner directly with the founders on massive-scale, frontier problems
Scale our product into new industries and workflows through fast pilots and live demos
Design systems where AI must decide in real time, balancing precision, speed, and user trust
Help improve the product through rapid feedback, experimentation, and strong execution
Our culture
We believe in ownership, urgency, and craft. We enjoy spirited debate, wild ideas, and building things we’re proud of. We’re fully in-person in San Francisco.
What we offer
Competitive salary and meaningful equity
Health care: we offer platinum-level medical, dental, and vision insurance
Unlimited PTO, sick leave, and parental leave
Up to $100 in reimbursement for personal health & wellness expenses each month
401(k) plan
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Software Engineering$160k+
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