Staff Fullstack Engineer (Technical Lead – On-Site, West Hollywood, CA)

Department: Guardian

Employment Type: Full time - Payroll - W2

Location: California, California, United States

About COVU
COVU is a venture-backed AI-driven insurtech startup reimagining how independent insurance agencies operate. We’re building an AI-native agent workspace that unifies communication, automation, and workflows, helping agencies grow faster and operate smarter. Our founders bring deep expertise in AI and cloud platforms, and we’re tackling big, meaningful challenges with a modern, scalable approach.

The Role

We’re seeking a Staff Fullstack Engineer (Technical Lead) to architect and drive the next generation of COVU’s AI-native platform. You’ll lead key projects end-to-end, balancing hands-on engineering (≈50%) with technical leadership, architectural decision-making, and mentorship.

You’ll bring deep backend expertise in Fullstack web development, as well as solid frontend proficiency in React and Next.js. This role is ideal for a senior technical leader who can bridge architecture with execution and guide a fast-growing team through complex, high-impact projects.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design and delivery of scalable, high-performance full-stack systems that power COVU’s AI-driven platform.
• Architect and develop core services and integrations using Node, Python, PostgreSQL, and AWS (Lambda, ECS, API Gateway, etc.).
• Collaborate with product, design, and operations teams to transform business goals into reliable, user-focused software.
• Work closely with the frontend team to build intuitive, performant interfaces using React and Next.js.
• Stay hands-on (≈50%), ensuring architectural decisions translate into clean, maintainable, production-quality code.
• Mentor engineers, conduct code and design reviews, and raise the bar for technical excellence.
• Drive DevOps and observability improvements—CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure-as-Code, and performance monitoring.
• Find opportunities to improve quality and speed of development using AI and create processes around them.

Who You Are

• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong full-stack background.
• Proven track record as a Tech Lead or Staff Engineer on complex, large-scale web platforms.
• Have led development and launching of at least one successful web application will have at least 100 internal users or 10K+ external users with existing evidence to demonstrate quality and performance of the web application.
• Deep expertise in Node (or Python), PostgreSQL, and AWS (Lambda, ECS, API Gateway, etc.).
• Strong understanding of React and Next.js, and how backend systems integrate with modern frontends.
• Experience leading and mentoring engineers, fostering both velocity and quality.
• Excellent system design judgment and ability to navigate ambiguity in early-stage product environments.
• Must be based in Los Angeles or open to relocation.
• This is a fully on-site role at our West Hollywood office.

Why Join Us

• Lead foundational projects shaping the future of AI-driven insurtech.
• Work directly with founders and senior leaders in AI, product, and engineering.
• Own meaningful architecture decisions and influence team culture from the ground up.
• Be part of a high-growth, venture-backed startup tackling real industry challenges.
• Competitive compensation + equity package.

Our Interview Process

1. Introductory call with the People team
2. Coding interview
3. Tech Interview (architecture & leadership focus)
4. Final discussion with leadership

Please be strictly advised that the use of any real-time AI assistance, screen-reading software, or external aids during the application process is strictly prohibited. We employ active detection methods to ensure the integrity of our hiring process. Any violation of this policy will result in the immediate termination of the interview and permanent disqualification of your candidacy.