Have you struggled to reserve that coveted summer camping spot at a state park? Wondered why you’re still filling out a paper form at the DMV? Or tried (and failed) to book your favorite pickleball court from your phone?
Kaizen Labs is rebuilding the government’s digital front door - bringing modern, people-first software to the public services millions of Americans rely on every day. From parks & recreation and permitting to licensing and payments, we’re replacing outdated systems with intuitive, beautiful technology designed for residents and the public servants who serve them.
Our platform now powers over 50 agencies across 17 states, reaching more than 40 million residents. Recent partners include Maricopa County (AZ), San Bernardino County (CA), and the Cherokee Nation. In Maryland, our platform helped eliminate seven-mile traffic jams at state parks, saving hundreds of thousands in costs and dramatically improving the visitor experience.
Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, Kaizen has raised $35 million from world-class investors, including NEA, Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, 776, and Carpenter Capital.
We’re a team of builders, designers, and operators redefining what it means to serve the public in the digital age - and we’re just getting started.
This is a hybrid role based out of our New York City HQ. Candidates must reside in New York or be able to commute to New York City to work out of our office at least three times a week (Tuesdays - Thursdays).
As a Product Engineer, you’ll be one of the engineers closest to our customers, shaping how residents interact with local government every day. Your work will directly influence customer experience, retention, and adoption, while setting the quality bar for how government technology should feel.
You’ll work across the stack to design and ship features that make government services intuitive, reliable, and even delightful. This role is full-stack at its core, but with an eye for detail on the customer-facing side of the product (React/Next.js).
You’ll collaborate closely with product, design, and even directly with customers to understand needs, scope solutions, and deliver polished quality user experiences. Attention to detail, customer empathy, and ownership are key - you’ll be the type of engineer who makes sure the end result feels right to both the user and the system.
Building full-stack features that span elegant frontends and reliable backends.
Creating beautiful, high-performance, and intuitive user experiences - residents should feel like they’re using best-in-class consumer apps.
Scaling our platform to serve millions of residents across thousands of municipalities.
Working directly with customers and quickly turning their feedback into thoughtful product improvements.
Integrating with external hardware and services (QR code scanners, Apple Wallet, cash registers).
Developing reusable, accessible components that adapt to many different municipalities.
Own, build, and ship customer-facing features end-to-end.
Translate customer requests and feedback into high-quality product improvements.
Collaborate with design and product teams to craft polished, intuitive interfaces.
Write high-quality, testable, and maintainable code across the stack.
Contribute to high-level architectural decisions as we scale.
Pay close attention to design details to ensure the product feels smooth and user-friendly.
6+ years of professional software development experience, ideally across the stack.
Strong experience in React/Next.js (frontend) and Node.js/TypeScript/Postgres (backend).
A proven track record of shipping polished, customer-facing features.
Strong written and verbal communication skills - comfortable engaging directly with customers.
A customer-obsessed mindset, you care about user experience and details that make software enjoyable to use.
Experience balancing quick customer-driven requests with building long-term, scalable solutions.
Self-awareness and a growth mindset - you seek feedback, take initiative, and continuously improve.
Background in e-commerce or other customer-facing applications where users experiences were critical.
Experience working in early-stage startups, shipping 0→1 features.
Familiarity with cloud deployment tools (Vercel, Render, GCP, GitHub Actions).
Experience building reusable design systems or component libraries.
🩺 Comprehensive Health Coverage
We offer Gold, and Platinum PPO plans through Oxford (United), with 85% of premiums covered for employees on the Platinum plan, with a $0 premium option
🏥 Dental, Vision & Financial Wellness
You’re covered with Guardian PPO dental and Beam vision plans - Kaizen pays 99% of premiums for employees and 50% for dependents. We also offer:
💳 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA & Dependent Care FSA)
🛡️ $100,000 in fully paid life insurance
🏦 401(k) access through Guideline
🤰🏼 Parental Leave That Supports Families
Because time with your growing family matters.
🍼 16 weeks fully paid for birthing parents and 10 weeks paid for non-birthing parents
🗽 Everyday Support & Flexibility
🚆 $50/month toward your commute
🏡 One-time setup stipend (up to $750) for your home or NYC office
💪 $100/month for wellness or productivity
🎡 Perks That Make Life Better
🎉 $250/year for recreation - because fun matters
📚 $500/year for professional development - because growth does too
🍱 Expensed lunch three days a week when you're in the office
💻 Company-provided laptop
🌴 Time Off to Recharge
🌅 Unlimited PTO
🇺🇸 All federal holidays off
☃️ A company-wide winter break during the week of Christmas
At Kaizen, we’re building something meaningful, and that starts with a culture where people genuinely love to work. Come build with us!
Kaizen provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
We are committed to maintaining a supportive and inclusive environment for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We respect the varied identities, abilities, cultures, and traditions of the individuals who comprise our organization and recognize the value that different backgrounds and points of view bring to our organization.
If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please email
kaizenlabs