Full-Stack Software Engineer

Location: Hybrid - Roselle, IL, United States Team: Engineering Employment Type: Full Time Seniority : Junior-to-Mid Level About Collars Collars is building advanced technology to transform the hiring process for employers and workers in the trades sector. We move quickly, experiment often, and expect everyone on the team to take ownership of large problem areas. If you thrive in fast cycles, enjoy solving hard technical challenges, and want to shape products used by thousands of people, we would love to meet you. Role Overview We are looking for an early-career full-stack software engineer who wants to grow across backend services, web applications, and mobile clients. This role is designed for someone within their first couple of years out of school (or equivalent self-directed experience) who has strong fundamentals and wants to develop real production skills quickly, with direct mentorship from our senior engineering team. You will work across the same stack as the rest of the team from day one, with support scaled to your experience level. You will build real, shipped features under the guidance of senior engineers, and you'll be expected to grow into more independent ownership over your first year. Responsibilities Build backend APIs and services using Nest.js and TypeScript, with code review and mentorship from senior engineers Contribute to web applications using Next.js Contribute to mobile applications using React Native (rn-cli or Expo) Learn and apply solid MySQL data modeling and query practices Use Claude Code as a primary development tool, learning how to write effective prompts and critically review agentic output Collaborate with product, design, and engineering leadership on well-scoped features Write tests and participate in CI pipelines for the features you build Participate actively in code review, both receiving and eventually giving feedback Grow toward increasing ownership over your first 6-12 months Qualifications Required Solid foundation in TypeScript or JavaScript, through coursework, internships, personal projects, or bootcamp training Exposure to building APIs or backend services in any framework (Node.js/Nest.js experience is a plus, not a requirement) Familiarity with React or React Native through academic, personal, or internship projects Basic understanding of relational databases and SQL Strong problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to learn new tools and concepts quickly A portfolio, GitHub history, capstone project, or internship that shows initiative and real code you've written Comfortable asking questions, receiving direct feedback, and working in a fast-paced, lightly-structured environment Bonus Internship or co-op experience with any part of our stack (TypeScript, Nest.js, Next.js, React Native, MySQL) Hands-on experience with Claude Code or other AI coding assistants Personal projects involving LLM-powered features Exposure to cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP, or Azure Exposure to CI tools such as GitHub Actions Strong product intuition or curiosity about the applicant/employer hiring experience Compensation & Growth As an early-stage startup, our starting base compensation for this role is below typical entry-level market rate, with the exact offer depending on your background and experience. In exchange, this role offers a compressed learning curve you won't get at a larger company: direct mentorship from senior engineers, real production ownership within your first year, and meaningful equity. Compensation is reviewed on a defined cadence tied to company milestones and individual growth, with a clear path to increased responsibility and pay as you develop. This role is best suited for someone optimizing for growth and ownership early in their career over maximizing starting salary. What We Look For Strong fundamentals Curiosity and a willingness to challenge assumptions Coachability and openness to direct feedback Desire to build meaningful products that support hiring teams and workers in the trades