Staff Fullstack Engineer

About Playlab

Playlab is a tech non-profit dedicated to helping educators and students become critical consumers and creators of AI.

We believe that an open-source, community-driven approach is key to harnessing the potential of AI in education. We equip communities with AI tools and hands-on professional development that empowers educators & students to build custom AI apps for their unique context. Over 60,000 educators have published apps on Playlab – and the impact is growing every day.

At Playlab, we believe that AI is a new design material - one that should be shaped by many to bring their ideas about learning to life. If you're passionate about building creative, equitable futures for students and teachers, we hope you’ll join us.

The Role

Playlab seeks a Staff Fullstack Engineer to join our growing Engineering team. As a Staff Fullstack Engineer you'll be exploring and pushing the boundaries of what AI-native experiences can be - inventing new interfaces for AI interaction, building the tools that let educators create without code, and implementing the systems that help schools deploy at scale.

Examples of the work

• Build AI-native interfaces that push boundaries - dynamic components that adapt from chat to writing editor to interactive simulations based on learning moments
• Design and implement the core application builder where educators create AI apps using natural language
• Create real-time collaboration features enabling multiple educators to co-create applications together
• Build systems that enable educators to create sophisticated AI agents that work autonomously toward educational goals
• Implement voice interfaces and mobile-first experiences that work from rural schools with limited internet to high-tech classrooms
• Build discovery and sharing systems that help educators find and remix each other's applications - fostering a thriving creator community
• Create integrations with Google Workspace, Canvas LMS, and other educational platforms that schools already use
• And more…

Expectations

• Architect and ship subsystems across the full stack - from React/Remix frontend to Node.js backend to integrations with Python AI services
• Move fast to learn what works - ship small experiments quickly, then invest in productionizing what proves valuable
• Stay on top of web technologies and best practices - evaluate new tools and patterns that improve the product
• Work cross-functionally with designers, ML engineers, product, and customers to build experiences that solve real user needs
• Write comprehensive tests and documentation for the features you build
• Improve team processes and help drive strategic technical decisions
• Mentor engineers on fullstack development, design patterns, and app architecture through pairing and reviews

Qualifications

• 7+ years building production web applications across frontend and backend
• Strong experience with modern React frameworks (we use Remix) and TypeScript
• Strong experience building backend services with Node and Typescript
• Strong experience with databases, APIs, and integrations with external services
• Able to work effectively with designers and translate designs into working features
• Comfortable working cross-functionally and directly with customers to understand their needs
• Thrive in high-agency, high collaboration cultures
• Great communication that makes working remote-first work

Bonus Points For...

• Experience designing or building AI-powered interfaces
• Background in real-time collaborative features (WebSockets, CRDTs, etc.)
• Experience with educational technology or mission-driven organizations
• Experience with Remix or similar React frameworks
• Knowledge of accessibility and internationalization best practices
• Experience integrating with LMS platforms or educational systems

Technologies

TypeScript, Remix (React), Node, PostgreSQL, Neo4J, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, WebSockets, NewRelic