Founding Product Engineer

About PulseSafety, Inc. PulseSafety is a public safety technology startup building CommandCORE, a modern SaaS platform that helps law enforcement agencies manage operations, records, and community engagement. Our mission is to give agencies smarter, simpler tools that improve efficiency and community trust. The Role We're looking for a Founding Product Engineer to join at the technical co-founder level and help bring CommandCORE from MVP to production launch and beyond. This is a hybrid role combining product management and full-stack development, and it comes with real ownership, not just a title. The MVP is already about 75% complete, with core modules finished and a clear roadmap for what's left. You won't be starting from scratch. You'll be joining a project with defined direction and working directly with the founder to finalize core features, refine workflows based on real agency feedback, and scale the platform into production-ready software. Compensation at this stage is equity only, no salary. This is a bootstrapped, pre-revenue company, and we're upfront about that. We want someone who's motivated by ownership and the chance to build something real from a pivotal point forward, not someone looking for a paycheck right now. Responsibilities Collaborate with the founder to finalize MVP features and plan the long-term roadmap. Research and incorporate feedback from law enforcement users (officers, records staff, command). Write product specs and user stories, and translate them into technical tasks. Develop and maintain full-stack applications (frontend and backend). Design database schemas and multi-tenant infrastructure for agencies. Implement secure, scalable integrations with third-party APIs (Twilio, Slack, government systems). Contribute to technical decisions on hosting, deployments, and architecture. Balance quick delivery with long-term scalability and compliance. Qualifications Proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript, React, and Node.js (or similar frameworks). Experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Neon). Ability to turn user needs into technical requirements. Strong problem-solving mindset, comfortable wearing multiple hats in a startup environment. Comfortable with equity-only compensation at this stage, in exchange for real ownership and input into product and technical direction. Bonus: prior experience in govtech, public safety software, or CJIS compliance. Bonus: exposure to product management or product ownership responsibilities. Current Tech Stack (MVP ~50% Complete) Frontend: React 18, Radix UI, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion, Recharts Backend: Express, Node.js, Passport (local auth), WebSockets (ws) Database: PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM, Neon for serverless DB hosting Auth & Sessions: Passport-local, Express-session with PostgreSQL store State/Data: TanStack React Query, React Hook Form, Zod validation Build & Tooling: Vite, TypeScript, Tailwind Merge, Drizzle Kit migrations Integrations (planned/current): Twilio, Slack, government systems What We Offer A platform that is already about 75% built, with a clear roadmap for completion and growth. The chance to refine and scale a product with defined direction, not build from scratch. Real equity: negotiable ownership, vesting over four years with a one year cliff. The exact number will be finalized together based on your experience and the scope you take on. Direct collaboration with the founder, and real input into technical and product strategy. Flexible remote work, with preference for candidates in or near Austin, TX. A mission-driven role: building tools that directly support law enforcement and communities. If this sounds like your kind of risk to take, apply with a bit about your background, something you've built end to end, and why joining at this stage appeals to you. Portfolio or GitHub links are welcome and genuinely help. We're looking for someone who wants to build a company, not just fill a role.