Engineering Lead, Front-End Focused

QUICK SUMMARY Lead and scale a full-stack engineering team in our Claims Engineering organization. Drive roadmap delivery, mentor top talent, and build resilient, high-performance systems powering Kin’s products. WHO WE ARE Kin makes life simpler, more affordable, and better for homeowners — especially in the places where climate risks, rising costs, and outdated systems make it hardest. We start with smarter homeowners insurance and expand to everything homeowners need to thrive. Using data, technology, and thoughtful human support, we’re building products that are clear, fair, and help homeowners feel confident — so homeowners aren’t left behind when they need help most. Founded in 2016, Kin is a remote-first employer with Kinfolk across more than 35 states. We serve customers in 13 states (and counting). Our disciplined growth, strong customer satisfaction, and focus on long-term sustainability fosters outstanding growth, attracts marquee investors, and earns recognition and accolades, including: - Built In Chicago's Best Places to Work, Midsize Companies (2021-2026) - Forbes' America's Best Startup Employers (2021-2024) - Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies - Forbes’ Fintech 50 - Great Places to Work Certified (2024-2026) Most importantly, we’re building Kin to be a place where people do meaningful work with real impact — for our customers, our communities, and each other. We're excited to tell you more about how you can contribute to our rapid growth, strong unit economics, profitability, and excellent customer ratings. To learn more about how we work and what we’re building, visit kin.com http://kin.com and see how we work https://www.linkedin.com/company/kin-insurance/life/kin/. THE OPPORTUNITY We’re looking for an Engineering Leader that will be focused on the Front-End engineering work and leading one of our Claims engineering teams through its next phase of growth and scale. As Kin continues to expand its product offerings and deepen its technology advantage, this role will be critical in delivering high-quality features while strengthening the architecture, performance, and reliability of our systems. This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll lead a small team of engineers across front-end and back-end development, partner closely with Product to shape and execute on the roadmap, and ensure that innovation is balanced with operational excellence. You’ll serve as both a technical leader on the front-end and act as true player coach, raising the bar for engineering quality, mentoring talent, and driving results from concept to production. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead and develop a high-performing, geographically distributed team of full-stack engineers in a player-coach capacity - Own and execute the team’s technical roadmap in partnership with Product, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery - Architect, design, and implement scalable, high-availability (24x7) web applications across front-end and back-end systems - Write clean, maintainable code in JavaScript/TypeScript and contribute across modern frameworks (Angular, React, or Vue) - Contribute to backend development using Ruby/Rails, Node.js, or similar technologies - Drive architectural decisions that improve system performance, scalability, maintainability, and reliability - Lead pair programming, code reviews, and design discussions to elevate team standards - Ensure high availability of production systems and respond effectively to incidents when needed - Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, PMO, and other stakeholders to translate complex requirements into technical solutions - Represent your team in cross-functional planning and strategic discussions SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE In your first 6–12 months at Kin, success is less about checking boxes and more about the impact you create. You’ll use your skills and judgment to take ownership of meaningful work, improve how we operate, and help move Kin’s mission forward. Along the way, you’ll deliver outcomes that make a real difference for both Kinfolk and the homeowners we serve. By the end of your first year, you should feel confident in your role, trusted as an owner, and proud of the progress you’ve helped make. - Roadmap commitments are consistently delivered with high quality, minimal regressions, and predictable execution - System performance and reliability measurably improve due to thoughtful architectural decisions and technical debt reduction - Engineers on the team demonstrate growth in technical depth and ownership as a result of mentorship and clear expectations - Cross-functional stakeholders express confidence in the team’s execution, clarity of communication, and ability to translate strategy into shipped product WHAT YOU’LL BRING Core Experience & Technical Skills - Experience leading a small team of engineers in a hands-on, player-coach role - Strong computer science fundamentals and software development leadership experience - Demonstrated experience designing and building large-scale, high-performance, high-availability web applications - Experience with modern JavaScript/TypeScript and at least one SPA framework (Angular, React, or Vue) - Backend development experience (Ruby/Rails, Node.js, or similar) and strong understanding of APIs and full-stack architecture - Experience working with relational and NoSQL databases, and message queues/brokers - Experience executing across the full software development lifecycle, including production deployment and post-production support - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly Preferred qualifications: - Experience with Ruby on Rails - Experience designing accessible web applications using semantic HTML and CSS - Exposure to BI and big data technologies such as Looker or BigTable - Knowledge of the insurance industry and related products Additional requirements: - Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, iterative startup environment - At this time, we are unable to sponsor employment visas HOW WE HIRE We believe a great hiring experience should be clear, respectful, and human. Applications for this role are accepted on an on-going basis. While our recruiting team uses AI tools for efficiency, resumes are still screened by Kin’s in-house recruiters, and candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are made by recruiters and hiring teams. Rest assured, real people make real decisions. The hiring process and timeline for each role will vary, depending on the position. However, here are some things you can expect from us: - Prompt updates and feedback following interviews - Interviews with recruiters, hiring managers, and members of teams - Skills assessment relevant to the position, if applicable - Genuine, thoughtful human interaction at every step HOW WE SUPPORT YOU We offer a comprehensive, competitive benefits program, allowing you to choose the benefits that are best for you and your family, starting on the first day of the month following your start date. Core Benefits - Competitive salary and company equity through Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), granted as part of our standard compensation package and based on role and level - 401(k) with company match up to 4% of eligible earnings - Multiple medical plan options, plus dental and vision coverage - Company-funded HSA contributions (based on medical plan selection) - Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability Health & Wellbeing - A variety of supplemental benefit options, including long-term disability, critical illness, accident, legal, and pet insurance - Access to mental health support and confidential counseling resources - Flexible PTO for exempt employees (most employees take 15–20 days per year), plus 8 company-observed holidays - Paid parental leave, including up to 14 weeks at 100% pay for birthing parents and 8 weeks at 100% pay for non-birthing parents Growth & Development - Career mobility and internal growth opportunities across the organization - Professional development budgets for certifications, conferences, and learning available, subject to management approval HOW WE WORK We don’t just hire for skills. We hire for alignment. Kinfolk bring diverse perspectives, but we’re united by a shared set of values that shape how we work and how we show up for each other and our customers. Run through walls, together - Our industry is stuck in the status quo. But Kin is different. We are challengers. Innovators unwavering in our mission to fix insurance for those who need it most. We are changing insurance for good. We roll up our sleeves, take action, and get “impossible” things done every day with grit and teamwork. Raise the bar. Drop the ego - Attitudes are contagious. Every one of us is responsible for creating the culture we want to work in. High performance. Low drama. Always respectful. Like professional sports teams, we win by working in sync. We show up, work hard, and play to each other’s strengths. Act like an owner - We are owners, fully accountable for achieving Kin’s mission. That requires positive, proactive, big-picture thinking well beyond our job descriptions. Ask questions, Take ownership. Do the right thing, even when it‘s hard. Because when Kin thrives, so do you. And so do our customers. Operate lean. Deliver more - We build efficiency into everything we do. Each dollar we save gets reinvested to deliver more to our customers: better pricing, more products, and new innovations. We work smarter by relentlessly prioritizing and using technology, including AI, to multiply our impact. Lean is about focus, not deprivation. Lean isn't a limitation – it's our competitive advantage. Keep asking ‘What if?’ - We value curiosity. To make insurance better for our customers, we experiment. We embrace insights. And we base decisions on data rather than assumptions. We see setbacks as opportunities for growth and are always learning and improving. Both individually and as a company. WHERE WE WORK We are a remote-first company with offices in Chicago, IL and St. Petersburg, FL where teams can come together for collaboration. For Sales Agents and Customer Service Agents: These roles sit in any of the following 30 states: AL, AZ, CO, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MT, NC, NE, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, and WI. For all other positions, these roles can sit in any of the following 40 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA (exempt only), CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, and WI. Please only apply if you are able to live and work full-time in one of the states listed above. For remote technical positions located in Canada, we are only able to hire individuals who reside in Ontario. Applicants must be able to live and work full-time in Ontario to be considered. State locations and specifics are subject to change as our hiring requirements shift. EEOC STATEMENT Kin is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We don't just accept difference – we honor it, nurture it, and celebrate it. We don’t discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Kin welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation, please contact us by sending an email to careers@kin.com