Full-StackStartupSMB

Full-Stack Developer

[Company Name] is hiring a Full-Stack Developer who can work across the entire application — from building user interfaces to designing APIs and managing databases. You will own features end-to-end, from UI mockup to production deployment, in a collaborative team that values pragmatism and shipping quality software. This is an excellent role for a versatile engineer who enjoys variety and wants to have broad impact.

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Key Responsibilities

Build and maintain features across the full stack — React frontend, Node.js or Python backend, and PostgreSQL database
Own feature development end-to-end, from technical design through implementation, testing, and deployment
Design and implement RESTful APIs that serve the frontend and integrate with external services
Write responsive, accessible UI components using modern frontend frameworks and styling tools
Manage database schemas, write migrations, and optimize queries for performance
Collaborate with product managers and designers to refine requirements and deliver iteratively
Participate in on-call rotations and respond to production issues across the stack

Required Skills & Experience

2+ years of professional full-stack development experience
Proficiency with a modern frontend framework (React, Vue, or Angular) and TypeScript
Backend development experience with Node.js (Express/NestJS) or Python (Django/FastAPI)
Strong SQL skills and experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL or MySQL)
Understanding of RESTful API design, authentication, and security fundamentals
Experience with Git, pull request workflows, and CI/CD basics
Ability to work across the stack and context-switch between frontend and backend tasks daily
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, iterative development environment

Nice-to-Have

Experience with Next.js or similar full-stack frameworks that combine frontend and backend concerns
Familiarity with DevOps basics — Docker, cloud deployments, and infrastructure management
Knowledge of real-time technologies (WebSockets, Server-Sent Events)
Experience with mobile development (React Native) or progressive web apps
Background in a startup environment where you wore many hats

Tech Stack

ReactTypeScriptNode.jsNext.jsPostgreSQLTailwind CSSDockerVercel or AWSJestGit

What We Offer

Competitive salary and meaningful equity stake at [Company Name]
Fully remote work with occasional team offsites
Health, dental, and vision benefits
Learning and development budget
Flexible PTO and work-life balance focus
Broad scope and autonomy to shape features from idea to production

Interview Process

1Recruiter phone screen (30 min) — experience, interests, and logistics
2Hiring manager conversation (45 min) — technical breadth, project ownership, and team fit
3Full-stack coding exercise — build a small feature with both frontend and backend components
4Virtual on-site (3 hours) — system design, live coding across the stack, and behavioral interview
5Offer and reference checks

Hiring for this role? You might also need:

Interview Scorecards

Bar Raiser

Bar Raiser — Cross-Functional

Independent bar-raiser assessment ensuring the candidate raises the team's overall bar.

Coding Interview

Coding Interview — Frontend

Live coding scorecard for frontend: component building, state management, and accessibility.

Culture & Values

Culture & Values Interview

Behavioral interview scorecard covering collaboration, ownership, and growth mindset.

Hiring Manager

Hiring Manager Final Round

Final evaluation by hiring manager: team fit, role alignment, and leadership potential.

Email Templates

Sourcing

Cold Outreach — Passive Developer

A personalized first-touch email to engage passive developers who aren't actively job hunting.

Interview Scheduling

Technical Interview Invitation

An email inviting a candidate to a technical interview with details on format, duration, and how to prepare.

Decision & Offer

Offer Letter Email

A congratulatory email extending a formal job offer with key terms and the attached offer letter.

Related Templates

Full-Stack

Common Screening Mistakes

Expecting equal depth in frontend and backend — most full-stack developers lean one direction; what matters is that they are competent on both sides and willing to work across the stack, not that they are experts in everything
Judging full-stack candidates by the same bar as specialist candidates — a full-stack developer who is 70% as strong as your best frontend dev and 70% as strong as your best backend dev is exactly what you need for this role
Not clarifying what 'full-stack' means at your company — some teams expect database administration and DevOps; others mean React plus a basic API layer; misaligned expectations are the top reason full-stack hires fail

Red Flags

Claims to be full-stack but cannot describe any backend work beyond calling APIs from the frontend — connecting to an API is not backend development; full-stack developers should have designed APIs and worked with databases directly
Has never deployed their own code or set up a development environment from scratch — full-stack developers at startups and SMBs need to be self-sufficient, and someone who always relied on DevOps teams may struggle
Cannot explain how data flows from the user clicking a button to the database and back — this end-to-end mental model is the defining characteristic of a full-stack developer

What Good Looks Like

An ideal full-stack developer candidate can whiteboard the entire flow of a feature they built — from the React component that renders the UI, through the API endpoint that handles the request, to the database query that stores the data.
They make pragmatic technology choices and can explain trade-offs between building something quickly versus building it perfectly.
They are comfortable saying 'I am stronger on the frontend but have solid backend skills' rather than claiming to be an expert at everything.

Key Tech to Listen For

React component lifecycle and state management
REST API design and error handling patterns
SQL query design and database migrations
Authentication and session management across the stack
Next.js or similar framework for unified full-stack development
Docker and deployment pipeline basics