Software Engineer

| Chicago
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About Us:

We deliver the most advanced and flexible learning experience for certification, credentialing, test prep, continuing education, and training. Our cloud-based learning platform is designed to help education and training organizations deliver a highly engaging and effective learning experience for users who are trying to advance their careers. With almost 1M active users last year, we incorporate the latest in learner-centered technology, including personalization, gamification, data science, usability and omni-channel delivery.

We’re sitting in a pivotal time in the BenchPrep history. After just closing a $20 million series C round of funding, we’re fueled for growth. We’re ready to enhance our product offering, extend our position in the education and training industry, and scale our (humble) team.

We’re committed to helping students learn better, and that starts in our own office.


About the Role:

Our current situation is very exciting. You will join a small team in a profitable start-up, building green-field projects as well as improving upon existing top-of-the-line products. In this role, you'll get to provide guidance and mentoring, own products with real user impact, and be in a great team of passionate engineers in a fun and engaging environment.


You Should:

  • Be a web developer with solid knowledge of algorithms and data structures.
  • Have 2+ years of experience developing web applications in our tech stack.
  • Have solid knowledge of our technology stack (Ruby, Javascript, PostgreSQL, Redis, nginx).
  • Have experience in a full stack environment.
  • Have experience leading, owning products and solving problems.
  • Have experience with dynamic languages.
  • Be curious about ever-changing technology.


Life at BenchPrep:

We work at BenchPrep because we’re dedicated to the mission and each day have an opportunity to be challenged and learn. We work hard, eat well, and have lots of fun. Culture is our lifeline at BenchPrep. We tend to eat our (free) lunch together - not because we have to, but because we want to. We celebrate our people, both professionally and personally. We focus on flexibility - both in work/life balance, but also everyday in operating with agility. We care about professional development so much that we offer employees $1,200 annually to build their skills. And of course, we have all the La Croix and snacks that you’d expect to keep you moving. It’s no wonder we were selected in Built in Chicago’s 50 Best Small Companies to Work For in 2019, and Crain’s 2019 Best Places to Work in Chicago lists.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We are looking for high performing and motivated professionals who are excited about the chance to leverage technology to impact the lives of millions of learners.

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Technology we use

  • Engineering
  • Product
  • Sales & Marketing
  • People Operations
    • CSSLanguages
    • JavaLanguages
    • JavascriptLanguages
    • KotlinLanguages
    • RubyLanguages
    • SassLanguages
    • SqlLanguages
    • SwiftLanguages
    • TypeScriptLanguages
    • Backbone.jsFrameworks
    • Node.jsFrameworks
    • Ruby on RailsFrameworks
    • vue.jsFrameworks
    • PostgreSQLDatabases
    • RedisDatabases
    • Google AnalyticsAnalytics
    • ConfluenceManagement
    • JIRAManagement
    • HubSpotCRM
    • SalesforceCRM
    • SlackCollaboration
    • ZoomCollaboration
    • TrelloProject Management

Location

Our company is located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Illinois. The office is part of the city's central business district and is known for its vibrant urban atmosphere. It is located not far from the Chicago River, providing opportunities for scenic riverfront walks and activities.

An Insider's view of BenchPrep

How would you describe the company’s work-life balance?

For the last 4 years I have been with BenchPrep, the company has given me everything I need to find balance in my life. Having the freedom and control over the hours I work, while still meeting agreed-upon deadlines and work expectations is extremely important. BenchPrep does an amazing job at prioritizing a flexible and inclusive work environment.

Zheni Mihaylova

QA Manager

What kinds of technical challenges do you and your team face?

Everyone is very passionate about others succeeding and are so helpful when you come to them with a question, whether it’s about functionality, process, how something works or anything in between. I have never felt like I have asked a silly question, and everyone always makes time for others.

Nicole White

Product Manager

How does the company support your career growth?

During my time here at BenchPrep, management has identified skills that led me from my previous role to the position that I am in today. Because of this, I have been able to help lead a collaborative relationship between my current and previous departments, which has helped me make a positive impact throughout the company.

Hector Uriostegui

Senior QA Engineer

What unique initiatives do you have that encourage innovation?

We are lucky to be able to incorporate a developer experience week at the end of our sprints. This allows engineers to work on professional development, experimentation, and engineering quality of life projects. As a result engineers have been able to experiment with new technologies and delivered many process improvements through automation.

John Gill

Senior Engineering Manager

What are some social events your company does?

At BenchPrep we always put people first. We make social functions a priority because our community is at the core of our company, and provides an opportunity to bond and build stronger relationships with our colleagues. Whether it’s painting pumpkins, cruising on the Chicago River, or even going curling, we are always focused on staying connected.

Sam Lebewitz

Accounting Manager

What are BenchPrep Perks + Benefits

BenchPrep Benefits Overview

BenchPrep provides a full suite and a wide variety of benefits and perks. While our competitive medical benefits and 401(k) contribution are nothing to dismiss, it’s the extras that really set us apart. We provide an annual $1,200 learning stipend, Flex PTO (our version of unlimited PTO), Summer Hour Fridays, 8 wellness days to focus on physical health AND mental health, a $500 new hire stipend to set up your home office, and $25 each month after that. We also have a generous parental leave program, and have no meeting days each sprint, and no meeting periods Friday afternoons during non-Summer Hours to ensure deep focus time.

Lastly, we are a remote-first organization, giving our employees the flexibility to work from wherever in the U.S. makes most sense for them. Although we are remote-first, we do still have an office space for employees to use should it be preferable to them. Finally - twice a year we bring the entire team into our space in Chicago for a 3 day office retreat, where we spend time on collaboration, learning, and simply having fun with each other. Scroll down to learn more about those items and see what else BenchPrep has to offer.

Culture
Volunteer in local community
Partners with nonprofits
Open door policy
Team based strategic planning
Pair programming
Open office floor plan
Day off for your birthday
We acknowledge and celebrate employees on their special day, and encourage them to utilize this special benefit by spending quality time with loved ones, and/or doing the things they enjoy the most.
Hybrid work model
Summer hours
Flexible work schedule
BenchPrep offers flexible work schedules as needed for employees. It allows for greater work-life balance and can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
Remote work program
BenchPrep offers Remote Work as an option for employees. This also allows employees to better balance their work commitments with personal and family needs.
Diversity
Highly diverse management team
Mandated unconscious bias training
Hiring practices that promote diversity
Diversity recruitment program
Health Insurance & Wellness Benefits
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Pre-tax dollars can be set aside for medical, dental, and vision ($2,750/yr) for employees or dependents with or w/o enrolling in our insurance program. Daycare & elder care allows for up to $5,000/yr
Disability insurance
Our plan coverage offers employees Short Term Disability coverage at 60% of their weekly salary with a $2,500 weekly max. Long Term = 60% of their monthly salary with a $10,000 monthly max.
Dental insurance
BenchPrep offer 3 dental plans.
Vision insurance
BenchPrep’s vision insurance plans provide annual eye exams for a $10 copay and a $130 allowance toward frames and/or contacts.
Health insurance
BenchPrep’s health insurance plan with BCBS of IL has a low deductible and BenchPrep pays 90% of the monthly premium for employees AND their dependents.
Life insurance
Up to 3x annual salary, $750K max of voluntary life insurance & accidental death & dismemberment insurance. Spouse & dependent children plans available too.
Pet insurance
Wellness programs
Mental health benefits
Wellness days
These days are designed to allow employees to take time off for self-care and to focus on their physical and mental health.
Financial & Retirement
401(K)
BenchPrep’s 401k retirement plan offers a a cost effective employee retirement plan. The plan offers Roth and Pre-tax Investment options.
401(K) matching
BenchPrep contributes 3% of an employee’s annual base salary, regardless of how much the employee contributes, which is immediately vested.
Performance bonus
Child Care & Parental Leave Benefits
Generous parental leave
BenchPrep offers generous paid parental leave for new parents with at least 1 month of service, including a paid leave policy for foster parents.
Family medical leave
Return-to-work program post parental leave
Vacation & Time Off Benefits
Unlimited vacation policy
Paid volunteer time
Paid holidays
BenchPrep closes its office for all major holidays, including MLK day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas THROUGH New Years Day.
Paid sick days
BenchPrep employees receive 5 sick days per year.
Flexible time off
Bereavement leave benefits
Company-wide vacation
The company is closed during the week between Christmas and New Year's to allow employees to relax, spend quality time with family/friends, and recharge, and contribute to their overall well-being.
Office Perks
Commuter benefits
Transit and Parking benefits: Employees may elect up to $260/month for pre-tax allocation for mass transit & parking expenses for commuting to BenchPrep, including Metra, Ventra and parking facilities
Company-sponsored outings
BenchPrep has regular outings that include Cubs rooftops, boat trips on Lake Michigan, off-site happy hours, poker nights, game nights, foodie dinners, and a holiday party, among other events.
Free daily meals
We provide a $12.50 daily stipend for employees every day via Fooda (https://www.fooda.com/resources/case-study/how-tech-startup-benchprep-made-lunch-powerful-part-its-culture).
Free snacks and drinks
FULLY stocked! Beverages = Soda, Coffee, Tea, RedBull, Juice, Vitamin Water, etc. Food = if you can think of the snack, we probably have it or some variation. Employees will never go hungry here.
Some meals provided
Company-sponsored happy hours
Home-office stipend for remote employees
New hires will receive a one time payment of $500 (after 90 days, and grossed up for taxes) and a $25 monthly recurring payment (grossed up for taxes) to aid in monthly home expenses.
Meditation space
Mother's room
Onsite gym
Professional Development Benefits
Job training & conferences
Employees are provided an annual stipend to attend external training events or conferences.
Lunch and learns
Promote from within
Continuing education stipend
Continuing education available during work hours
Online course subscriptions available
Customized development tracks
Paid industry certifications

Additional Perks + Benefits

Competitive salary, company sponsored 401(k) • Fun, meritocratic, mission driven, dynamic work culture • Commitment to fostering positive office culture (included, but not limited to, monthly company dinners, quarterly outings, an in-office ping pong table, cocktail hours, poker nights, etc.)

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