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Lead Engineer – Fresh Fire App

Fresh Fire App
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Lead Engineer – Fresh Fire App

Location: U.S. (Remote, must be based in the United States)
 Type: Full-time, Entry-Level

About Fresh Fire

Fresh Fire is a youth ministry engagement platform that exists to help students develop the spiritual rhythms and relationships that lead to a lasting faith. We partner with churches’ youth ministry programs to help youth pastors engage and communicate with their groups, while giving them visibility into how students are connecting—so no one slips through the cracks.

We’re a small, mission-driven team passionate about seeing the next generation grow in their faith. We believe technology can be used to encourage daily discipleship, build authentic connections, and empower youth leaders to shepherd their students more effectively.

Role Overview

We’re looking for a Lead Engineer who shares our passion for faith and innovation and is excited to grow into a leadership role. As our first full-time technical hire, you’ll work directly with the founder to design, build, and launch both the web and mobile apps that power Fresh Fire.

This is a hands-on role that combines building, leading, and dreaming. You’ll write production code, help shape our architecture, and lay the foundation for scale. At the same time, you’ll collaborate with ministry leaders to ensure Fresh Fire truly serves the Church. Over time, you’ll grow into a technical leader with the potential to become Head of Engineering or CTO.

This is a rare opportunity for a recent graduate or someone with internship/project experience who wants to take ownership, learn fast, and build something that makes an eternal impact.

What You’ll Do

Build & Launch

  • Develop core features of the React web app (React 18+, TypeScript, Tailwind, Shadcn UI).
  • Build the React Native mobile app (Expo) for iOS and Android.
  • Develop backend services with Node.js/Express and PostgreSQL (Drizzle ORM).
  • Implement real-time features (messaging, notifications) using WebSockets.
  • Create reliable authentication flows (sessions/JWT + SMS verification via Twilio).
  • Build scalable systems for engagement tracking, analytics, and communication.

     

Collaborate & Lead

  • Translate ministry needs into product features in partnership with the founder and church leaders.
  • Help set coding standards and documentation practices.
  • Take ownership of technical direction and project execution.
  • Grow into mentoring responsibilities as the team expands.

     

Innovate & Scale

  • Explore AI-powered features for custom Bible plans, sermon-based challenges, and engagement insights.
  • Integrate with third-party services (Bible APIs, Stripe billing, push notifications).
  • Ensure performance, security, and scalability as usage grows.
  • Create systems that allow churches to scale easily—subscription tiers, leader dashboards, and student groups.

     

What We’re Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (or related field) OR equivalent experience.
  • Internship or project experience with JavaScript/TypeScript.
  • Familiarity with React (web) and interest in React Native (mobile).
  • Exposure to backend development (Node.js/Express).
  • Familiarity with SQL and relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred).
  • Comfortable with Git and collaborative workflows.

     

Preferred (Nice to Have)

  • Experience with Tailwind CSS, Shadcn UI, or other modern UI frameworks.
  • Real-time systems (WebSockets, live messaging).
  • Authentication systems (JWT, session-based, SMS verification).
  • Knowledge of cloud platforms (Replit, Firebase, AWS, etc.).
  • Familiarity with AI/ML features or API integrations.
  • Passion for faith-based, nonprofit, or community-driven technology.

     

Soft Skills

  • Entrepreneurial mindset: excited to work in a lean startup environment.
  • Strong communicator who can collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Curious, adaptable, and ready to grow into leadership.
  • Alignment with Fresh Fire’s mission of equipping youth pastors and students.

     

Why Join Fresh Fire?

  • Mission with eternal impact – Be part of equipping youth pastors and helping students build a lasting faith.
  • Ground-floor opportunity – Shape the product, culture, and technical vision from day one.
  • Growth path – Learn directly from the founder, with potential to grow into Head of Engineering/CTO.
  • Flexible remote work – Work where you thrive best.
  • Startup spirit – Join a passionate, faith-driven team where your work directly shapes the future of the Church.