San Francisco, CA
Elsewhere is hiring an Engineering Lead to write code, build infrastructure, and inform game design for our upcoming game. We’re a venture-backed studio with big ambitions, combining the cutting edge technology of a San Francisco-based AI startup with the soul and creativity of indie games.
Our current project combines elements of collectable card games and deckbuilding roguelikes, aiming to ultimately becoming a forever-game that reaches millions of players.
As our Engineering Lead, you’ll work closely with our Founder & CEO to build a cross-platform game on web technologies, as well as working directly with our creative team which includes artists, game designers, and more. You’ll be expected to contribute technical as well as game design ideas.
This is is a contract-to-hire role. We’d start working together part-time for 2-4 weeks to assess mutual fit. If all goes well, we’d love to bring you on for a full-time salaried role, including benefits.
Your Qualifications:
Experience building full-stack web applications using TypeScript, React, Node, and other web technologies.
Experience working with databases, especially relational databases (we use PostgreSQL).
Experience building games, even as indie or side projects.
Eagerness to share rough prototypes and in-progress builds.
A love for games in general. You’re well-versed in everything from modern indie and AAA hits to the old school pioneers that inspired them.
Bonus points for:
Demonstrated ability to multiply productivity using the latest coding agents (eg, Claude Code, OpenAI Codex).
Experience working with creative generative AI tooling and workflows, such as ComfyUI.
Deep knowledge of front-end development and CSS.
Strong product design intuition and knowledge of Figma
Experience working on a small team, ideally in a startup environment.
About us:
We have a deep bench of talent from diverse backgrounds and have been backed by top Silicon Valley investors. We’re an idealistic team that loves video games and deeply believes in their potential: both as a creative medium and as a way for us to socialize and play together.
Skills Required
- Experience building full-stack web applications using TypeScript, React, and Node.js.
- Experience working with relational databases, especially PostgreSQL.
- Experience building games (indie or side projects).
- Willingness to share rough prototypes and in-progress builds.
- Passion and broad knowledge of video games (indie, AAA, classics).
- Familiarity with coding agents (e.g., Claude Code, OpenAI Codex).
- Experience with creative generative AI tooling and workflows (e.g., ComfyUI).
- Deep knowledge of front-end development and CSS.
- Strong product design intuition and knowledge of Figma.
- Experience working on a small team or in a startup environment.
What We Do
Elsewhere is a gaming company and publisher focused on creating innovative multiplayer roguelike games. Their mission is to develop immersive experiences that feel like an adventure shared with friends, where the journey is unique and never the same twice. Backed by prominent investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Soma Capital, Elsewhere is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of multiplayer game design and publishing.
