--- title: 'Software Engineer - MeritFirst at 8VC' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-meritfirst-8vc-austin-8enqfyrybg5y' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-08' --- # Software Engineer - MeritFirst at 8VC - **Company:** 8VC - **Location:** Austin, TX - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-01-29 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/8vc/143acb7e-6342-48b3-9310-9caa68db9307 ## Job description ## About MeritFirst At MeritFirst, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how companies identify and evaluate talent, regardless of background. By rejecting outdated, unreliable proxies for capability and embracing objective, merit-based assessments, we are rebuilding the meritocratic infrastructure of opportunity from the ground up. ## Role Overview As a Software Engineer at MeritFirst, you’ll be responsible for developing, testing, and deploying software solutions that meet the needs of our users. You’ll take features from initial idea to live product. Your work will power real‑time assessments, AI workflows, and tools that hiring managers rely on to build excellent teams. You will help transform the way organizations discover and empower talent across industries, setting a new standard for merit-based hiring. ## What You’ll Do - Own features end‑to‑end: work with our CEO, company partners, and candidate users to define scope and sketch UX. - Build with Next.js + TypeScript, wire up data in Postgres / Drizzle, ship on Vercel, and iterate. - Shape product direction: propose experiments, cut scope intelligently, and use data and feedback to guide future decisions. - Keep things fast and reliable: instrument analytics / telemetry, write tests, review PRs, and improve performance and developer ergonomics. ## Qualifications Must-Haves - Meaningful experience building production web apps withTypeScript / React / Next.js and Postgres (impact > exact years). - Ability to design clean DB schemas, write performant queries, and reason about cost. - Product mindset: enjoy clarifying the core problem and delighting users through UX polish. - Crisp communication: written and async, and a bias toward action and ownership over waiting for direction. Nice‑to‑Haves - Experience with real‑time video or proctoring technology, AI/LLM pipelines, or large‑scale assessment platforms. - Passion for meritocracy and building products that broaden access to opportunity. Why Join Us? - Autonomy: rapid growth with outsized ownership and scope. - Modern stack: TypeScript, Next.js, Postgres, Drizzle, Vercel, LLMs. - Meritocracy: We focus on real capabilities, not credentials. You’ll be assessed based on your skills and ability to execute, not the name of your school or employer. - Innovation: Work on cutting-edge projects that challenge the status quo and empower people to succeed. - Backed by the best: We’re funded by 8VC and Slow Ventures, with support from world-class builders like Joe Lonsdale and Sam Lessin who’ve helped scale some of the most influential tech companies of the last decade. Our Process We practice what we preach. Core to our thesis is that resumes, school names, and pedigree are poor proxies for capability. We want to see what you can actually do. We have designed a hiring process that gives everyone a fair shot to showcase their skills through objective work samples. The Steps: 1. Assessment 1 (The Gateway): Linked here https://www.meritfirst.us/candidate/tests/0a446564-7943-4d3f-85cb-20617549f8a9. Want to jump the line? You can start this right now. We prioritize candidates who have data on the board. 2. Team Screen: A conversation with a member of our team to discuss your background, our company, and the results of your first assessment. 3. Assessment 2 (The Deep Dive). 4. Work Sample Debrief: A deep-dive interview where we discuss your approach to Assessment 2. 5. Final Sync: A final conversation with one or more members of our team. Important Note on Location: We are an in-person team based in Austin, TX. We believe the speed of iteration required at this stage happens best when we are in the same room. The "No Dead Ends" Guarantee: Even if this specific role isn't the right fit - or if the location doesn't work out - your effort won't be wasted. By completing our assessments, you will create a verified profile in the MeritFirst Talent Network. This allows you to showcase your validated skills to other world-class companies in our ecosystem without having to apply from scratch. ## About 8VC ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: 8VC is a venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs to build technology platforms creating lasting economic and societal value. - **Entity Type**: Private (Venture Capital Firm) - **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, USA - **Founded**: 2016 - **Founders**: Joe Lonsdale ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Venture Capital (focus on Life Sciences, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Enterprise, Logistics, Defense, IT Infrastructure, AI, Financial Services) - **Target customers**: Entrepreneurs and innovators building technology companies; Limited Partners (LPs) investing in the fund - **Mission or purpose statement**: "The world is broken. Let’s fix it." The firm partners with leading entrepreneurs and innovators to build technology platforms that create lasting economic and societal value. They are known for a "principled contrarian" approach and a focus on American patriotism and stewardship. ## Products & Services 8VC does not sell products but offers investment and platform services: - **Venture Capital Investment**: Provides capital and operational support to early and growth-stage technology companies. They have founded 21 companies since 2016. - **Portfolio Support**: Their platform teams assist portfolio companies with recruiting, operations, and strategic growth. - **8VC Fellowship**: A program designed to connect accomplished rising technologists with the most compelling industry opportunities within their portfolio. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (Private firm) - **Key Metric**: 21 companies founded since 2016; 208 total employees (per Built In) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: The firm is backed by Limited Partners (institutional investors, endowments, etc.). Key partners include founders and leaders of their portfolio companies. Notable team members include Joe Lonsdale (Founder) and a large team of investment professionals. - **Growth Signals**: Active hiring across portfolio companies (17-20 open positions listed on their site). The firm has a strong focus on "principled contrarianism" and building companies in sectors like Defense, Healthcare, and Logistics. They have a notable presence in Austin, Texas. ## Competitive Advantages - **Thesis-Driven**: 8VC is not a generalist firm; they have a strong, specific thesis around "what is possible now that wasn't five years ago?" and focus on building companies in sectors with massive societal and economic impact. - **Founding & Building**: They are unique in that they not only invest but also actively found and build companies ("When the companies we want to back don’t exist yet, we build them."). - **Deep Sector Focus**: Their focus areas (Defense, Healthcare, Logistics, Life Sciences, IT Infrastructure) are deep, complex, and often under-invested by traditional venture capital, giving them a moat. - **Platform & Network**: A dedicated platform team provides operational support, and they have a strong network of portfolio companies and alumni. ## Strategic Focus - **Current priorities and direction for growth**: 8VC is focused on building and scaling companies in hard-tech and regulated industries. Key areas include: - **Government & Defense**: Building technology for national security and public sector modernization. - **Healthcare & Life Sciences**: Transforming healthcare delivery and drug discovery. - **Logistics & Manufacturing**: Modernizing supply chains and industrial processes. - **AI & IT Infrastructure**: Investing in the foundational technology of the next generation. - **Financial Services**: Modernizing financial infrastructure. ## Why Work Here - **Culture highlights**: The firm's values are "Stewardship," "Positive Sum," "Principled Contrarianism," "Patriotism," and "Take it Personally." They describe their work as "our art" and emphasize a mission-driven, high-impact environment. - **Remote/hybrid/office policy**: On-site workspace. Employees work from physical offices (Austin, TX; Total Offices: 2). Typical time on-site is "None" (likely meaning fully in-office). - **Notable perks or engineering culture**: As a VC firm, the work environment is fast-paced, intellectually rigorous, and focused on high-stakes decision-making. Employees get exposure to cutting-edge companies and technologies across multiple sectors. The firm has a strong sense of mission and patriotism. ## Sources 1. [8VC Website](https://8vc.com/) 2. [8VC About Us](https://8vc.com/about-us) 3. [8VC Jobs](https://8vc.com/jobs) 4. [8VC Team](https://www.8vc.com/team) 5. [Built In - 8vc Careers, Perks + Culture](https://builtin.com/company/8vc) ## Other roles at 8VC - [Founding Growth Operator - MeritFirst](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-growth-operator-meritfirst-8vc-austin-rr51ene16ajn) — Austin, TX - [Software Engineer - MeritFirst](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-meritfirst-8vc-austin-g3c8y4x89f01) — Austin, TX - [Systems Administrator, IT & TechOps](https://feeny.ai/job/systems-administrator-it-techops-8vc-san-francisco-egtxkz8agq5d) — San Francisco, CA - [IT Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/it-administrator-8vc-dallas-tynx233vw269) — Dallas, TX - [Product Engineer - Thorin](https://feeny.ai/job/product-engineer-thorin-8vc-san-francisco-7809x7194t3j) — San Francisco, CA