Growth Engineer

Hello, we’re Instrumentl.

We’re a mission-driven startup helping the nonprofit sector to drive impact, and we’re well on our way to becoming the #1 most-loved grant discovery and management tool. To help us get there, we’re hiring a Growth Engineer to design experiments and implement features that drive user acquisition, activation, retention, and engagement.

About us:

Instrumentl is a hypergrowth YC-backed startup with over 4,000 nonprofit clients, from local homeless shelters to larger organizations like the San Diego Zoo and the University of Alaska. We are building the future of fundraising automation, helping nonprofits to discover, track, and manage grants efficiently through our SaaS platform. Since 2015, our customers have used Instrumentl to find, win, and manage over $6.7 billion in grant funding. 

Our charts are dramatically up-and-to-the-right 📈 — we’re cash flow positive and doubling year-over-year, with customers who love us (NPS is 65+ and Ellis PMF survey is 60+). Join us on this rocket ship!

About the role:

As a Growth Engineer at Instrumentl, you’ll collaborate closely with our Product, Marketing, Design, and Data teams, playing a pivotal role in accelerating our company’s expansion through rapid iteration and data-driven decision-making. Get to know us at instrumentl.com/about!

Our ideal candidate is eager to learn, willing to experiment, and excited to empower both teammates and customers to accelerate social progress and propel innovation.

The Instrumentl team is fully distributed (though if you’d like to work from our Oakland office, we would love to see you there). For this position, we are looking for someone who has significant overlap with Pacific Time Zone working hours.

What you'll do:

• Design, build, and deploy experiments and features, using Ruby on Rails to enhance user experiences and drive key growth metrics.
• Work side by side with our Product, Marketing, Design, and Data teams to ensure that our best-in-class product retains its crown. 
• Maintain and improve our growth experimentation platform, ensuring robust and reliable experiment tracking and analysis.
• Implement and analyze A/B tests to validate hypotheses and inform product decisions.
• Own problems from end to end, managing complexity and engaging directly with stakeholders to develop short-term and long-term solutions.
• Apply a product-focused mindset, balancing speed, quality, and user experience in all deliverables.
• Uphold Instrumentl’s high standards for product quality and mentor newer team members to do the same.

What we're looking for:

• Experienced: you’ve been a software engineer for 3+ years, with a strong emphasis on Ruby on Rails development. Startup experience and comfort operating in fast, scrappy environments is a huge plus!
• Technically adaptable: you’re familiar with front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and their integration with Rails applications, and you’re open to learning new tools or frameworks to move faster and build better.
• Customer-focused: you take pride in delivering exceptional user experiences—from first touch to deep engagement—and love being part of projects that help users quickly realize value. 
• Collaborative: you thrive in a cross-functional environment involving product managers, designers, marketers, and data analysts, and you value the unique perspective each person brings to the table.
• Experimental: You’re comfortable with rapid iteration, feature flagging, and A/B testing. You have experience (or are excited by the idea of) running experiments at different points in the funnel - from onboarding to activation - and using those results to drive decisions.
• Highly analytical: you approach problem-solving with a data-first mindset and can readily interpret experiment results, behavioral analytics, and product telemetry to guide next steps.
• Hungry: you’re on a mission to make an impact. You’re motivated by fast learning cycles, continuous improvement, and seeing your work move the needle.
• Results-Driven: you’ve demonstrated the ability to ship value in fast-paced environments and are energized by getting things out the door and into users’ hands.
• Passionate: you’re excited about Instrumentl’s mission to propel nonprofits into a bigger, brighter future—and you’re particularly energized by our early bets on AI and LLM-powered experiences to help users onboard and find value faster.

Bonus points:

• Experience working on growth-focused teams or in growth engineering roles.
• Proficiency with analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Segment, Mixpanel) and languages like SQL.
• Familiarity with product-led growth (PLG) principles and how they apply across onboarding, activation, and engagement.
• Experience with email marketing tools, SEO, or other acquisition/retention channels.
• Knowledge of Tailwind and/or the Hotwire stack.
• Familiarity or hands-on experience with building or integrating LLM-powered features to support user onboarding, product education, or self-service flows.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Salary ranges are based on market data, relative to our size, industry, and stage of growth. Salary is one part of total compensation, which also includes equity, perks, and competitive benefits. 
• For US-based candidates, our target salary band is $120,000 - $160,000/year + equity. Salary decisions will be based on multiple factors including geographic location, qualifications for the role, skillset, proficiency, and experience level. 
• 100% covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employees, 50% for dependents
• Generous PTO policy, including parental leave
• 401(k)
• Company laptop + stipend to set up your home workstation
• Company retreats for in-person time with your colleagues
• Work with awesome nonprofits around the US. We partner with incredible organizations doing meaningful work, and you get to help power their success.

What to expect:

Instrumentl is evolving rapidly. You’ll always have new challenges and opportunities to grow in your role - you won’t be bored! You’ll be an early member of our small but mighty team, playing a huge part in shaping our culture for the years and teammates to come.

At Instrumentl:

- We’re customer-focused. We routinely seek feedback from our customers to improve the Instrumentl experience for everyone. Our first company value is "The customer is the hero" and we mean it.

- We love to experiment. We are constantly generating new concepts and iterating to see what works - ideation and experimentation are essential here. "Bend the curve" is another key company value.

- We appreciate authenticity. We have a diverse range of life experiences, and we encourage open, clear communication with each other about the things that matter most to us.

- We’re approachable and collaborative. Everyone has a voice, and we’re all building Instrumentl together.

- We kick it every day with some of the nicest people in the world. No joke, our customers are often on the front lines educating kids, saving endangered species, and restoring watersheds. In helping them take advantage of Instrumentl’s technology, you’re helping them move the world forward.

Ready to apply?

Please submit a written response addressing the prompts below:

1. Why are you interested in Instrumentl?

2. What makes you a good fit for the Growth Engineer role?

Don't forget to include the word moxie in your application to show you read this from start to finish! Along with your written response, please attach your CV or resume.

At Instrumentl, we pride ourselves on building a diverse team from the ground up. Every role is an opportunity to teach, learn, and create some of your best work - if you’re excited to grow along with us, we encourage you to apply!