Software Developer (new Zealand Or Australia)

About Optimal Workshop

Optimal Workshop is a leading customer experience research platform that empowers organisations to create exceptional experiences for their customers across a range of industries and mediums. Our platform offers a suite of tools for conducting various experience research methods including discovery, usability testing, card sorting, and tree testing. We are committed to helping our clients make data-driven decisions and deliver outstanding experiences.

The role

We’re looking for a Software Developer to join our team and help create best-in-class customer experience research tools for users around the world. You’ll be involved in everything from technical research and design to building and delivering our products, making sure they work smoothly and meet our users' needs. You’ll be part of our Development team, where we’re focused on maintaining high standards of technical excellence. We also want to support your growth, offering leadership opportunities and plenty of ways to develop your skills - whether that’s through mentorship, personalised growth plans, or other initiatives to help you grow both professionally and personally.

What you'll do:

• Full-stack development: Work primarily with React and Ruby on Rails to design, prototype, and deliver new product features

• Collaborate in small project  teams: Build and implement innovative solutions for our user research platform

• Enhance existing tools: Improve and expand our current suite of customer experience research tools to better serve our users' needs

• Cross-team collaboration: Work with a multidisciplinary product team to research and develop new tools and features that support the entire UX research lifecycle

• Contribute to the engineering team: Bring your unique perspective, share knowledge, and collaborate on technical solutions to solve  shared challenges

What we’re looking for:

• Relevant experience with our tech stack: You’ll be working primarily with React, Ruby on Rails, and AWS. As a key technical contributor, you'll help lead your team to deliver high-quality, customer-facing products while balancing the technical needs of building scalable, agile solutions

• Ownership mindset: We want someone who’s curious, proactive, and takes initiative - someone who can dive into understanding both our customers' needs and our strategic goals, and help connect the dots to deliver impactful solutions

• Passion for quality: You take pride in building products that not only meet technical standards but also delight customers, ensuring a smooth, seamless experience

• Collaborative spirit: You thrive in a team environment, working closely with cross-functional teams to bring projects from concept to completion

• Pragmatic problem-solving: You can see the big picture and break it down into actionable, achievable steps, making smart decisions that move the project forward efficiently

What’s in it for you:

• Competitive salary (we offer a salary that reflects your experience and the value you’ll bring to our team)

• Annual wellbeing allowance and support

• Generous annual learning and development fund

• Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP) to help you benefit from the long-term success of the company.

• Home office set-up support

• 4 weeks annual leave, plus an additional day off on your birthday!

• Opportunities for professional growth and development

• Flexible work options (our HQ is based in Wellington, NZ, but this role can be based anywhere in New Zealand or Australia)

Our Values

Our values are key to our business and underpin the way we work. The behaviors behind our values serve as our guiding principles, shaping our interactions and decision making and are deeply embedded in how we operate as a team.

• Live in our customers’ shoes
  Our customers’ goals are our goals. We are tuned into their needs. We ask, we don’t guess.

• Own it
  We are experts, we are resilient and we trust each other. We take initiative and hold ourselves to a high standard. We are free to disagree but commit. You got this.

• Game on
  Inquisitive, open and poised for action - we are responsive and willing to pivot. We are always learning and looking to improve. Game on!

• In it together
  We foster a culture of respect, kindness, and mutual support – we nurture each other. We work collaboratively together, celebrating and showing gratitude. We work hard but we do it with care and compassion

We'll be starting interviews in the new year, so apply soon to make sure you don't miss out on this exciting opportunity!