Compensation
$170,000 CAD salary
Quarterly profit share (last year averaged 10k/quarter per person)
Stock options
Flexible (unlimited) holiday
Health benefits
About IcePanel
We started IcePanel because existing tools for software architecture suck.
They’re slow, overcomplicated, and built for managers to enforce process, not for engineers to actually enjoy using.
At our previous jobs, we spent too much time in meetings talking about architecture and not enough time actually building. Diagrams got stale, decisions got lost, and nothing felt connected to reality.
So we started building something better. It began as a side project, let us snowboard most days in Whistler for a season, and people kept using it…We got to nearly $1M USD with just the founders before we hired.
Today we’re a small, profitable team ($4.5M+ CAD ARR) building a collaborative modelling tool for software architecture. We care about staying lean, shipping fast, having fun, and building something people actually love.
How we work
- We keep meetings to a minimum
- We ship weekly
- We work in small teams (usually 2 people) with clear ownership
- We avoid over-engineering, but we care deeply about polish
- We release early, get feedback, and refine
This is not a place to hide. You’ll own what you build.
The role
You’ll build across the entire product:
- Frontend UI/UX (working closely with design)
- Backend APIs and data models
- Real-time systems (WebSockets)
- Infrastructure and migrations
- Fixing, refining, and improving what already exists
Our stack: TypeScript, Node.js, Vue, Pixi.js, Tailwind, Cloud Run, Firestore, WebSockets
What “great” looks like
A great hire doesn’t wait to be told what to do.
In your first couple of weeks, you’ll use the product, find something that feels off, and fix it.
Not because it was assigned. Because it bothered you.
You’ll own meaningful features end-to-end. Examples:
- Git-like workflows for diagramming
- Import and data ingestion pipelines
- Access controls for complex organizations
- Data visualization across large architectures
You’ll make things feel better, not just work.
30 / 60 / 90 days
First 30 days
- Get familiar with the product and codebase
- Ship improvements to areas that feel “off”
- Start contributing to real features
60 days
- Take ownership of a meaningful area of the product
- Improve performance or usability in a noticeable way
- Work across frontend + backend without hand-holding
90 days
- Own and ship a complex feature end-to-end
- Contribute to solving harder problems like:
- Access control for large organizationsManaging deeply nested architecture modelsPerformance issues with highly connected systems
Current challenges
- Changing model hierarchies (parents/levels) is complex and fragile
- Large, highly connected models can impact real-time performance
- Access permissions don’t scale well for large companies
If those sound interesting, you’ll probably enjoy this.
About you
You:
- Have 6+ years of experience across both large companies and startups
- Are strong in both frontend and backend
- Have built things you’re genuinely proud of
- Care deeply about how things look and feel, not just that they work
- Take ownership and don’t wait for permission
- Are comfortable working across a large, evolving codebase
- Can take feedback without ego and adjust quickly
You’ve likely:
- Built side projects just because something annoyed you
- Worked across product, UX, and engineering boundaries
- Shipped real features that people use
Proof of craft (required)
You must show us something you’ve built.
- Portfolio, live apps, screenshots - anything that shows off your skills
- We care about how it feels to use, not just what it does
If you can’t point to something you’ve built that feels great, this role isn’t for you.
You’ll struggle here if
- You rely heavily on AI without understanding fundamentals
- You wait for direction instead of taking initiative
- You blame others instead of owning problems
- You lead with ego instead of curiosity
- You need constant permission to move forward
Also, if you don’t actually care about what you’re building, don’t apply.
Bonus points
- You’ve been a founder (even if it failed)
- You come from a non-traditional background
- You understand the limits of LLMs beyond surface-level use
- You’ve spent time in a major tech hub and chose (or want) to work in Canada
Location
- North Vancouver (5 min from Lonsdale Quay)
- 3 days in office (Tues-Thurs)
- Hybrid, not fully remote
- Flexible location a few weeks a year
Benefits
Stock options
Profit sharing
Learning budget
Conference budget
Annual retreat
Flexible holiday
Health, dental, vision
And, yes, “weiner” Wednesdays and free ice cubes
Interview process
1. Screening questions (AI answers are insta-deleted…)
2. Intro chat (20 mins)
3. Technical call (30 mins)
4. In person white-boarding session/meet the team (2 hours)
5. Work trial (2 days min + paid)
6. Reference checks
7. Offer letter
Pay: $170,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Profit sharing
- RRSP match
- Stock options
- Work from home
Ability to commute/relocate:
- North Vancouver, BC: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Application question(s):
- What have you built that you're proud of?
(This doesn't have to be a software product and can be anything you think is cool. Include links.)
- GitHub profile:
- What's the most hardcore thing you've engineered?
- What motivates you day-to-day in software engineering?
- What frustrated you the most in your past roles?
- What's your opinion on using LLMs for software engineering?
Experience:
- Front-end development: 5 years (preferred)
- Back-end development: 5 years (preferred)
Location:
- North Vancouver, BC (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in North Vancouver, BC
