As a Software Engineer at Talkiatry, your day-to-day work will directly impact the efficiency of clinical operations and the quality of patient care. You will join a collaborative engineering team focused on building robust, scalable solutions for a complex healthcare ecosystem.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Developing and maintaining the core patient intake and scheduling platforms, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience for individuals seeking mental health services.
• Writing clean, performant, and well-tested code across the stack, with a strong focus on backend services, database management, and API integrations.
• Collaborating closely with product managers, designers, and clinical operations teams to translate complex healthcare workflows and compliance requirements into elegant technical solutions.
• Building and optimizing data pipelines that handle sensitive patient information, ensuring strict data integrity, security, and adherence to healthcare regulations.
• Monitoring system performance, troubleshooting production issues, and continuously improving the reliability and latency of core services.
• Participating in code reviews, sharing technical knowledge, and contributing to engineering best practices to help elevate the team's output and culture.

To be competitive for a Software Engineer position at Talkiatry, candidates must demonstrate a strong technical foundation along with the soft skills necessary to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment.

Technical Skills

• Must-have skills – Strong proficiency in relational databases (SQL) and data modeling. Proven experience building backend services using languages such as Python, Ruby on Rails, Node.js, or similar modern frameworks. Experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Nice-to-have skills – Prior experience working in the healthcare technology sector, including familiarity with HIPAA compliance, EHR systems, or HL7/FHIR data standards. Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP) and containerization (Docker).

Experience & Soft Skills

• Professional experience – Typically 3+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a track record of shipping production-grade software.
• Adaptability – Ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt to changing product priorities in a growing startup environment.
• Communication – Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders, including clinical staff.
• Collaborative mindset – A strong desire to work in a cross-functional team environment and a shared commitment to improving access to quality mental healthcare.

Q: What is the technical stack at Talkiatry? A: Talkiatry utilizes modern backend frameworks, relational databases (primarily SQL-based), and cloud infrastructure to power its applications. During the interview process, you are generally welcome to use the programming languages and tools you are most comfortable with, as the focus is on your problem-solving approach and ability to deliver functional code.

Q: How much healthcare industry experience do I need? A: While prior healthcare experience (such as working with HIPAA, EHRs, or patient data) is a strong plus, it is not a strict requirement. The engineering team values strong core software engineering fundamentals, database proficiency, and a willingness to learn the complexities of the healthcare domain quickly.

Q: What is the work environment and remote policy? A: Talkiatry offers a highly collaborative working environment, with many engineering roles supporting remote work across the United States. The team relies heavily on tools like Zoom and Slack to maintain strong communication, pair programming, and cross-functional alignment.

Q: How quickly does the interview process move? A: The interview process typically spans several weeks from the initial recruiter screen to the final round. Talkiatry aims to provide a structured and transparent experience, though candidates are encouraged to maintain open communication with their recruiter regarding timelines and competing offers.

To maximize your chances of success during the Talkiatry interview process, keep these practical, insider tips in mind.

• Focus on execution over perfection: In the practical coding assessments, prioritize getting a working, end-to-end solution running. The team values engineers who can build and ship software over those who get stuck trying to design a flawless architecture in a limited time window.
• Master SQL fundamentals: Do not underestimate the SQL assessment. Practice writing queries that involve complex joins, aggregations, and window functions, as data modeling and retrieval are core components of the evaluation.
• Understand the patient journey: Take some time to think about the challenges of mental healthcare delivery. Familiarize yourself with common operational hurdles, such as patient intake, scheduling constraints, and the importance of timely communication (SLAs).

• Showcase your adaptability: Talkiatry is a fast-growing company where priorities can evolve. Be prepared to share examples of how you have successfully navigated ambiguity, managed shifting requirements, and kept projects on track in previous roles.
• Communicate your thought process: Whether you are writing SQL or discussing a system design scenario, talk through your decisions out loud. Explain the trade-offs you are making, why you chose a specific database structure, or how you would handle potential edge cases.

A Software Engineer role at Talkiatry offers a unique opportunity to apply your technical expertise to a mission-driven challenge: making high-quality mental healthcare accessible and reliable. By building the systems that power patient intake, clinician scheduling, and operational workflows, your code will have a direct, positive impact on the lives of real patients and the providers who care for them.

To stand out in the interview process, focus your preparation on solidifying your SQL and data modeling skills, practicing pragmatic and fast-paced application development, and preparing to discuss how you design reliable, SLA-driven systems. Approaching the interviews with a combination of technical rigor, adaptability, and empathy for the patient experience will position you as a strong candidate.

The salary range listed above represents the competitive compensation structure for engineering talent at Talkiatry. In addition to base salary, compensation packages typically include comprehensive benefits and equity options, reflecting the value the company places on attracting and retaining skilled engineers to drive its clinical mission.

As you prepare for your upcoming conversations, remember to communicate clearly, focus on shipping functional solutions, and demonstrate your excitement for solving complex healthcare challenges. For additional resources, preparation strategies, and real candidate insights, you can explore further details on Dataford to help you put your best foot forward. Good luck!