Full-Stack Developer — Connecting Global Artists, Technologists, and Reform Leaders at San Quentin SkunkWorks

Join the incarcerated-led innovation lab partnering with the Governor’s Office, eL Seed, FaithXLVII, and other visionaries to build the digital infrastructure of justice reform.

Why This Matters

San Quentin SkunkWorks is changing how reform happens — bringing artists, engineers, and policy leaders inside prison walls to co-create the future of justice.

But outdated clearance systems slow everything down. GateKeeper fixes that — turning weeks of emails and lost forms into a seamless process that connects the people driving real change.

Build the bridge that makes innovation between the inside and outside possible — because without it, the future of criminal-justice reform stays locked out.

The Project

GateKeeper replaces San Quentin’s paper-heavy volunteer onboarding system. Volunteers must currently navigate fingerprinting, TB tests, training, and approvals tracked by email and spreadsheets.

The app will:

• Provide clear dashboards for both volunteers and staff
• Automate reminders to reduce errors and bottlenecks
• Store sensitive data securely
• Integrate with Google Workspace, Gmail, and Calendar

The tool is scaffolded and ready to move from prototype to production — one of several insider-led builds redefining how prisons operate.

Tech Stack

Frontend: Next.js (App Router), React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS v4

Backend: Next.js API routes (Node.js), Postgres + Drizzle ORM

Tooling: ESLint, PostCSS, Turbopack

Integrations: Google Workspace, Gmail, Calendar

Hosting: Vercel

Your Role

You’ll join a small, high-caliber team of Silicon Valley software engineers working side-by-side with incarcerated technologists at San Quentin — a collaboration that redefines “inside-out innovation.”

• Architect feature design and workflow systems end-to-end
• Build and refine intake forms, dashboards, and API endpoints with performance and security in mind
• Shape Postgres schema evolution and data-modeling strategy
• Implement robust authentication, authorization, and document handling
• Contribute to documentation, DevOps strategy, and deployment on Vercel

Your teammates bring experience from Google, Meta, and early-stage startups — you’ll be expected to operate at that level of technical rigor, velocity, and care.

What You Bring

• 5+ years with modern web frameworks (React, Next.js, Node.js)
• Strength in relational-database design, data privacy, and API security
• Familiarity with OAuth, JWTs, and Google Workspace integrations
• Confidence working autonomously in a distributed, mission-driven team
• Bonus: experience in civic tech, govtech, or workflow automation