🚀 We're hiring

Build the infrastructure of American freight.

ESSE Inc is a growing logistics platform based in Dayton, Ohio. We're building the tools that power freight operations for carriers, drivers, and shippers — and we want people who care about getting things right.

📍 Dayton, Ohio 💻 Remote-friendly roles 📚 Early-stage, real impact 🪀 0→1 builders

Open positions

9 open roles across engineering, operations, product, and sales.

Engineering Full-time

Full-Stack Engineer

📍 Dayton, OH / Remote ⚡ Node.js + Vanilla JS

Own end-to-end features on our core portal — from API routes in Express to frontend pages in vanilla JS. You'll touch the driver onboarding flow, TMS dashboard, e-signature system, and carrier portal.

Compensation: $80,000 – $115,000 + equity
  • 3+ years Node.js backend experience
  • Comfortable with plain HTML/CSS/JS (no heavy frameworks)
  • MySQL or MariaDB experience
  • REST API design and session-based auth
Apply for this role
Engineering Full-time

Backend Engineer — TMS & Integrations

📍 Remote ⚡ Node.js + MariaDB

Build and scale the freight management APIs powering loads, carriers, and dispatch workflows. Design integrations with FMCSA, ELD providers, and broker networks.

Compensation: $85,000 – $120,000 + equity
  • Strong SQL and query optimization skills
  • Experience building REST or webhook integrations
  • Understanding of freight / logistics domain a plus
  • Comfort with ES modules and async/await patterns
Apply for this role
Engineering Contract / Full-time

Mobile Engineer — Driver App (iOS)

📍 Remote ⚡ Swift / React Native

Build the ESSE Driver app used by CDL drivers across the country. Features include document uploads, HOS tracking via ELD, real-time chat with dispatch, and location sharing.

Compensation: $75,000 – $110,000
  • iOS Swift or React Native experience
  • Experience with background location and file upload flows
  • REST API integration and session auth on mobile
  • App Store submission and review experience
Apply for this role
Operations Full-time

Freight Dispatcher

📍 Dayton, OH 🚚 OTR & Regional

Coordinate loads between our carrier network and drivers. Use our internal TMS to track shipments, communicate with drivers in real time, and ensure on-time delivery.

Compensation: $45,000 – $62,000 + performance bonus
  • 1+ year dispatch or logistics coordination experience
  • Comfortable with TMS / load board software
  • Strong communication and multi-tasking skills
  • CDL background a plus but not required
Apply for this role
Operations Full-time

Driver Recruiter

📍 Dayton, OH / Remote 👥 CDL Drivers

Source and qualify CDL-A drivers using our onboarding portal. Manage applicant pipelines, verify credentials, and guide drivers through the full onboarding workflow.

Compensation: $40,000 – $55,000 + per-hire bonus
  • Experience in driver or staffing recruitment
  • Familiarity with DOT/FMCSA requirements
  • Strong follow-through and CRM habits
  • Ability to manage 20+ active applicants simultaneously
Apply for this role
Operations Full-time

Compliance & Safety Coordinator

📍 Dayton, OH 📄 DOT / FMCSA

Manage driver qualification files, document expiration alerts, and DOT compliance across our carrier fleet. Work closely with recruiters and dispatch to keep the fleet in good standing.

Compensation: $42,000 – $58,000
  • DOT/FMCSA compliance knowledge
  • Experience with DQ file management
  • Detail-oriented with strong document tracking habits
  • Familiarity with MVR, PSP, and drug testing processes
Apply for this role
Product Full-time

Product Manager — Logistics Platform

📍 Remote / Dayton OH 🎯 0→1 product

Define and ship features for our onboarding portal, TMS, and carrier platform. Work directly with engineering and operations to prioritize what gets built next and why.

Compensation: $90,000 – $125,000 + equity
  • 3+ years PM experience in B2B SaaS or logistics
  • Technical enough to spec APIs and review PRs
  • Experience building workflows for non-technical end users
  • Strong written communication and roadmap ownership
Apply for this role
Sales Full-time

Carrier Sales Representative

📍 Dayton, OH / Remote 📞 Outbound

Acquire new carrier and shipper accounts. Pitch the ESSE platform to fleet owners, logistics managers, and freight brokers. You'll have access to our full TMS and real support from operations.

Compensation: $48,000 base + uncapped commission
  • 1+ year B2B sales or freight brokerage experience
  • Understanding of trucking economics and carrier pain points
  • Self-directed with strong CRM discipline
  • Competitive, coachable, and numbers-driven
Apply for this role
Sales Full-time

Freight Broker / Account Executive

📍 Dayton, OH 🛒 Shipper-side

Manage shipper relationships and book freight. Work with our dispatch team to move loads efficiently and build long-term accounts with consistent volume.

Compensation: $50,000 base + commission on margin
  • Licensed or trainable as an MC freight broker
  • Experience building shipper relationships
  • Strong negotiation and load-matching instincts
  • Knowledge of DAT, Truckstop, or similar load boards
Apply for this role

On our radar

Not hiring for these yet, but watching for the right person.

🏠
DevOps / Infrastructure
As we scale server load
🎨
UI/UX Designer
Portal and carrier UX
📄
Billing & Accounting
As fleet revenue scales
🤝
Customer Success
Carrier and driver support
🔎
Data / Analytics
Fleet performance insights

Why ESSE?

We're not a startup that pivots every quarter — and we're not a corporation where you wait years to matter.

What you care about Big Corp Generic Startup ESSE Inc
Ownership over real features ✖ Ticket queue ~ Maybe ✔ Yes, from day one
Work that ships to real users ✖ Long cycles ~ Depends on stage ✔ Real drivers use this daily
Stable, real revenue model ✔ Yes ✖ Often VC-dependent ✔ Freight operations revenue
No politics / bureaucracy ✖ Layers of approval ~ Varies ✔ Small, direct team
Flexibility / remote options ~ Return-to-office pressure ✔ Often remote-first ✔ Role-dependent hybrid
Learn the logistics industry ~ Siloed domain ✖ Usually unrelated ✔ Deep freight exposure
Equity upside ✖ Diluted / none ~ High risk, high variance ✔ Early-stage options

What we offer

We're not a Fortune 500 — but we take care of the people who build with us.

📈
Equity for builders
Early-stage options in a company moving real freight with real revenue.
💻
Hardware stipend
We cover the gear you need to do your best work from anywhere.
🏠
Flexible location
Most roles are hybrid or remote. Dayton HQ for ops roles, remote-friendly for engineering and product.
📚
Learning budget
Books, courses, certifications — we invest in people who want to grow.
🚀
Direct impact
No layers between your work and the people who use it. Drivers and dispatchers see your changes same day.
🥥
Health benefits
Medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time team members.
Unlimited PTO
We trust you to manage your time. Take real time off — we mean it.
👥
Small, tight team
You'll know everyone. No org chart maze, no ticket black holes. Direct access to leadership.

About our culture

ESSE is a small team operating at the intersection of freight operations and software. We build tools that real drivers and dispatchers use daily — so we hold ourselves to a high standard of usefulness, not just technical cleverness. We move fast, ship real things, and have honest conversations about what's working and what isn't.

We don't have a ping-pong table or a beer fridge. We have an ops team that depends on what we build and a driver network that grows every month.

Ship real things No whiteboard interviews Direct feedback Logistics-first thinking Ownership over assignment No resume theater

How hiring works

No whiteboard algorithms. No five-round loops. We move fast and respect your time.

1
Send us your background
Email careers@esseinc.com with a few lines about your background and the role you want.
2
Intro call — 30 min
Quick call with a team member. We'll talk through what you've built and what you're looking for.
3
Practical interview
For technical roles: a short take-home or live session on real problems we've solved. No LeetCode.
4
Offer & onboard
Decision within a week. If it's a yes, we move fast and get you up to speed quickly.

Don't see the right role?

We hire for attitude and trajectory as much as for titles. If you're excited about freight and want to build something real, send us a note — we read every email.