Full-Time
Senior Software Engineer
Multiple Teams
Posted on 6/18/2024
UpCodes
11-50 employees
Comprehensive building codes database with AI.
Compensation Overview
$112k - $190k/yr
United States
In Person
 Software Engineering (1) |
|---|
- 5+ years of experience building web apps
- Clean simple code, even when solving complex problems
- Good systems design and architecture knowledge
- Good knowledge of the software life cycle, including code reviews, testing, team organization
- Ability to balance business concerns with engineering considerations
- Ability to learn new tech quickly
- Experience mentoring junior engineers
- Experience interacting with multiple stakeholders
- Enjoyable to work with
- Involved in end-to-end development on features across the web product
- Mentor junior software engineers
- Craft plan to measure and improve our search engine
- Improve and migrate our data model for the content we host
- Migrate our NLP algorithms over to use LLMs
- Do thorough, prompt code reviews
- Implement developer tools to help with code quality
UpCodes provides a subscription-based platform that gives construction professionals access to a comprehensive, searchable database of building codes and standards. It organizes information into four interconnected libraries—the Code, Diagrams, Assemblies, and Products libraries—and offers an AI-powered research assistant called Copilot to deliver tailored answers to compliance questions. Users can search, bookmark, and organize research by project jurisdiction and code year, and collaborate with teammates. Premium features include advanced search, project-specific code collections, and team collaboration tools. The primary market is the United States, focusing on up-to-date code information for various jurisdictions.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Series A
Total Funding
$7.8M
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2016
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Third Circuit ruled April 7 UpCodes' standards publication likely fair use, enabling expansion.
- Platform serves 800,000+ AEC professionals, yielding 15+ hours monthly time savings per user.
- Copilot drives 1,200% ROI via reduced rework and faster project onboarding reported by users.
What critics are saying
- ASTM appeals to Supreme Court, overturns fair use in 12-24 months, removes 10 standards.
- Generic AIs like ChatGPT undercut subscriptions with free code queries in 6-12 months.
- ICC launches licensed AI platform, erodes user base via BIM integration in 18-24 months.
What makes UpCodes unique
- UpCodes unifies 8,000+ building codes, diagrams, assemblies, and products in interconnected libraries.
- Copilot Intelligence delivers 93% accurate, project-aware AI for code compliance queries.
- UpCodes Specifications links codes directly to specs with AI-native workflow launched March 31, 2026.
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Benefits
Flexible hours
Team retreats
Medical & dental insurance
Equity
100% remote
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -2%1 year growth
↓ -6%2 year growth
↓ -4%UpCodes, a compliance platform used by over 800,000 architecture, engineering and construction professionals, has launched UpCodes Specifications, an AI-native solution connecting building codes directly to project specifications. The platform addresses growing compliance complexity driven by evolving energy standards and stricter safety requirements. The code-to-spec workflow allows architects and engineers to write, review and manage specifications alongside building codes and technical data in a unified environment. Key features include office master import for existing specification libraries, a built-in library of approximately 300 specification sections, real-time collaboration tools and automated quality control diagnostics. Early users report reduced coordination overhead and faster project onboarding. The solution is available to Professional users, with view and comment access on Free and Essentials tiers.
UpCodes launches ai-native specifications solution to address growing compliance complexity in U.S. Construction. March 31, 2026 UpCodes has announced the launch of UpCodes Specifications, an AI-native solution that connects building codes directly to construction project specifications, bringing two critical parts of the compliance process into a single workflow. The release comes as compliance demands intensify across the United States, driven by evolving energy standards, local regulations, and stricter safety requirements. At the same time, compressed project timelines leave less room for error, increasing the cost of mistakes that often emerge late in design or construction. Specifications sit at the center of that risk. They define the materials, products, and technical requirements used to build a project, yet are typically created in tools disconnected from the data they depend on. This fragmentation slows coordination and contributes to compliance issues that surface too late to fix efficiently "Specifications are interdependent with regulations, but those two worlds have historically been disconnected," said Scott Reynolds, CEO and co-founder of UpCodes. "By linking specifications directly to building codes, we're giving teams visibility into the regulatory context as they work, so they can catch issues earlier and move forward with more confidence." UpCodes Specifications introduces the first ever code-to-spec workflow that allows architects and engineers to write, review, and manage specifications alongside the building codes, assemblies, and technical data that inform them. By unifying these workflows, the platform helps teams identify compliance risks earlier, reduce rework, and streamline documentation across projects. Early users report that bringing specifications into the same environment as code research reduces coordination overhead and speeds up project onboarding. "UpCodes has now become a standard tool everywhere I've worked. Almost every firm I've been at uses it. What they've done for codes and assemblies, they're now doing for specs," said John Ellis, Job Captain at Risepointe. "For a recent project, I built a short-form spec, marked sections complete or not required, and sent it directly to the contractor. It streamlined the process. Having everything in one place saves time and makes it easier to bring team members up to speed without heavy training." Key capabilities include the following: * Office master import to migrate existing firm specification libraries * A built-in library of approximately 300 specification sections * Real-time collaboration with permissions and commenting across teams * Automated QA/QC diagnostics that flag broken links, empty sections, and mismatched jurisdiction references * Decision point dropdowns for reusable specification templates * AI-assisted navigation to query specifications and related code requirements The launch builds on UpCodes' broader AI-powered compliance platform, used by more than 800,000 AEC professionals, which connects building codes, assemblies, and product data into a single system. As construction becomes increasingly data-driven, the ability to treat compliance as part of the design workflow is emerging as a critical shift. By turning building codes into structured, AI-readable information and linking them directly to project documentation, UpCodes is positioning compliance as an integrated layer of the design process rather than a downstream checkpoint.
UpCodes unveils Copilot Intelligence. The first project-aware AI for building code compliance. UpCodes announced the launch of Copilot Intelligence, the first project-aware AI designed specifically for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. For decades, navigating building codes has been one of the most time-consuming and risk-prone aspects of construction projects, contributing to costly re-work, delays and safety risks for architects, engineers, and contractors who are building its homes and schools. Copilot Intelligence represents a step change in how the industry engages with building codes. For the first time, professionals can work with an AI that learns from each project, adapts to their workflow, and delivers instant compliance checklists. The broader AI trend is clear: general-purpose models can answer broadly, but not deeply. When the task involves life-safety codes or legal interpretation, accuracy matters more than eloquence. In recent benchmarking, Copilot Intelligence scored 93% on code compliance accuracy; more than double the top generic AI's performance, showing why purpose-built AI is fast becoming the next frontier of trustworthy automation. "With Copilot Intelligence, we're changing the way construction teams interact with the law itself. Instead of codes being a barrier, they become a tool that empowers architects and engineers to design safer, more affordable, and more resilient communities. That's the shift we've been working toward from the start," said Scott Reynolds, Co-Founder and CEO of UpCodes. Real world impact: Copilot Intelligence introduces powerful new capabilities: * Project Memory: Carries project context across sessions: jurisdiction, occupancy, past conversations, and uploaded documents. This persistent memory means users can pick up exactly where they left off, cutting repetitive setup and dramatically improving accuracy across project phases. * User Memory: Learns and adapts to a professional's role, expertise level, and preferred style of communication. * Error Reduction/ROI: Copilot's tailored outputs have driven more than a 1,200% ROI in time and revenue gains by reducing rework and compliance errors. * AI-Generated Checklists: Automatically creates project-specific compliance checklists with inline code references and citations. * Document and Image Uploads: References documents such as AHJ comments, spec drafts, soils reports, or Title 24 documents for tailored answers. * Sharper Answers: Cleaner formatting, visual outputs, and stronger citations for faster, more confident decisions. * Time Savings: UpCodes users are already reporting saving more than 15 hours each month on average, time that can be reinvested in design and delivery. This evolution cements UpCodes' position as the category leader in AI for compliance workflows, bridging the gap between traditional code libraries and generic AI assistants. "You can plug in a project location and you get an amended version of the codes," said Dan Stine, Director of Design Technology at Lake Flato. "UpCodes' AI can, for example, tell you within seconds if and why accessibility features, such as a vertical grab bar on a toilet, are required in a specific building and location. That's a huge amount of time saved." A case study in action. The launch builds on real-world results. For example, Obelisk, an architectural practice working on multifamily housing, recently used UpCodes' AI to identify accessibility requirements early in the design phase, preventing costly redesigns later. By cutting the time spent searching codes and generating checklists, Obelisk accelerated delivery and improved confidence that their projects were fully compliant across jurisdictions. Why it matters now. The U.S. faces mounting challenges: a housing shortage, aging infrastructure, and climate-related risks. Compliance is often seen as a bottleneck. Copilot's Project Memory directly addresses this by turning code knowledge into cumulative intelligence; project interactions become smarter over time, scaling institutional expertise across teams. Copilot Intelligence also reframes compliance as a catalyst, helping professionals design faster and build smarter for safer, greener, and more affordable construction. "Legacy workflows force professionals to re-enter project context over and over, wasting time and creating blind spots," added Scott Reynolds, CEO of UpCodes. "Copilot Intelligence represents a system-level leap forward, helping the industry move faster while embedding safety, climate resilience, and compliance into every decision." Copilot Intelligence is available starting today for all Professional Plan users. Existing users will see the new capabilities rolled out immediately, with options to upgrade from Free or Essentials plans. Looking for a reprint of this article? From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today! JOIN TODAY to unlock your recommendations. Already have an account? Sign In
In addition to the Building Code, the Earthquake-Prone Buildings Amendment Act 2016 was introduced to ensure that older, at-risk buildings are brought up to modern standards.
For more than seven years, UpCodes has been making the complicated world of building codes easier for people like industry professionals and homeowners to understand. Its platform includes a searchable database covering regulations in all states and features like a “spellcheck” that flags code errors for architects. Today, the startup is announcing a new AI-based tool that will make navigating the world of building codes even more streamlined. Called Copilot and built on ChatGPT-4, Copilot serves as a research assistant, answering complicated code questions and annotating responses with links to relevant sections of code.