Sr. Software Engineer

You'll ship features end to end, shape technical decisions, set a high bar for code quality, and mentor other engineers. You'll work closely with our CTO, product manager, and program teams to turn real-world civic engagement needs into reliable, thoughtfully designed software. More specifically, you'll:

• Design, build, and maintain full-stack features across our Django and TypeScript/Node.js backends and Vue.js front end

• Design and evolve data models in both MongoDB and PostgreSQL, making sound tradeoffs about structure, indexing, and performance

• Work with AWS services such as Lambda, S3, Aurora, DynamoDB, and IAM to build, deploy, and operate our applications

• Contribute to the architecture of our new civic assembly platform, including a modular, plugin-based design

• Write clean, well-tested, maintainable code, and hold a high bar in code review

• Mentor mid-level and contract engineers through pairing, review, and clear technical guidance

• Help keep our production systems reliable, especially during high-traffic program windows

• Communicate clearly with non-technical colleagues about scope, tradeoffs, and timelines

• 5+ years of professional software engineering experience, including time in medium- to large-sized engineering organizations

• Deep expertise in the JavaScript ecosystem, including TypeScript and

• Strong experience with Vue.js (preferred) or React

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• Hands-on experience with relational and NoSQL databases, specifically PostgreSQL and MongoDB, including the ability to design schemas and data models from first principles

• Practical experience working with AWS services such as Lambda, S3, Aurora, DynamoDB, and IAM roles and policies

• Experience using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Claude, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT) judiciously. You use them to move faster, but you understand, verify, and take ownership of every line you ship, and you're fully capable of designing, debugging, and reasoning through problems without them

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, and comfort working with both technical and non-technical teammates

• A track record of taking initiative, owning outcomes, and valuing quality over volume

• A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred. We also welcome candidates with equivalent professional experience and relevant certifications or credentials (e.g., AWS certifications, quality bootcamps).

• Experience with infrastructure as code, especially Terraform

• Experience with real-time or video-based applications

• Experience in the nonprofit, civic tech, education technology, or public-interest sectors

• Experience designing extensible systems (plugin architectures, module contracts, public APIs

We hire for character and collaboration as much as technical skill. We look for people who communicate openly, treat colleagues with respect, take initiative without waiting to be told, and care about doing things well rather than doing things fast. Given our mission, we especially value people who can engage respectfully with a wide range of perspectives.

• Annual salary of $135,000 to $150,000 depending on relevant experience.

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• A healthy, appreciative, feedback-driven workplace.

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