Lead Engineer – Full-Stack, Backend

Description

• Design and deliver high-quality software that is scalable, secure, and reusable— leveraging modern technologies, proven design patterns, and cloud-native practices to power BigFuture’s core tools. • Collaborate with product owners, architects, and stakeholders to uphold the highest engineering standards and translate big ideas into impactful, student-facing solutions. • Break down new product capabilities into actionable, verifiable technical changes that move quickly from concept to reality. • Design and implement solutions to allow rapid testing of innovative concepts using the latest technologies, typically React web apps • Create sharable documentation, both technical and non-technical • Exercise discretion in prototyping: investing time to make sure the most important things work well, and working with the team to mock or minimize less important features • Maintain clean code and strong engineering standards such that when prototypes are greenlit for further development, the project is easy to build upon • Continuously develop the skills required to work with this rapidly developing technology • Participate in, or lead Agile SCRUM ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Grooming, Daily SCRUM, Demo) by contributing to team deliverables and driving alignment, focus, and momentum across sprints. • Elevate team performance by giving and receiving thoughtful code reviews, mentoring peers, and helping solve complex technical challenges. • Assist in resolving production issues with urgency and precision, ensuring a smooth and reliable user experience. • Model discipline in adhering to development standards, security practices, and CI/CD principles while helping the team move fast without compromising quality. • Continuously grow your skills and embrace a poly-skilled environment where everyone contributes beyond their specialty. • Serve as an organizational Subject Matter Expert on implementing Generative AI applications • Work with our Enterprise Architecture team to review and/or establish implementation patterns involving Generative AI tools • Advise on, and where feasible , create tools and infrastructure that will enable teams to safely deploy Generative AI tools • Keep abreast of developments in GenAI capabilities and implementations • Share knowledge of new developments with the team via chats, meetings, and presentations when appropriate • Serve as an advisor to internal teams developing staff education around Generative AI

Requirements

• 7 + years of professional experience designing, building, testing, and managing scalable web applications in AWS -hosted environments • 3+ years’ experience building back -end applications using Node ( with TypeScript) • Experience with relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redshift, DynamoDB) • Experience building observability for your products : Set up CloudWatch, X-Ray, for logging, metrics, and alerts. • Hands-on experience implementing Generative AI applications (e.g., RAG chatbots, model fine-tuning, or other LLM-powered tools) • Strong knowledge and hands-on experience with back-end technologies such as Node.js and/or Python • Experience with asynchronous programming and event-driven messaging patterns • Strong knowledge of AWS services (e.g., Lambda, SNS, SQS, S3, Step Functions, IAM, KMS, API Gateway, CloudWatch, DynamoDB) • Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments • Proven ability to mentor and coach less experienced teammates in new technologies • Strong analytical thinking, structured problem-solving, and practical decision-making skills • Effective communication and documentation skills • Proficiency in reviewing and improving code structure and architecture for testability, maintainability, and scalability , with hands-on experience in JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Node.js, Next.js, APIs, and AWS Serverless technologies (Lambdas, DynamoDB, S3, CloudWatch , etc. ) • Le a d ership in the end-to-end design and implementation of user interfaces, from architectural planning and component strategy through to polished execution, including accessibility, performance optimization, and mentoring peers on building intuitive, scalable, and user-centric front-end solutions. • Strong problem-solving skills, working collaboratively with team members to identify and resolve issues, and partnering with Product Owners to prioritize backlog. • Proven ability to pitch new ideas and implement improved systems and processes, delivering excellent results. • Effective communicator and team lead , able to provid e actionable feedback, mentor team members, and participat e in interviews to evaluate engineering talent. • Bachelor's degree in computer science, or related engineering fields preferred.

Benefits

• Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions • A mission-driven workplace where your impact matters • A team that invests in your development and success

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