Lead Software Engineer
AlignityXAbout the role
Lead Software Engineer (Core Platform)
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are partnering with a leading enterprise software company to place a Lead Software Engineer on their core platform engineering team. In this role, your mission will be to ensure a high-scale, enterprise-grade platform is always fast, scalable, and up to whatever tasks customers configure it to do. You will be solving problems of scale and flexibility that most engineers never encounter, building a product capable of serving customers in ways that push the limits of modern software engineering.
Your scope extends from the high-performance data layer to the cross-platform user interface to the design tools used to build on top of the platform, a rare opportunity to have deep, full-stack impact on a product used by enterprise customers worldwide.
This position is based on-site in McLean, VA (5 days per week). Our client is committed to a culture of in-person collaboration as a key driver of innovation and team excellence.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Leverage knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and design patterns to write software in a full-stack web and mobile environment
Radiate best practices and accelerate development across the team through hands-on mentorship and technical leadership
Manage availability, latency, scalability, and efficiency of the platform by engineering reliability into software and systems
Contribute to software performance analysis and system tuning
Serve as a key contributor to team feature breakdowns, sizing, and design of new feature implementations
Take a moderate degree of personal responsibility for overall team performance, including quality, stability, and velocity
Perform code reviews that provide feedback on code quality, design, and implementation
Build automation to prevent problem recurrence
Identify opportunities for code refactoring and performance optimization, and champion these efforts within the team
Mentor junior software engineers by sharing best practices and providing guidance on professional growth
Share advanced expertise with others across the department, both on and off your immediate team
Lead technological changes to keep the platform current and competitive
Communicate technical designs clearly — verbally, visually, and in writing — for small to medium-sized technical audiences
Contribute to long-term technical documentation by publishing high-quality content to the engineering documentation site
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED
Strong command of data structures, algorithms, and software design patterns
Experience in a high-volume or critical production service environment
Fluency in Java; additional language experience is a plus
Ability to review architectures and designs, identify problems, and recommend better practices
Experience conducting thorough code reviews focused on quality, performance, and maintainability
A track record of mentoring junior engineers and elevating team capability
Comfort operating across a full-stack web and mobile environment
Strong written and verbal communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
Ability to identify cross-team dependencies, communicate blockers, and escalate as needed
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
MS in Computer Science or related field with 5+ years of relevant experience, OR BS in Computer Science or related field with 7+ years of relevant experience
Experience in a high-volume or critical production service environment
Fluency in Java
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience
TOOLS & ENVIRONMENT
A modern, full-stack engineering environment spanning data layer, UI, and developer tooling
An engineering culture that values innovation, autonomy, and continuous learning
Dedicated time for personal projects and annual hackathons to fuel creative thinking
A large engineering org with an agile business group model that fosters community and ownership
BENEFITS
Our client offers a comprehensive benefits package, which may include:
Medical, dental, and vision health coverage
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support
Life and disability insurance
Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
Retirement / pension plan
Wellness stipend
Tuition reimbursement
Family-forming benefits
The details
BASE SALARY: $190k - $210k
LOCATION: McLean, VA
IN-OFFICE: 5 days/week
Responsibilities
- Leverage knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and design patterns to write software in a full-stack web and mobile environment
- Radiate best practices and accelerate development across the team through hands-on mentorship and technical leadership
- Manage availability, latency, scalability, and efficiency of the platform by engineering reliability into software and systems
- Contribute to software performance analysis and system tuning
- Serve as a key contributor to team feature breakdowns, sizing, and design of new feature implementations
- Perform code reviews that provide feedback on code quality, design, and implementation
- Build automation to prevent problem recurrence
- Identify opportunities for code refactoring and performance optimization, and champion these efforts within the team
Qualifications
- Strong command of data structures, algorithms, and software design patterns
- Experience in a high-volume or critical production service environment
- Fluency in Java; additional language experience is a plus
- Ability to review architectures and designs, identify problems, and recommend better practices
- Experience conducting thorough code reviews focused on quality, performance, and maintainability
- A track record of mentoring junior engineers and elevating team capability
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision health coverage
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support
- Life and disability insurance
- Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
- Retirement / pension plan
- Wellness stipend
- Tuition reimbursement
- Family-forming benefits
Skills mentioned
About AlignityX
For organizations navigating executive hiring during growth, transformation, or transition, AlignityX is the search partner that was built from the inside out. Our founders spent 20+ years leading talent acquisition at Fortune 500 companies like Hilton, General Mills, Microsoft, and Mondelez. We sat in the seat our clients sit in. We managed the searches, hired the agencies, and saw firsthand where the industry falls short. AlignityX exists because we knew executive search could be done better, with more depth, more honesty, and more care for the people on both sides of the table. We align leadership with culture and strategy before a single outreach call is made. We find the x factor that separates "qualified" from "right." And we stay involved through the first 90 days of integration because the relationship does not end when the offer is signed. The AlignityX Promise We will be honest with you, even when it is uncomfortable. We will treat your candidates the way we would want to be treated. We will do the alignment work before we start the search and stay involved long after the offer is signed. We will move with urgency without sacrificing depth. And if we are not the right firm for this engagement, we will tell you that too. We earn the relationship. Every time.