Senior Staff Software Engineer

Summary

Join Skylight, a digital consultancy dedicated to improving government services through design and technology, as a Software Engineer. You will contribute to the modernization of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) by designing, implementing, and maintaining software systems for secure record transfer, storage, and access. This role involves working in a cross-functional team, adhering to lean-agile engineering principles, and selecting appropriate tools and technologies. You will also analyze systems for improvement opportunities and communicate solutions effectively. Skylight offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a flexible, remote-friendly work environment.

Requirements

• Ability to write clean, working, and reusable code
• Can produce high-quality code by adhering to good practices such as automated testing
• Familiar with how to build secure, compliant software and defend against common vulnerabilities
• Understand the different pieces of software systems and how to fit them together, while keeping performance, reliability, and availability in mind
• Ability to take on data engineering responsibilities as needed
• Flexibility and availability to check in on pipelines during evenings and weekends — if we can’t run system exports during normal business hours without impacting users
• Understand the importance of always putting users at the center of your work, including thinking through the impact and implications of any code that you write
• Ability to work successfully within a professional services environment (e.g., can communicate effectively with clients)
• Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
• A mindset and work approach that aligns with our core values
• Ability to travel for work from time to time
• Ability to obtain and hold a federal public trust (Tier 2)
• All work must be conducted within the U.S., excluding U.S. territories. Some federal contracts require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment
• You must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. now and in the future without sponsorship
• As a government contractor, you may be required to obtain a public trust or security clearance
• You may be required to complete a company background check successfully
• Some of our available roles are on federal contracts that require a degree or additional years of experience as a substitute

Responsibilities

• Engineer a software product as part of a cross-functional team, which includes user experience researchers and designers, product managers, engineers, and other functional specialists
• Achieve technical excellence by advocating for and adhering to lean-agile engineering principles and practices such as API-first design, simple design, continuous integration, version control, and automated testing
• Select and use the right tools, frameworks, languages, and technologies for the job, with a preference for open-source solutions
• Analyze systems to identify technical debt, instability, unreliability, and other opportunities for improvement, as well as design, document, and communicate solutions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with databases and/or cloud infrastructure
• Familiarity with CI/CD best practices
• Experience with cloud infrastructure as code (e.g., Docker, AWS)
• Experience with multiple programming languages and/or full-stack development
• Prior experience with Java, Python, and data pipelines
• Prior experience working in the civic tech space
• Experience working in a remote-team environment

Benefits

• Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
• Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary with no vesting period
• Paid time off, including 20 vacation days, 11 federal holidays, and flexible sick leave
• Up to 12 weeks paid time off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
• Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
• Business development / sales bonuses
• Referral bonuses
• Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
• Annual $750 allowance for tech-related purchases
• Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
• Dollar-for-dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
• Access up to $1,000 before payday to cover emergency expenses
• Flexible, remote-friendly work environment
• An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good