Senior Software Engineer (Backend)

About the position

The Senior Software Engineer (Backend) role at the National Student Clearinghouse involves designing, developing, and maintaining backend services and infrastructure to support the organization's mission of providing educational reporting and data services. This position focuses on implementing microservices and serverless functions using Python and AWS, contributing to the centralization of core data assets, and ensuring data integrity and security. The role requires collaboration with team members and stakeholders to deliver solutions that meet business requirements while adhering to best practices in software development.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and build backend services and related infrastructure to support business requirements.
• Support the Clearinghouse's defensive posture toward protecting client data by following software development best practices.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose bugs and client-facing issues as they arise.
• Develop code that conforms to defensive coding practices and supports the OWASP Top 10.
• Contribute to automation of routine development and deployment activities such as security scanning and build pipelines.
• Maintain and automate technical documentation relating to developed platforms.
• Collaborate with team members to deliver solutions on time and within budget.
• Review and understand desired system architectures and ensure conformity throughout the development lifecycle.
• Participate in code and design reviews, providing effective feedback.
• Communicate progress and challenges to stakeholders effectively.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in advanced Python development for backend solutions, especially with FastAPI and SQLAlchemy.
• Experience with RESTful Web Services and microservice-based architectures.
• Experience with asynchronous interservice communication and event-driven architectures.
• Experience using AWS CloudFormation and managing CloudFormation Templates.
• Experience building application services using AWS Kubernetes (EKS & Helm).
• Experience with AWS Lambda and PostgreSQL.
• Experience with AWS Glue Catalog, Amazon Athena, and PySpark/AWS Glue Jobs.
• Experience with CI/CD processes, especially Jenkins and AWS CodeCommit.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Agile/Scrum procedures and processes.
• Ability to act as a thought leader and mentor.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life and disability insurance benefits.
• Flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts.
• Generous 401k matching contribution program.
• Competitive paid leave program including vacation, sick, and personal time.
• Paid holidays and up to 3 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Employee Education Assistance Program for qualified education expenses.
• LinkedIn Learning subscription for professional development.
• Mental health and wellness benefits.