Lead Software Developer

General Purpose

The Lead Software Developer serves as the primary technical leader and manager for the development team, responsible for overseeing the delivery of high-quality, scalable software solutions that align with strategic business objectives. This role bridges the gap between individual contributors and management, providing both hands-on technical expertise and team leadership. The Lead Software Developer will guide architectural decisions, mentor senior and junior developers, manage technical roadmaps, and ensure the team operates efficiently using Python, Django, React, and modern development practices, including AI-assisted coding tools. This role requires strong leadership capabilities alongside deep technical proficiency.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of senior and junior software developers, including workload distribution, performance management, and career development


• Own technical architecture and design decisions for the team's applications, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and alignment with organizational standards


• Collaborate with leadership and business stakeholders to define technical roadmaps, project priorities, and translate business requirements into technical strategies


• Establish and enforce coding standards, development workflows, and best practices through code reviews and technical guidance


• Design and implement complex features using Python, Django, and React while serving as the escalation point for critical technical challenges


• Drive adoption of AI coding tools and emerging technologies across the team to maximize productivity and innovation


• Manage technical debt, prioritize refactoring efforts, and balance feature delivery with long-term system health


• Lead Agile ceremonies, remove blockers, and ensure team alignment on goals and sprint deliverables


• Coordinate with cross-functional teams (DevOps + Infrastructure) to ensure seamless delivery pipelines and system integration


• Establish team performance metrics, monitor development velocity, and drive continuous improvement initiatives


• Maintain comprehensive documentation of system architecture, design decisions, and technical processes

Supervisor Responsibilities

Manages People: Yes

• Conduct regular 1-on-1s with team members to provide mentorship, career guidance, and performance feedback


• Complete performance reviews and evaluations, documenting achievements and areas for development


• Assign and evaluate work, ensuring appropriate task distribution based on skills, capacity, and development goals

Required Qualifications

Education/ Years of Experience/ Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field strongly preferred


• 8+ years of software development experience


• 5+ years of experience with Python and modern web frameworks (Django required)


• 3+ years of hands-on experience with React and front-end development


• 2+ years of experience in a technical leadership or team lead role


• Proven track record of successfully leading and delivering multiple complex software projects simultaneously


• Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring development teams


• Knowledge of Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation) containerization technologies (Docker, ECS, EKS) and GraphQL


• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment processes


• AWS certifications (Solutions Architect Professional, Developer, or SysOps Administrator)


• Advanced knowledge of TypeScript, HTMX, and GraphQL


• Experience integrating AI/ML models or APIs into production applications


• Expertise in serverless architecture, microservices patterns, and distributed systems design

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAO’s)

• Exceptional communication skills with ability to translate technical concepts for both technical teams and executive leadership


• Strong business acumen with ability to align technical decisions with business strategy


• Proven leadership and people management skills including conflict resolution, performance management, and team building


• Expert-level analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to tackle ambiguous, complex challenges


• Strategic thinking with ability to balance short-term delivery with long-term technical vision


• Expert proficiency in Python and Django framework


• Advanced proficiency with React.js and modern JavaScript (ES6+)


• Deep expertise in PostgreSQL including query optimization, indexing strategies, and database design


• Strong understanding of Git/GitHub workflows, branching strategies, and code review processes


• Solid knowledge of RESTful API design and system integration patterns


• Experience with AI coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT) and ability to train others


• Advanced understanding of web security, authentication/authorization mechanisms, and security best practices


• Expert debugging and troubleshooting skills across the full stack  

• Experience in a global organization

• Multi-lingual a plus

Working Conditions

Environment: Office

Extreme Exposures: none

Schedule: Typically requires regular office hours, but may require calls with global counterparts outside of regular office hours

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to lift up to 10 lbs

Must be able to sit at a desk for long periods of time

Travel Required: Yes, some national travel may be required occasionally

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee, but provide the primary duties and responsibilities of the role. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

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