Senior Software Engineer – MIG

Movement Infrastructure Working Group (MIG) is looking for an experienced Senior Software Engineer on the Engineering team to provide software engineering and advice on MIG’s new API for real-time sharing of data between the various tools used by movement groups and Democratic political campaigns. MIG is a project of the Democratic Data Exchange (DDx).

The MIG API will support new models of engagement and organizing and provide better metrics for organizers to execute the most responsive programs possible.

Reporting to the Tech Lead, you will have the opportunity to work and shape the early technical details of this fundamental product and collaborate with top-tier product and engineering teams. As a Senior Engineer on a small team, you will have immediate ownership over key portions of the product, along with supporting the professional development of junior team members. You will be working closely with the Tech Lead, Product Manager, Executive Director, and MIG Advisors on the overall product engineering strategy.

This is a hands-on role that requires direct technical contributions and occasional on-call availability (which will be scheduled in advance).

Please know that job candidates do not always meet 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

At DDx, we believe:

• Empathy is the most important part of being a team member
• Inclusivity builds stronger, more supportive teams
• Thoughtfulness is good for business and good for teamwork
• Mentorship is something everyone should be involved in
• A bias toward action is better than delaying for a perfect solution

About Us:

Founded in 2019, the Democratic Data Exchange (DDx) is a for-profit company that aims to expand access to data within the Democratic and progressive ecosystem by facilitating the real-time blind exchange of program data across the ecosystem and providing easy-to-use tools to help clients accomplish their goals.

We believe that when Democratic and progressive data ecosystems have access to the most robust and complete pool of program data possible, they can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their campaigns and organizing work, build long-term power in our communities, and win elections.

DDx is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Responsibilities:

These core areas of responsibilities include estimations of the anticipated percentage of time spent in the role in each core area.

Implementation of Product Build (65%)

• Build a product that can accommodate a rapid, exponential scale that is unique to the electoral space (rapid growth and use of product with little advance awareness).
• Implement product coding, testing, and debugging.
• Work closely with the Tech Lead, Technical Advisor, and other team engineers to build the MIG API.
• Implement efficient engineering processes, methodologies, and best practices to drive timely and smooth project delivery.

Research and Learn New Best Practices (10%)

• Understand compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices in software development and security.

Mentor Staff (10%)

• Share best practices, code review, feedback, and relevant resources to junior level staff as part of their professional development.

Shared Team Responsibilities (15%)

• Serve on the on-call schedule for the product’s support for users (which may require availability outside of the standard Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm general working hours, determined in advance)
• Connect with developers of the MIG API and participate in developer community building initiatives.
• Join and participate in team retreats and collaborative opportunities.

Who You Are:

• Problem Solver: You are someone who may take vague requirements and work to propose and implement solutions.
• Communicator: You take technical requirements and can communicate with those with technical and non-technical backgrounds.
• Innovative Team Member: You enjoy collaborating with team members on finding new and creative ways to build a product.

Required Qualifications:

• At least 7 years working in production software systems and 3+ years of previous experience as a senior software engineer.
• Prior experience working in the majority of these programming languages: TypeScript/NodeJS, Python, React, Kubernetes, Postgres, BigQuery, Kafka/Redpanda, Data Warehousing and ETL, BigQuery, OpenAPI Spec, REST, and GraphQL.
• Proven experience in establishing or contributing to open-source projects.
• Experience with researching and implementing best practices in software development, including agile methodologies, continuous delivery and deployment, code reviews, source control management, explaining tradeoffs, debugging code, and navigating changing requirements.
• Experience with using project management software (e.g. JIRA, Monday.com, Trello, GitHub Actions).
• Excellent understanding of regulatory requirements and industry standards in software development and security.

Desired Qualifications:

• Electoral or non-electoral campaign experience or experience with political data and products is not required but is a bonus qualification for this role.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills in a remote and asynchronous environment.
• Previous experience in supporting the end-to-end product development lifecycle from prototype to scale-up.

Additional Requirement:

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Location:

• Remote position; anywhere in the US. DDx is a remote-first organization.
• While this position is remote, this role may require 15% travel. Expected travel may include the MIG team gathering in person for a few times per year in one location in the United States for retreats or in-depth collaborative opportunities. This would likely require travel and overnight stays in a location outside of one’s home location, though would be scheduled in advance to account for planning.

Physical Demands:
The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

• Ability to sit at a computer monitor for extended periods of time
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds occasionally

Salary and Benefits:
DDx offers a competitive compensation salary and benefits package, including:

• Company-paid healthcare, dental, and vision insurance for full-time employees
• Matching 401(k) contributions up to 3%
• Unlimited paid time off (PTO) policy
• 16 weeks of paid leave for new parents
• Other perks such as a generous holiday schedule and monthly team wellness days

The salary range for this position is $150,000-$175,000.

Hiring Process for This Role:

While there may be shifts to the hiring process, this is the anticipated hiring process’s steps for any candidates who advance from the application stage onwards:

1. Phone Screening: A 30-minute audio-only initial interview with a team member
2. First Round Interview: A 60-minute audio and video interview with a team member
3. Second Round Interview or Written Prompt: A 60-minute audio and video interview with a team member or an exercise related to the role’s duties
4. Final Round Interview: A 60-minute audio and video interview with a senior or executive team member
5. Request for References: This will be a request for 3 professional references, one of which should be a previous direct supervisor