Lead Software Engineer

Job Title: Lead Software Engineer Location: Chicago, IL only (hybrid, 3 days onsite / 2 remote) Employment Type: Permanent, full-time (exempt) Openings: 3 (new headcount) Target Compensation: $122,900 to $169,000 About The Company Our client is a leading global law firm whose software engineering team builds enterprise workflow automation and AI-powered applications for its legal practices and business functions. Job Summary The Lead Software Engineer takes technical ownership of full-stack applications built on React, .NET, Next.js and Azure. This is a hands-on leadership role: you will write and review code, set engineering standards, make architecture decisions, lead proofs of concept and mentor engineers. Current projects include enterprise workflow automation (billing, invoicing, HR notifications, M&A workflows, pricing automation), AI-powered litigation applications and converting internally built applications into enterprise-grade software. Key Responsibilities Lead design and delivery of full-stack applications on .NET, React/Next.js and Azure, from architecture through production support.Set standards for code quality, testing, performance and security through code authorship and review.Lead technical planning, solution design and proofs of concept.Integrate GenAI capabilities including LLM features, RAG pipelines, semantic search and agentic workflows.Mentor engineers through pairing, design reviews and feedback.Partner with product managers, architects and business stakeholders.Own production reliability, observability and incident response; partner with DevOps on CI/CD and container platforms. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree preferred, or equivalent experience.8+ years of software engineering experience, as a current or recent Lead Software Engineer or a Senior Engineer with leadership responsibilities.2-3+ years of technical leadership: mentoring, code reviews, technical planning, architecture and POCs.Full-stack: .NET (C#) and React or Next.js.Microsoft Azure: App Service, Container Apps/AKS, Azure SQL, Service Bus, Azure OpenAI; has built production applications in Azure from the ground up.System design, cloud architecture, REST/GraphQL APIs, microservices and distributed applications.SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Cosmos DB or similar; CI/CD with Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions. Preferred Qualifications Workflow automation platforms such as n8n or Temporal.AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code or Codex.Enterprise software development experience; production GenAI features. Work Arrangement Chicago-based, hybrid with 3 days onsite per week. Final-round interview is onsite. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or in the future.