Lead Software Engineer (Remote)

About the role

At 8th Light, we bring life to the best ideas. We are a technology solutions consultancy based in Chicago, working with organizations from early-stage startups to the world's largest companies. We focus on tackling complex software challenges and delivering durable results through the creation of agentic products, platforms, and engineering/design solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-stakes consulting engagements from discovery to production
• Build high-quality, maintainable software collaboratively and incrementally
• Write production-quality code using various languages and frameworks, including Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Ruby, Scala, R, SQL, and Go
• Leverage AI-assistive development tools for tasks like scaffolding, refactoring, debugging, test generation, and documentation
• Integrate AI/ML-powered features into products or systems (e.g., recommendation engines, NLP models, computer vision, predictive analytics)
• Use context-appropriate automated testing to inform software design choices and catch bugs
• Debug and refactor pre-existing code to incrementally improve it
• Collaborate with teams using Git, MacOS/Linux, and CI/CD
• Remedy architecture-level concerns such as scalability, security, reliability, and performance
• Bring together people from different functions and perspectives in forums that encourage idea sharing, collaboration, and problem solving
• Mentor and share knowledge with colleagues
• Communicate empathically with stakeholders and colleagues
• Collaboratively lead stakeholders to balance technical considerations with product and user needs

Requirements

• Show long-term repeated success on a variety of projects, typically over the course of 7+ years
• Can be the go-to leader for any software development engagement
• Have a broad and deep range of expertise that allows you to make an immediate impact on projects
• Successfully led high-stakes consulting engagements from discovery to production
• Built high-quality, maintainable software collaboratively, incrementally, and through an approach tailored towards the unique needs of the clients you’ve served
• Written production-quality code using a variety of languages and frameworks, including but not limited to: Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Ruby, Scala, R, SQL, and Go
• Leveraged AI-assistive development tools for tasks like scaffolding, refactoring, debugging, test generation, and documentation
• Used context-appropriate automated testing to inform software design choices and catch bugs
• Debugged and refactored pre-existing code to incrementally improve it
• Collaborated with teams using Git, MacOS/Linux, and CI/CD
• Remedied architecture-level concerns such as scalability, security, reliability, and performance
• Brought together people from different functions and perspectives in forums that encourage idea sharing, collaboration, and problem solving
• Mentored and shared knowledge with colleagues
• Communicated empathically with stakeholders and colleagues
• Collaboratively led stakeholders to balance technical considerations with product and user needs

Preferred Skills

• MLOps: including tools like LangChain for application development and managing the ML lifecycle
• Data Engineering: including platforms like Databricks for data processing and analytics
• DevSecOps & DevOps
• Infrastructure as Code
• Data Engineering: including platforms like Databricks for data processing and analytics
• Building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is an ongoing journey, and we’re excited to keep learning and growing together.

Benefits

A robust L&D program featuring unlimited access to thousands of books, courses, and expert-led training on the O'Reilly learning platform.
Annual financial stipend and time allotment for learning & development
Coworking support for our global team
Flexible PTO
12 weeks of new parent leave available for eligible employees

Pay

Our pay ranges for our Lead Engineer position within our four US structures are as follows:

• Structure 1 (Tampa Metro, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin): $126,279 - $157,849 USD
• Structure 2 (Chicago Metro, Miami Metro, Philadelphia Metro, Raleigh Metro): $132,700 - $165,875 USD
• Structure 3 (Austin Metro, Boston Metro, DC Metro): $141,261 - $176,576 USD
• Structure 4 (Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City): $147,254 - $184,068 USD

Schedule

We are a remote-first company, with hubs in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. If you are hired into a hub, you will be a part of a team with regular rituals around co-working and community building. For team members outside of those cities, we offer access to coworking spaces to foster continued collaboration and connection across our global team. In most cases, our consulting engagements do not require travel.

Contact

If you are interested in this opportunity, please reach out to recruiting@8thlight.com for more relevant information pertaining to your local market.

Privacy

At 8th Light, one of our core values is Honesty that builds trust — and that shapes how we approach hiring. We want you to have a clear picture of who we are, what we're looking for, and how we handle your information throughout the process. Before submitting your application, please take a moment to review our Global Candidate Privacy Notice. By applying, you acknowledge that you've read it.