Senior Software Engineer – Mobile Development (Android)

About the Role

The City of Philadelphia's Office of Innovation and Technology (OIT) is seeking a Senior Android Developer to lead the design, development, and maintenance of high-quality Android applications that support City services and operations. This role will work closely with product managers, designers, backend engineers, and City department stakeholders to deliver secure, accessible, user-centered mobile experiences. The Senior Android Developer will strongly influence the full mobile development lifecycle from technical discovery and architecture through implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing iteration.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain advanced Android applications using Kotlin and modern Android frameworks like Jetpack Compose.
• Lead technical architecture decisions and establish best practices for Android development.
• Collaborate with product, design, and backend engineering teams to define requirements and deliver high-quality features.
• Translate user needs and business goals into scalable, maintainable mobile solutions.
• Implement pixel-perfect designs optimized for Android platforms and design conventions in collaboration with UX/UI designers.
• Ensure applications comply with Google Play Store guidelines and submission requirements.
• Write clean, maintainable code following Android development best practices and coding standards.
• Integrate Android applications with APIs, backend services, and City data systems.
• Ensure applications meet standards for accessibility, security, and performance.
• Conduct code reviews, mentor junior developers, and contribute to team-wide engineering excellence.
• Implement automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring tools to support reliable deployments.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues across the mobile stack.
• Stay current with Android technologies, tools, and best practices, and advocate for continuous improvement.
• Support agile delivery practices, including sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives.
• Communicate progress, risks, and technical decisions clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Skills & Qualifications

• Deep understanding of modern Android development principles and mobile UX patterns.
• Strong proficiency in native Android development with a focus on Android platform optimization.
• Solid understanding of Android development fundamentals including Activities, Fragments, Services, and Content Providers.
• Experience with Android Studio, Gradle build system, and Android SDK tools.
• Knowledge of Material Design principles and Android UI/UX best practices.
• Understanding of Android app lifecycle, memory management, and performance.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic public-sector environment.
• Commitment to equity, accessibility, and inclusive design.
• Ability to mentor and support other engineers.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to debug complex mobile applications.
• Familiarity with Google Play Console and app store submission processes.
• Experience with version control systems, preferably Git.
• Understanding of RESTful APIs and mobile app security best practices.
• Knowledge of automated testing frameworks for mobile applications.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Broad understanding of modern mobile platforms and common architectures.
• Strong understanding of key differences in supported hardware and features across the mobile device landscape.
• Familiarity with server-side programming languages such as Node.js (TypeScript), command line and shell scripts, web application security concerns, SQL, and relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, Oracle, MSSQL).
• Knowledge of Amazon Web Services (AWS), containerization, automated test/deployment pipelines, and API design and development.

Requirements

• 5+ years of professional Android development experience.
• Prior team leadership or seniority is a plus.
• Strong proficiency in Kotlin, Android Studio, and modern Android frameworks (Jetpack, Compose, Coroutines, etc.).
• Experience building and deploying applications to the Google Play Store or enterprise distribution.
• Experience integrating RESTful APIs and working with backend services.
• Familiarity with agile or iterative development processes.
• Strong understanding of mobile architecture, design patterns, and performance optimization.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills and experience collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Have developed and deployed at least one Android application to the Google Play Store.
• Demonstrate proficiency in React Native development through portfolio or work samples (preferred).
• The successful candidate must be a City of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Wellness program offering eligibility into the discounted medical plan.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Generous retirement savings options.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness program eligibility for student loan repayment.
• Free SEPTA public transportation for eligible City employees (full-time, part-time, or provisional).
• Tuition discounts and scholarships through partnerships with over a dozen local colleges and universities (savings of 10% to 40%, sometimes extending to spouses and dependents).

Pay

Salary Range: $105,000 - $110,000