Senior/Staff Software Engineer, Fullstack (ACF)

Skylight is a digital consultancy focused on improving public services for government agencies through design and technology. The role involves building and maintaining modern web applications, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and integrating AI and ML capabilities to enhance usability and automation.

Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain modern web applications that help ACF deliver high-impact digital services
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams — including designers, researchers, and product managers — to translate user and business needs into scalable technical solutions
• Develop robust backend systems and APIs while delivering dynamic, accessible, and performant frontend interfaces
• Integrate AI and ML capabilities where they enhance usability or automation
• Apply lean-agile engineering principles such as API-first design, version control, automated testing, and continuous integration
• Identify and address technical debt, performance issues, and opportunities for improvement
• Choose the right tools, frameworks, and technologies for the job, with a preference for open-source solutions
• Support maintainable, secure, and compliant development practices through documentation, code review, and knowledge sharing

Requirements:

• Experience building modern web applications using React, Vue, or Svelte, applying component-driven design principles
• Experience building backend data systems using Python, .NET, Java, or Ruby
• Experience integrating with backend APIs (REST or GraphQL) and enterprise-wide tools
• Experience working in cloud environments such as AWS (e.g., S3, CloudFront, API Gateway)
• Ability to write clean, reusable, and maintainable code
• Familiarity with building secure, compliant software and defending against common vulnerabilities
• Foundational understanding of data engineering, including how to use various datastores to handle persistent data in software systems
• Understanding of how different components of software systems fit together while maintaining performance, reliability, and availability
• Understanding of the importance of putting users at the center of your work, including thinking through the impact and implications of any code you write
• Ability to work successfully within a professional services environment (e.g., can communicate effectively with clients)
• Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
• A mindset and work approach that aligns with our core values
• Ability to travel for work from time to time
• Experience using AWS hosting and build services such as CloudFront, S3, Amplify, or Cognito
• Familiarity with data visualization frameworks (e.g., D3.js, Plotly, Chart.js)
• Experience designing natural language interfaces (e.g., search, tagging, annotation tools)
• Experience contributing to accessibility-first or government digital service projects
• Understanding of performance optimization, observability, and continuous delivery best practices
• Familiarity with role-based authentication and identity management
• Prior experience working in the civic tech space
• Experience working in a remote-team environment