Skylight
Lead - Staff/Principal Software Engineer
1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants
Skylight is a digital consultancy using design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services. We’re at the forefront of a civic movement to reinvent how all levels of government serve families, patients, and many others in today's digital world.
If you want to play a part in driving this critical movement forward, we’d love for you to join our growing team of public interest technologists. The work we do matters.
About the job At Skylight, lead software engineers combine hands‑on development with technical leadership to guide strategy and delivery. They raise the engineering bar while ensuring systems are secure, resilient, and scalable.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching one of the most ambitious transformations in government — and this is a rare chance to be part of it. You’ll join a high‑impact team of product managers, researchers, designers, engineers, and security experts working side‑by‑side with HHS leadership to modernize the systems people rely on to access healthcare, strengthen cybersecurity that protects personal data, launch digital services used by tens of millions every day, and integrate data and AI responsibly into daily work across the department so teams at every level can make smarter, safer decisions.
As a lead software engineer on this project, you’ll provide direction while staying hands‑on, designing and building services with an emphasis on reliability, security, and simplicity. You’ll help standardize engineering practices, improve observability, and embed security and compliance into delivery from the start. Just as importantly, you’ll prepare federal teams to sustain these improvements by sharing knowledge and practices that last — from training and enablement to reusable tools like templates, playbooks, and decision records.
What you’ll do
Lead technical direction for one or more products and platforms, from discovery through production operations
Design and build services with an emphasis on reliability, security, and iterative releases
Apply modern delivery practices — including continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), trunk‑based development, code review, and automated testing
Standardize environments with infrastructure as code (IaC) and policy as code for secure, repeatable delivery
Improve observability and service health with metrics, logs, and traces, guided by service level objectives (SLOs)
Embed security and compliance from day one, supporting evidence automation and continuous Authority to Operate (ATO) practices
Mentor engineers, facilitate technical design reviews, and model pragmatic, high‑quality engineering practices
Help federal teams sustain improvements by delivering training and enablement, and by leaving behind reusable resources such as templates, playbooks, and decision records
What we’re looking for
Experience leading engineering for complex, production systems and delivering measurable outcomes
Strong hands‑on skills building services and APIs in a modern language and runtime, with clean, reliable, reusable code
Familiarity with modern delivery practices — CI/CD, automated testing, code review, and operating services in cloud environments
Proficiency with IaC and environment automation
Understanding of secure software practices and how to integrate compliance into delivery
Knowledge of data persistence and patterns for building resilient, observable services
Clear communication skills with executives and cross‑functional teams
Commitment to equipping federal teams with documentation, training, and mentoring so improvements last beyond the contract
Ability to work effectively in a professional services environment
Passion for improving public outcomes through great government services
A mindset and work approach that align with Skylight’s core values
Ability to spend time on‑site at HHS in Washington, DC — either by being based locally or by traveling regularly for in‑person work when it’s important
Nice‑to‑have qualifications
Experience with containers and orchestration (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) or platform engineering
Background in cloud and application modernization, integrations, or shared services at enterprise scale
Familiarity with compliance and security environments such as ATO, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), or the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA)
Experience guiding cost, performance, and reliability trade‑offs across multiple teams
Track record of mentoring engineers and raising engineering practices across organizations
Experience working effectively on hybrid or distributed teams
Other requirements
All work must be conducted within the U.S., excluding U.S. territories. Some federal contracts require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment.
You must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. now and in the future without sponsorship.
As a government contractor, you may be required to obtain a public trust or security clearance.
You may be required to complete a company background check successfully.
Some of our available roles are on federal contracts that require a degree or additional years of experience as a substitute.
Position type This is a full‑time, exempt position.
Location This role requires some in‑person time in Washington, DC. Candidates based in the DC area should be able to work on‑site at HHS periodically. Candidates outside the area are also welcome to apply, as long as they can travel to DC frequently for on‑site collaboration. A relocation incentive of up to $10,000 is available.
Salary
Associate Software Engineer: $90,000–$125,000
Software Engineer I: $120,000–$140,000
Software Engineer II: $135,000–$160,000
Senior Software Engineer: $150,000–$185,000
Staff Software Engineer: $170,000–$203,000
Principal Software Engineer: $180,000–$230,000
Well‑being benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
Short‑term and long‑term disability insurance
Life and AD&DD insurance
Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
Dollar‑for‑dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary with no vesting period
Flexible paid time‑off policy (generally around 25 days per year), plus 11 paid federal holidays
Up to 12 weeks paid‑time‑off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
Annual $750 allowance for tech‑related purchases
Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
Dollar‑for‑dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
Flexible, remote‑friendly work environment
An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good
Interview tips
Visit our join page to learn more about how our interview process works.
Check out our Career Pathways framework to learn more about the different roles within Skylight and the skills needed to do them.
If you’d like to request reasonable accommodations during the application or interviewing process, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting@skylight.digital.
Legal statements We participate in E‑Verify and upon hire, will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you’re authorized to work in the U.S.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.
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Skylight is a digital consultancy using design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services. We’re at the forefront of a civic movement to reinvent how all levels of government serve families, patients, and many others in today's digital world.
If you want to play a part in driving this critical movement forward, we’d love for you to join our growing team of public interest technologists. The work we do matters.
About the job At Skylight, lead software engineers combine hands‑on development with technical leadership to guide strategy and delivery. They raise the engineering bar while ensuring systems are secure, resilient, and scalable.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching one of the most ambitious transformations in government — and this is a rare chance to be part of it. You’ll join a high‑impact team of product managers, researchers, designers, engineers, and security experts working side‑by‑side with HHS leadership to modernize the systems people rely on to access healthcare, strengthen cybersecurity that protects personal data, launch digital services used by tens of millions every day, and integrate data and AI responsibly into daily work across the department so teams at every level can make smarter, safer decisions.
As a lead software engineer on this project, you’ll provide direction while staying hands‑on, designing and building services with an emphasis on reliability, security, and simplicity. You’ll help standardize engineering practices, improve observability, and embed security and compliance into delivery from the start. Just as importantly, you’ll prepare federal teams to sustain these improvements by sharing knowledge and practices that last — from training and enablement to reusable tools like templates, playbooks, and decision records.
What you’ll do
Lead technical direction for one or more products and platforms, from discovery through production operations
Design and build services with an emphasis on reliability, security, and iterative releases
Apply modern delivery practices — including continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), trunk‑based development, code review, and automated testing
Standardize environments with infrastructure as code (IaC) and policy as code for secure, repeatable delivery
Improve observability and service health with metrics, logs, and traces, guided by service level objectives (SLOs)
Embed security and compliance from day one, supporting evidence automation and continuous Authority to Operate (ATO) practices
Mentor engineers, facilitate technical design reviews, and model pragmatic, high‑quality engineering practices
Help federal teams sustain improvements by delivering training and enablement, and by leaving behind reusable resources such as templates, playbooks, and decision records
What we’re looking for
Experience leading engineering for complex, production systems and delivering measurable outcomes
Strong hands‑on skills building services and APIs in a modern language and runtime, with clean, reliable, reusable code
Familiarity with modern delivery practices — CI/CD, automated testing, code review, and operating services in cloud environments
Proficiency with IaC and environment automation
Understanding of secure software practices and how to integrate compliance into delivery
Knowledge of data persistence and patterns for building resilient, observable services
Clear communication skills with executives and cross‑functional teams
Commitment to equipping federal teams with documentation, training, and mentoring so improvements last beyond the contract
Ability to work effectively in a professional services environment
Passion for improving public outcomes through great government services
A mindset and work approach that align with Skylight’s core values
Ability to spend time on‑site at HHS in Washington, DC — either by being based locally or by traveling regularly for in‑person work when it’s important
Nice‑to‑have qualifications
Experience with containers and orchestration (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) or platform engineering
Background in cloud and application modernization, integrations, or shared services at enterprise scale
Familiarity with compliance and security environments such as ATO, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), or the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA)
Experience guiding cost, performance, and reliability trade‑offs across multiple teams
Track record of mentoring engineers and raising engineering practices across organizations
Experience working effectively on hybrid or distributed teams
Other requirements
All work must be conducted within the U.S., excluding U.S. territories. Some federal contracts require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment.
You must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. now and in the future without sponsorship.
As a government contractor, you may be required to obtain a public trust or security clearance.
You may be required to complete a company background check successfully.
Some of our available roles are on federal contracts that require a degree or additional years of experience as a substitute.
Position type This is a full‑time, exempt position.
Location This role requires some in‑person time in Washington, DC. Candidates based in the DC area should be able to work on‑site at HHS periodically. Candidates outside the area are also welcome to apply, as long as they can travel to DC frequently for on‑site collaboration. A relocation incentive of up to $10,000 is available.
Salary
Associate Software Engineer: $90,000–$125,000
Software Engineer I: $120,000–$140,000
Software Engineer II: $135,000–$160,000
Senior Software Engineer: $150,000–$185,000
Staff Software Engineer: $170,000–$203,000
Principal Software Engineer: $180,000–$230,000
Well‑being benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
Short‑term and long‑term disability insurance
Life and AD&DD insurance
Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
Dollar‑for‑dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary with no vesting period
Flexible paid time‑off policy (generally around 25 days per year), plus 11 paid federal holidays
Up to 12 weeks paid‑time‑off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
Annual $750 allowance for tech‑related purchases
Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
Dollar‑for‑dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
Flexible, remote‑friendly work environment
An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good
Interview tips
Visit our join page to learn more about how our interview process works.
Check out our Career Pathways framework to learn more about the different roles within Skylight and the skills needed to do them.
If you’d like to request reasonable accommodations during the application or interviewing process, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting@skylight.digital.
Legal statements We participate in E‑Verify and upon hire, will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you’re authorized to work in the U.S.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable law.
#J-18808-Ljbffr