Senior or Principal Software Engineer

Salary: $108,823.00 - $180,655.00 Annually
Location : Castle Rock, CO
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 2025 - 2727
Department: Information Technology
Opening Date: 03/26/2025
Closing Date: 5/2/2025 5:00 PM Mountain

Description

The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for advancing Application Services' technologies and practices, and leading the analysis and design, development, testing, maintenance, and support of Douglas County business applications implemented in software to ensure effective application services delivery and support enterprise strategies. The person in this role is also responsible for working with Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure Services to ensure server platform and security needs of applications are met. In coordination with the IT Project Management Office, the person in this role will assist in defining project scope, requirements, and timeline.

Examples of Duties
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Key duties and responsibilities of the Principal Software Engineer position include, but are not limited to, the items listed below.

• Leads the evaluation of new platforms, software libraries, development tools, and processes and makes recommendations that will improve the team's effectiveness and capabilities.
• Leads the development and communication of best practices covering development technologies, implementation patterns, integration techniques, design options and application security.
• Acts as a technical leader in a team-based, agile development environment.
• Provides direction and mentoring to Application Services staff assisting them in resolving technical issues and applying best practices.
• Designs and develops software, which meets the requirements of the business in an effective, sustainable, and reliable manner.
• Tests developed software prior to user acceptance.
• Adheres to established IT best practices, standards and agreed upon design patterns for application development, application design, user interfaces, integration, naming, and testing.
• Analyzes and understands business users' requirements, clarifying inconsistencies, conflicts, or ambiguities, to effectively model business processes in software.
• Documents software designs, applications support requirements, application configuration information, as required.
• Integrates custom and commercial off-the-shelf software in an effective, sustainable, and reliable manner.
• Works toward achieving I.T.'s Mission, Vision, and Values.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Senior Software Engineer:

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems or a closely related field from an accredited college or university is preferred.
• A minimum of eight years of experience in designing, developing, and testing applications developed in a mainstream objected oriented language.
• A combination of experience and education may be considered for a well-qualified candidate.

Principal Software Engineer:

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems or a closely related field from an accredited college or university is preferred.
• A minimum of ten years of experience in designing, developing, and testing applications developed in a mainstream objected oriented language.
• Two years of supervisory or project management experience is preferred.
• A combination of experience and education may be considered for a well-qualified candidate.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of professional software engineering practices, software quality assurance practices & best practices for the full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations.
• Knowledgeable in application integration best practices, event driven processing, and API development.
• Well-versed in systems integration, application architecture, application security, database design, and object-oriented design.
• Knowledgeable in enterprise architecture and associated frameworks.
• Familiar with low-code application development is helpful
• Working knowledge of waterwall and agile methodologies.
• Understand artificial intelligence and machine learning.
• Familiar with ITIL for IT Service Management.

Technical Skills:
Frontend Development:

• Expertise in React.js, TypeScript, JavaScript (ES6+), HTML5, CSS3, and responsive design principles.
• Strong understanding of common front-end architectures including SPA, Static Sites, and Server-Side processed architectures.
• Demonstrated experience with multiple frameworks (e.g. React, Angular, Vue, ASP.NET)
• Proficient with one or more UI tools kits (Mantine, Material-UI, Bootstrap). Mantine experience very helpful.

Backend Development:

• Proficiency in C# and .NET 8 required, with experience on .Net Framework 4.x desired.
• API design and development using common patterns (REST, SOAP, GraphQL, WebHooks, etc...)
• Experience using ORMs such as Entity Framework and Dapper.
• Familiarity with commonly used design and architectural patterns for developing web applications with demonstrated experience implementing them on the .Net technology stack. (MVVM, MVC, DI, CQRS, etc...) Experience with CQRS design pattern is helpful.

Database Development:

• Experience with relational databases (e.g., SQL Server) and familiarity with NoSQL databases.
• Advanced TSQL skills with demonstrated experience writing complex queries, stored procedures, and functions.
• Mastery of data modeling practices including normalization/denormalization and schema design.
• Skills in analyzing inefficient queries to improve overall system performance.
• Understanding of query execution plans, indexing strategies, and partitioning
• Experience with report development using a common reporting service such SSRS or Power BI is helpful.

Other Skills:

• Cloud Computing: Strong knowledge of Microsoft Azure platform services, including Azure App Services, Azure Functions, Azure SQL Database, Entra, and Virtual Networks in a hybrid cloud/on-prem environment.
• Version Control: Proficiency in Git and Git-based workflows is required.
• DevOps: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines in ADO and integration with GitHub
• Security: Understanding of secure coding practices and application security principles.
• Integrating Identity management using Entra ID and other providers such as LoginRadius
• Python and PowerShell scripting
• Experience integrating with SharePoint Online is helpful.
• Experience developing on the Power Platform is helpful.
• Experience developing on and/or integrating with Dynamics 365 is helpful.

Abilities:

• Competent in planning and managing software quality assurance activities throughout the SDLC to ensure security, reliability, efficiency, and maintainability.
• Establish effective working relationships at all levels.
• Work as a part of a team or independently, using both verbal and written communications, to resolve problems, complete project related tasks, and interface to Douglas County departments.
• Clearly document technical configurations and summarize technical information.
• Identify problems, establish facts, correlate data to a series of events, effectively evaluate risk, and develop logical plans of action for implementing and troubleshooting solutions.
• Develop strategies and proposals tailored to an intended audience.
• Envision and describe in sufficient detail to inform planning future states of processes, technologies, data, and organizational structures/roles.
• Interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions and environments in written, mathematical, or diagrammatic form and understand abstract and concrete concepts.
• Keep up-to-date technically and apply new knowledge to your job.
• Adhere to County guidelines and standards.
• Ability to lead and mentor technical professionals.
• Ability to effectively communicate status information, coordinate technical direction, and resolve technical and personnel conflicts.
• Strong work habits, organization, and time management skills.

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, & REGISTRATIONS: This position requires successful completion of a criminal background check including fingerprinting through a national database.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Physical Work Environment: Work is performed in a typical office environment. Ability to work beyond scheduled hours and respond to production issues and business needs in a time critical manner is required. This position has frequent contact with coworkers, staff, and other County employees either in-person or remote depending on the situations.

Physical Demands: Ability to drive between County buildings for meetings and off-site work locations is required. Close vision required for heavy computer use. Must be able to communicate well verbally and be heard/understood. May be required to give presentations in meeting or to working groups. May occasionally lift items weighing up to 25 pounds.

Material and Equipment Directly Used: Typical office equipment such as computer, phone, tablet, copier/scanner, etc.

Supplemental Information

For more information on job functions, requirements and to apply please visit:

Douglas County offers an excellent comprehensive benefit package including but not limited to: Medical/Dental/Vision.
For a more detailed overview please view the full .
Douglas County offers a comprehensive benefit package. For a more detailed overview of our benefit package, click on the link below.

Why Douglas County? We offer excellent benefits to our employees!

• 10 paid holidays each year + a floating holiday
• 9 hours of paid vacation per month
• 8 hours of paid sick time per month
• Medical insurance employees can choose from three plan options: United Healthcare Doctors Plan, United Healthcare HDHP Plan or United Healthcare Choice Plus Plan.
• Life insurance 1.5 times employee salary at no cost to employee
• Short-term and long-term disability at no cost to employee
• Mandatory retirement - defined contribution of 8% - matched at 8%
• Annual performance reviews with potential for an increase

Additionally, we offer dental, vision, accident/critical illness insurance, tuition reimbursement, and employee training. Part-time employees receive a pro-rated benefits package.