Senior Software Engineer

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We’re seeking an experienced Full Stack – Senior Software Engineer to join our small, mission‑driven platform team. You’ll wear many hats, work across boundaries, and help us build a platform that scales impact – not just traffic.

About Magpie

At Magpie, we envision a world where every child, no matter their background, becomes a confident reader. Our nonprofit team combines research‑backed instruction, joyful game design, and innovative technology to tackle America’s reading crisis head‑on – with the goal of eradicating illiteracy through a digital‑first, student‑centered approach.

Role Summary

You’ll design and build the core systems that power Magpie’s learning experiences, from scalable backend services to intuitive front‑end interfaces and reliable data pipelines. You’ll help create experiences that meet every child where they are in their learning journey, while unlocking actionable insights for educators and families.

What You’ll Do

• Design and build platform capabilities that deliver reliable, high‑value features with safety, precision, and user focus.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to create new features and improve existing ones.

• Approach the platform as a product: maintain a clear understanding of customer needs, identify friction points, and take ownership of outcomes with metrics‑driven decision making (KPIs, OKRs, and North Star metrics).

• Use data to inform decisions, measure impact, and drive improvements through empirical evidence.

• Take ownership across all phases of development, from design to production, and monitor system performance in live environments.

• Continuously improve the flow of work from idea to production, using data to identify and remove friction.

• Write clean, efficient, and well‑documented code following best practices.

• Build and maintain APIs, and integrate with third‑party services.

• Ensure application performance, quality, and responsiveness across platforms.

• Participate in code reviews, testing, and debugging to maintain high‑quality deliverables.

• Mentor other engineers and contribute to their growth.

• Contribute to architectural decisions and help define technical standards and best practices.

• Stay up to date with emerging technologies and suggest improvements to enhance development processes.

Requirements

• 6–8+ years of full‑stack engineering experience, with a track record of building systems, driving engineering standards, and setting technical direction.

• Experience building for both internal stakeholders and external users, including complex systems such as authentication, onboarding, or enablement features.

• Hands‑on experience with event‑driven architecture, system integrations, and content management platforms.

• Led the design or delivery of meaningful systems that improved outcomes for users or teams.

• Startup or early‑stage company experience, ideally as a founding engineer, with a strong sense of ownership.

• A pragmatic approach to tools and technologies, with the ability to explore alternatives and make recommendations to improve systems and processes.

Tech Stack

• Infrastructure / Backend:
Terraform, IaC, AWS, SQL/No

SQL (Postgres, Mongo, Timestream), Lambda

• Frontend:
Type Script, JavaScript, CSS, React

Onboarding

• Within Your First 30 Days:
Pair with teammates across disciplines, contribute to production code, understand the architecture, and embrace Magpie’s spirit of curiosity.

• By Day 60:
Fully integrated, owning features end‑to‑end, driving system improvements, and building deeper cross‑functional connections.

• By Day 90:
Shape how we build—mentoring teammates, influencing architecture, refining processes, and establishing strong engineering culture.

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently drive progress by enhancing systems, sharing knowledge, and delivering meaningful results.

• Take initiative, solve problems early, and bring creative solutions.

• Elevate those around you through mentorship, collaboration, and communication.

• Directly contribute to Magpie’s mission: making reading joyful, accessible, and transformative for every child.

Benefits

• Salary range: $145,000 – $160,000 per annum

• Competitive medical, dental, vision benefits

• Remote work for a mission‑driven company

• Flexibility in time off to balance work and personal life

• 401(k) with 4% guaranteed match

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

• Opportunity to travel and meet teammates in person twice a year

Seniority Level

• Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

• Full‑time

Job Function

• Engineering and Information Technology

• Education

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