Senior Full Stack Web Developer

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory•St. Petersburg, FL

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

Draper's Full-Stack Group builds mission-critical web applications for military, government, and commercial customers. We operate like an incubator, giving engineers space to experiment, iterate, and deliver software that protects lives and advances the national interest. At the senior level, you translate high-level strategy into reliable, maintainable code and help shape the technical direction of multi-million-dollar programs. Your work directly influences delivery speed, quality, and the confidence our government partners place in Draper’s solutions.

Requirements

5-7 years full-stack development experience (front-end & back-end).
Active Secret clearance (TS preferred; sponsorship possible for the right candidate).
Proficiency in React + TypeScript, a modern back-end language (Node.js, Python, or Java), and REST/GraphQL APIs.
Experience with authentication standards (OAuth/OIDC).
Hands-on use of Jira (or similar), Git, and CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI).
BA/BS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
Curiosity-driven approach to solving complex, customer-driven problems as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Demonstrate an ability to learn new programming languages and technologies quickly.
Collaborate and communicate effectively and openly with multi-disciplinary program team members, program leadership, and non-technical personnel.
A team player able to work in a fast-paced environment with the ability to balance multiple competing tasks and demands.
5-10 years experience in Software Engineering or related field.
Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. Secret Clearance is desired, Top Secret is preferred.

Nice To Haves

Docker containers and basic Kubernetes concepts.
Deployments on AWS, Azure, or GCP; familiarity with CI/CD automation in the cloud.
Proven experience mentoring junior engineers or leading a small scrum team.
Insatiable appetite to learn new technologies and share knowledge.
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and forging clear paths to success.
Passionate about building products you’d proudly use yourself.
Thrives in a team that pushes each other to excel daily.
Master's degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

Design and implement end-to-end features for mission-critical web apps.
Contribute to architectural discussions and turn senior-level guidance into concrete designs.
Write high-quality, test-driven code (React + TypeScript, Node.js/Java/Python).
Conduct code reviews, enforce standards, and mentor junior teammates.
Partner with product managers and principal architects to deliver regular releases.
Participate in client demos and program reviews as a technical subject-matter expert.
Independently execute task assignments.
Designs algorithms using modern theory and proven techniques, adheres to software best practices.
Analyzes designs to demonstrate performance and functionality.
Develops and executes software tests to check compliance with requirements.
Prepares technical data, procedures, reports, drawings, manuals, and other required documentation.
Communicates with customers and stakeholders to establish requirements and describe the design and deliverables.
Drives solutions to complex problems, actively participate in requirements development, propose ways forward, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements.
Contributes to system architecture decisions and leads the architecture of sub-systems.
Provides insight and suggest adaptations or modifications to processes and/or applications based on quantitative data or results.
Identifies project technical risks and develops and executes mitigation strategies.
Actively mentors less experienced staff and provides thoughtful, constructive feedback.
Lead a small team of software developers on projects.