Senior Software Engineer (Azure/.NET & AI-First Development)

Applaudo Studios

About The Position

Applaudo is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to build reliable, scalable, cloud-native applications and explore ways to improve software development through AI-assisted engineering. The role calls for a strong foundation in C#/.NET and Microsoft Azure, alongside the judgment to evaluate tools and approaches that improve engineering productivity and software quality. The engineer will work across application architecture, backend development, and cloud integrations, and help teams adopt specification-driven development and AI coding workflows. AI-generated solutions must be validated and kept secure and maintainable. The role also requires clear communication, effective cross-team collaboration, and ownership of solution quality and reliability. The position operates under an initial six-month engagement. The engineer will contribute to AI-native product development at Applaudo, collaborating across design, development, cloud, data, and artificial intelligence.

Requirements

At least 7 years of professional software engineering experience.
At least 5 years of hands-on C# and .NET development experience.
At least 4 years of experience developing and supporting applications on Microsoft Azure.
Strong experience building cloud-native applications and RESTful APIs using .NET 8+ and ASP.NET Core.
Strong understanding of distributed systems, microservices, and enterprise integrations.
Hands-on experience with Azure Functions, App Services, Azure Storage, Service Bus, Azure SQL, Application Insights, Key Vault, and Azure API Management.
Practical experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot, OpenSpec, or similar solutions.
Understanding of specification-driven development and the use of AI coding tools in software engineering workflows.
Experience with Git-based version control, branching strategies, pull requests, automated testing, and DevOps practices.
Knowledge of authentication, authorization, application security, and secure development practices.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate with Product, Business, Architecture, and Engineering teams.
Strong verbal and written English communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field; equivalent professional experience is also acceptable.
Hands-on experience with OpenSpec or similar specification-driven development platforms.
Experience building coding agents and supporting adoption of AI-assisted engineering practices.
Knowledge of Model Context Protocol (MCP), agent orchestration frameworks, or multi-agent systems.
Experience with Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Foundry, Azure AI Search, or other Azure AI Services.
Experience with AI evaluation, testing, observability, and governance.
Experience supporting high-volume transactional systems.
Experience collaborating with distributed onshore, nearshore, and offshore teams.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, test, and maintain cloud-native applications and RESTful APIs using C#, .NET 8+, ASP.NET Core, and Microsoft Azure.
Build and enhance distributed systems, microservices, serverless solutions, and event-driven integrations.
Support the adoption of OpenSpec and specification-driven development workflows across engineering teams.
Build, configure, and improve AI coding agents that support software development activities.
Guide engineers in using AI-assisted development tools throughout the software development lifecycle.
Review and validate AI-generated code using automated testing, secure coding practices, and code reviews.
Design and maintain enterprise APIs and integrations using Azure API Management.
Provide technical guidance on MCP servers built over existing REST APIs and contribute to their implementation when required.
Troubleshoot production issues and improve application observability, performance, and reliability.
Maintain technical documentation and contribute to knowledge-sharing discussions on AI development best practices.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align technical decisions with business requirements and architectural standards.
Participate in Agile ceremonies, technical discussions, and continuous improvement initiatives.