Staff Software Developer

Henderson Companies•Lenexa, KS

About The Position

The Staff Software Developer is a senior technical authority responsible for advancing architectural excellence and engineering standards across multiple product areas. This role leads in the design and evaluation of complex, cross-cutting systems, proactively identifies technical risks, and drives forward-looking solutions to ensure long-term scalability, reliability, and maintainability. Operating with significant autonomy, the Staff Software Developer conducts advanced technical research, resolves systemic engineering challenges, and provides strategic technical guidance to development teams. While remaining hands-on in high-complexity implementation and prototyping, this role does not own team-level delivery execution but instead ensures technical coherence and excellence across the organization’s software portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field or relevant work experience.
Minimum 10+ years of progressive professional software development experience, including prior experience operating at a Senior-level or equivalent.
Proven ability to lead complex, cross-cutting technical initiatives that span teams.
Demonstrated ownership of major architectural decisions with long-term organizational impact.
Advanced proficiency in core backend, frontend, data and integration technologies.
Experience conducting forward-looking technical research, prototyping, and de-risking high-uncertainty initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to resolve systemic technical challenges beyond the scope of individual product teams.
Strong understanding of scalability, distributed systems, security principles and performance optimizations.
Demonstrated influence in elevating engineering standards, practices and technical culture.
Demonstrated ability to apply AI-enabled tools selectively and critically, validating outputs rigorously and ensuring alignment with engineering standards and delivery commitments.
Must demonstrate proficiency in all core competencies as described and characterized in this job description.
Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
Ability to read, write and communicate in English.

Responsibilities

Defines and evolves architectural patterns and standards across product areas.
Leads design of complex, cross-cutting systems, and integrations.
Ensures security, technical consistency, scalability, and maintainability across the software portfolio.
Identifies architectural risks and drives mitigation strategies prior to implementation.
Provides authoritative technical guidance on system design decisions.
Conducts technical research to evaluate frameworks, tools, and platform strategies.
Prototypes and validates approaches for high-complexity or high uncertainty initiatives.
Recommends technology adoption aligned with long-term engineering strategy.
Resolves complex technical challenges that exceed the scope of product teams.
Improves engineering practices, tooling, and development workflows.
Reduces long-term technical debt across systems.
Mentors senior level developers on architectural thinking and complex design decisions and serve as a trusted technical advisor to engineering and product leadership.
Facilitates high-level technical discussions and design reviews across teams.
Influences engineering culture through example and technical rigor.
May manage a small number of direct reports in some situations