Tech Lead

Bixal•Fairfax, VA

9h•$135,000 - $155,000•Remote

About The Position

Bixal is seeking an experienced Technical Lead to guide the design, development, and delivery of an enterprise-scale, accessible digital platform for a federal government client. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with day-to-day client engagement, driving architecture decisions across WordPress, Drupal, and Salesforce, and API implementations that support these and other business functions, while mentoring a cross-functional delivery team. You will work closely with the Project Manager, product owners, designers, and fellow engineers to mature and modernize the platform, ensuring every release meets rigorous accessibility, security, and performance standards. In close collaboration with the Project Manager, you will lead and engage the client – bringing technical judgement, translating complex technical tradeoffs into clear, confident conversations that build trust and keep delivery on track. Candidates should be prepared to discuss or demonstrate relevant project experience during the interview process. You will have the opportunity to join a project that directly supports Bixal’s mission of improving how government serves people.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree plus at least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in software development or technical leadership; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least five (5) years leading or performing on contracts/projects of similar size, scope, and complexity.
Experience migrating or consolidating content management platforms, including hands-on work with WordPress and Drupal - theming, custom module/plugin development, and content architecture.
Proven experience designing, building, and integrating RESTful APIs across multiple systems and platforms.
Experience evaluating and integrating third-party plugins, extensions, and commercial solutions to extend platform capabilities, with sound judgement about when an existing tool meets the need versus when custom development is warranted
Demonstrated experience working within enterprise environments and maturing or modernizing existing platforms.
Strong understanding of accessible development and design practices (Section 508, WCAG 2.1).
Proven track record leading technical teams, with strong mentorship and team-building skills.
Polished, confident communication skills, with demonstrated experience presenting to and building relationships with clients and executive stakeholders.
Experience working in Agile/Scrum delivery environments.
This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Public Trust determination in support of a federal government contract.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing for federal government clients or in a federal consulting environment.
Experience with Salesforce, including configuration, customization, and integration with external systems.
Cloud platform (AWS, Azure, Cloud.gov) certifications.
Experience with DevSecOps practices in compliance-driven environments.
Knowledge of FISMA, FedRAMP, or other federal security frameworks.
Experience with content management system migrations or platform modernization efforts.

Responsibilities

Lead architecture and implementation decisions across WordPress, Drupal, and Salesforce, along with API design and integration work connecting these systems.
Guide the team in maturing legacy and evolving platforms into modern, enterprise-grade, scalable systems.
Set and enforce coding standards, review architecture and code, and drive continuous improvement of technical practices.
Ensure development and design work meets accessibility standards (Section 508, WCAG 2.1) across the platform.
Partner with DevSecOps and infrastructure teams to maintain secure, reliable, well-documented systems.
Supporting the Project Manager as the technical point of contact, communicating complex concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Build and maintain trusted, collaborative relationships with client stakeholders, project sponsors, and cross-functional partners.
Lead release planning and prioritization by listening to stakeholder input, bringing a clear vision for the solution, and guiding the team toward scope, sequence, and tradeoffs that move the platform forward.
Represent the team in client meetings, technical reviews, and planning sessions with polish and confidence, proactively surfacing risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations to keep the client informed and engaged.
Demonstrated ability to build genuine rapport with clients and stakeholders, remaining calm, positive, and collaborative under pressure.
Provide day-to-day technical leadership and mentorship to a cross-functional team of engineers and designers.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture grounded in accountability and continuous learning.
Guide the team through iterative delivery.
Develop the technical roadmap collaboratively with the Project Manager, and contribute to its presentation in client and planning sessions.
Drive quality through code reviews, automated testing, and adherence to secure development practices.
Identify and resolve technical risks, bottlenecks, and technical debt before they impact delivery.
Support other technical and delivery activities as needed to keep the platform on track.