Skylight · 4 months ago
Staff/Principal Software Engineer (HHS)
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff
$180K/yr - $230K/yrSkylight is a digital consultancy focused on enhancing public services for government agencies. They are seeking a Staff/Principal Software Engineer to design, build, and operate production systems that improve accessibility and reliability of government services, particularly for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
ConsultingGovernmentInformation TechnologyProduct Design
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Deliver production-ready software as part of a cross-functional team and own services through build, deployment, and operations
Apply lean-agile engineering practices — API-first, simple design, trunk-based development, continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), version control, automated testing
Standardize and automate environments with infrastructure as code (IaC) and policy as code to create secure, repeatable delivery
Improve reliability and performance with meaningful observability — metrics, logs, traces — and use service level objectives (SLOs) to guide engineering work
Modernize and integrate systems across cloud platforms and existing enterprise services, with a preference for open source where it fits
Build in security, privacy, and accessibility from day one — evidence automation for compliance, defense against common vulnerabilities, and Section 508 accessibility standards
Identify and reduce technical debt by analyzing stability and operability, then designing and communicating clear remediation plans
Enable federal partners by sharing practices, reusable patterns, and toolkits that help them sustain and evolve improvements over time
Qualification
Required
Ability to write clean, reliable, and reusable code for large-scale production systems
Experience with modern delivery — continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), automated testing, code review, and operating services in cloud environments
Hands-on experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) and environment automation
Strong understanding of secure software practices and how to integrate compliance into delivery
Working knowledge of data persistence and patterns for building resilient, observable services
Commitment to capacity building — mentoring, documenting, and transferring knowledge so teams can continue improving after you
Ability to communicate clearly with executives and cross-functional teams in a professional services environment
Passion for creating better public outcomes through great government services
A mindset and work approach that align with Skylight's core values
Ability to spend time on‑site at HHS in Washington, DC — either by being based locally or by traveling regularly for in‑person work when it's important
Preferred
Experience with containers and orchestration, such as Docker or Kubernetes
Background in application or cloud modernization, integrations, or data-intensive products
Experience integrating security, compliance, and governance tooling — for example, automating evidence collection, connecting ATO platforms, or streamlining workflows across enterprise systems
Exposure to compliance environments such as the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), or Authority to Operate (ATO) processes
Prior experience in civic tech, government, or other highly regulated environments
Experience working effectively on hybrid or distributed teams
Benefits
Medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance
Short-term and long-term disability insurance
Life and AD&D insurance
Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, health savings account
Dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match up to 10% of your salary with no vesting period
Flexible paid time-off-policy (generally around 25 days per year), plus 11 paid federal holidays
Up to 12 weeks paid-time-off for all eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
Performance rewards, including annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
Business development / sales bonuses
Referral bonuses
Annual $2,000 allowance for professional development
Annual $750 allowance for tech-related purchases
Annual swag budget of $100 to display your Skylight pride with some merchandise (hoodies, hats, and more)
Dollar-for-dollar charity donation matching, up to $500 per year
Flexible, remote-friendly work environment
An environment that empowers you to unleash your superpowers for public good
Company
Skylight
Skylight is a digital consultancy using design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services.
Founded in 2017
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Mike Judd
Chief Operating Officer, Human Services
Company data provided by crunchbase