University of Cincinnati · 9 hours ago
Software Applications Developer Lead, Digital Technology Solutions
Cincinnati, OH
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$100K/yr - $120K/yr
4+ years expThe University of Cincinnati is a prominent urban public research university committed to student success and community transformation. They are seeking a Software Applications Developer Lead to serve as the technical architect and developer for a digital card-based cyber tabletop exercise simulation, collaborating with faculty and designers to create an engaging user experience.
AdviceConsultingFinancial ServicesTraining
Responsibilities
Demonstrated competency designing and implementing full-stack, real-time, multi-user web applications, including frontend user experience, backend state management, and secure integrations with enterprise systems
Server-Authoritative Game Logic & State Management (such as Partykit)
Design and implement a server-authoritative rules engine responsible for enforcing game rules, turn order, scoring, and state integrity
Translate complex analog game mechanics into deterministic digital logic
Implement robust state machine architectures to prevent illegal actions or out-of-sequence play
Ensure authoritative game state is synchronized to all connected clients using real-time communication protocols (e.g., WebSockets or equivalent)
Frontend UI & Animation: Build a responsive, accessible, and intuitive interactive user interface in collaboration with OCRI graphic designers and researchers, Implement complex user interactions such as drag-and-drop mechanics, animated state transitions, and real-time feedback, Design for low-latency, optimistic UI updates while maintaining consistency with server-authoritative state, Work with Team to ensure compliance with UC accessibility standards (WCAG 2.x), Implement complex UI interactions: Drag-and-drop card mechanics, hover states, and smooth transition animations (e.g., cards moving on screen), Manage optimistic UI updates to make the game feel instant, even with network latency
Real-Time Audio/Video Collaboration: Integrate real-time audio/video communication to support collaborative gameplay and facilitation, Manage permissions, session lifecycle, and connection stability across various network conditions, Evaluate and implement appropriate WebRTC-based or managed A/V solutions as part of the overall system architecture
Data & LMS Integration: Design a PostgreSQL schema to store match history, player stats, and replays, Architect the connection between the new application and our existing Learning Management System to handle single sign-on (SSO), track user progress, and report complex performance data back to the LMS record store, Build a secure webhook system that generates a match report and notifies the parent platform when a game concludes, Handle secure authentication via signed URLs/Tokens passed from the parent application
Quality Assurance Testing / Bug fixing: Ensure the game functions exactly as intended, is free of bugs, and that the game logic is sound under all conditions, preventing frustrating user experiences
Collaboration: Work with an OCRI designer, researchers, and LMS team to develop a robust gaming experience. The individual must also adhere to the UC accessibility policy
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree in Programming/Systems, Computer Science, or related field
Eight (8) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement
Four (4) years relevant technical or business work experience
Working knowledge of two or more programming languages
Demonstrated competency designing and implementing full-stack, real-time, multi-user web applications, including frontend user experience, backend state management, and secure integrations with enterprise systems
Server-Authoritative Game Logic & State Management (such as Partykit)
Design and implement a server-authoritative rules engine responsible for enforcing game rules, turn order, scoring, and state integrity
Translate complex analog game mechanics into deterministic digital logic
Implement robust state machine architectures to prevent illegal actions or out-of-sequence play
Ensure authoritative game state is synchronized to all connected clients using real-time communication protocols (e.g., WebSockets or equivalent)
Frontend UI & Animation: Build a responsive, accessible, and intuitive interactive user interface in collaboration with OCRI graphic designers and researchers, Implement complex user interactions such as drag-and-drop mechanics, animated state transitions, and real-time feedback, Design for low-latency, optimistic UI updates while maintaining consistency with server-authoritative state, Work with Team to ensure compliance with UC accessibility standards (WCAG 2.x), Implement complex UI interactions: Drag-and-drop card mechanics, hover states, and smooth transition animations (e.g., cards moving on screen), Manage optimistic UI updates to make the game feel instant, even with network latency
Real-Time Audio/Video Collaboration: Integrate real-time audio/video communication to support collaborative gameplay and facilitation, Manage permissions, session lifecycle, and connection stability across various network conditions, Evaluate and implement appropriate WebRTC-based or managed A/V solutions as part of the overall system architecture
Data & LMS Integration: Design a PostgreSQL schema to store match history, player stats, and replays, Architect the connection between the new application and our existing Learning Management System to handle single sign-on (SSO), track user progress, and report complex performance data back to the LMS record store, Build a secure webhook system that generates a match report and notifies the parent platform when a game concludes, Handle secure authentication via signed URLs/Tokens passed from the parent application
Quality Assurance Testing / Bug fixing: Ensure the game functions exactly as intended, is free of bugs, and that the game logic is sound under all conditions, preventing frustrating user experiences
Collaboration: Work with an OCRI designer, researchers, and LMS team to develop a robust gaming experience. The individual must also adhere to the UC accessibility policy
Preferred
Experience with libraries like boardgame.io or React DnD (Drag and Drop)
Background in digital board game development
Experience with deployment pipelines using CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
Familiarity with containerization technologies, especially Docker
Knowledge of defensive coding and web security best practices (e.g., XSS prevention, data encryption)
Able to analyze and interpret complex problems, identify and understand requirements, and develop alternative solutions
Experience in developing, testing, and deploying applications/systems
Benefits
Comprehensive Tuition Remission
Robust Retirement Plans
Real Work-Life Balance
Competitive salary based on experience
Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
Professional development & mentorship opportunities
Company
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati, top 5 university for co-op and internships, offers students a balance of academic excellence and real-world experience.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
University of Cincinnati has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (81)
2024 (69)
2023 (57)
2022 (68)
2021 (73)
2020 (74)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Peter Albright
Comedy Club Co-Founder & President
Sahaja Ampolu
Co-Founder & Vice President of External Relations for the UC Bearcats Food Recovery Network
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