Associate Software Engineer (Recent/Upcoming College Graduates)

Commerce Architects; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative firm is seeking recent graduates to join as Associate Software Engineers, where you'll dive into real client projects and gain hands-on experience in enterprise-level software development. This role offers a unique opportunity to work directly on impactful applications, supported by mentorship from seasoned architects. With a focus on professional growth, you'll master core technologies like Java, SpringBoot, and AWS, while contributing to solutions that handle millions of transactions daily. Enjoy a flexible work environment and a comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes your development and well-being, making this an exciting start to your career in technology.

Benefits

100% health/dental/vision coverage

Flexible work location and schedule

Flexible Time Off

401(k) Retirement

Profit Sharing Bonus

Professional development support

Disability and Life insurance

Family Leave Benefits

Regular team events

Recognition program

Fitness reimbursement

In-office game room

Qualifications

• Programming experience with object-oriented languages, preferably Java or NodeJS.
• Familiarity with Git and understanding of modern tech stacks.

Responsibilities

• Implement features for client-facing applications in a cloud environment.
• Collaborate with team members and learn from experienced engineers.

Skills

Java

NodeJS

Git

AWS

SpringBoot

React

SQL

NoSQL

Unit Testing

CI/CD

Documentation

Communication Skills

Problem Solving

Education

Computer Science Degree

Equivalent Background

Tools

AWS

SpringBoot

React

Git

Job description

We’re looking for recent graduates who want to grow through hands-on experience with enterprise-level software development. At Commerce Architects, we’ve spent 16 years building complex solutions for industry-leading companies, and we’re looking for engineers eager to learn and contribute.

About the Role

As an Associate Software Engineer (ASE), you'll work on cloud applications for enterprise-level clients, contributing directly to projects that handle millions of transactions daily. At large companies, new graduates often start on internal tools with limited scope. At Commerce Architects, you'll work directly on client-facing applications, accelerating your growth through hands-on experience and direct mentorship from our experienced engineers. This is a full-time position requiring approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate occasional additional hours during busy periods.

Your Growth Path

You'll start with implementing features. By the end of your first year, you’ll grow into:

1. Building strong foundations in core technologies and tools
2. Contributing to feature designs with team guidance
3. Following and understanding team processes and workflows
4. Learning from others while beginning to support team members
5. Developing expertise in specific technical areas
6. Understanding enterprise development practices

Most importantly, you'll learn how to tackle complex problems, know when to ask for help, and develop the confidence to push solutions to production.

What You'll Need

1. Programming experience with object-oriented languages (Java/NodeJS preferred)
2. Familiarity with Git basics (branching, committing, merging)
3. Understanding of modern tech stack (AWS, SpringBoot, React, SQL/NoSQL databases)
4. Basic understanding of unit testing and CI/CD concepts
5. Ability to maintain clear documentation
6. Good written and verbal communication skills - you'll work closely with team members and, eventually clients
7. Eagerness to learn and solve problems
8. Computer Science degree or equivalent background
9. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without requiring sponsorship now or in the future

A Typical Day

As an ASE at Commerce Architects, you start your day by joining a virtual stand-up meeting with your team, where everyone shares updates and plans for the day. After grabbing a fresh mocha frappuccino from the office's high-end coffee maker, you're working on a new feature for a retail client's cloud application. You dive into coding, using Java and SpringBoot to build out functionality and writing unit tests while consulting documentation, and occasionally reaching out to a senior engineer when you hit a snag. The flexible schedule allows you to attend a dentist appointment, extending your lunch without stress. Midday, you shift focus to fixing a bug in the front end, using React, and running tests to ensure everything works smoothly. In the afternoon, you spend time learning more about AWS for an upcoming task. Before wrapping up, you review and submit your code for feedback, feeling accomplished as you continue sharpening your skills and contributing to the project's progress.

Why It's Different Here

We're smaller than some other companies, and while they might offer higher starting salaries, here you'll get:

1. Real client work from the beginning
2. Experience with multiple enterprise tech stacks
3. Direct mentoring from architects with 20+ years of experience
4. Opportunities to lead features
5. Exposure to full software development lifecycle
6. Direct impact on systems used by millions of users

Recent ASEs have:

1. Completed training and moved to client work within their first few months
2. Implemented basic features for clients with some guidance
3. Documented lessons learned with early client work and contributed to their team’s greater understanding

Benefits and Perks

1. 100% health/dental/vision coverage (50% for dependents)
2. Flexible work location and schedule
3. Flexible Time Off
4. 401(k) Retirement
5. Profit Sharing Bonus
6. Professional development support
7. Disability and Life insurance
8. Family Leave Benefits
9. Regular team events
10. Recognition program
11. Fitness reimbursement
12. In-office game room

Our Learning Environment

We believe in:

1. Strong mentoring to accelerate your growth
2. Continuous learning and knowledge sharing
3. Collaborative problem-solving
4. Work-life balance
5. Recognition for good work
6. Creating space for creativity and innovation

$75,000 - $90,000 a year

Our ASE positions start at the base of our posted salary range. As recent graduates begin their professional journey with us, we focus on providing exceptional value through immediate client-facing work, direct mentorship from senior architects, and exposure to enterprise-scale applications—opportunities rarely available to new graduates at larger companies. While other organizations might offer slightly higher starting salaries, we invest in your rapid professional development and provide the comprehensive benefits package outlined in our posting. We believe the accelerated growth path and hands-on experience you'll gain here creates significantly more value than a marginally higher initial salary elsewhere.

What to learn more? Let's chat!

At Commerce Architects, we align our hiring with incoming enterprise client projects. While this means our start dates are flexible, it allows us to match you with real client work as soon as possible - not just internal tools. We're actively building our talent pipeline and typically place strong candidates within their first few months. If you're excited about diving into enterprise-level work and comfortable with a flexible start date, let's talk about how you can grow with us.

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Commerce Architects is an Equal Opportunity Employer and E-Verify participant. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.