Hybrid Principal Software Architect & Lead Developer

Nelnet, Inc.; Nebraska; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

CampusGuard, a Nelnet, Inc. subsidiary, seeks a Principal Software Architect & Developer to drive architectural direction and hands-on delivery in Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; and Centennial, CO.

The role blends design leadership with writing production code, enabling a scalable SaaS platform with strong security and accessibility. You will establish engineering standards, lead technical initiatives, and collaborate with Product Owners while leveraging AI tools to accelerate development in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of software engineering experience.
• 5+ years in architecture or technical leadership, owning decisions through delivery.
• Experience leading SaaS platform development.
• Strong modern app development with AI-assisted coding tools.
• Working knowledge of WCAG/ADA accessibility.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term architecture vision for CampusGuard's web applications.
• Lead technology evaluations and set engineering standards.
• Create API, integration, reporting, and security architectures; roadmap modernization.
• Design and develop production software across the stack with core platform components.
• Write clean, tested code and participate in code and architecture reviews.
• Define DevSecOps processes and CI/CD pipelines.
• Collaborate with Product Owner and System Owner on solution design.
• Leverage AI tools to accelerate development while maintaining quality.
• Coordinate with offshore teams for platform enhancements and releases.
• Ensure security/compliance through frameworks like NIST, TX-RAMP, HECVAT.

Skills

React

Angular

Java/Spring Boot

C#

.NET

Firebase

Node.js

Python

RESTful APIs

Cloud platforms

Multi-tenant SaaS

Secure coding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

GitHub

CI/CD

Job description

CampusGuard, a Nelnet, Inc. subsidiary, seeks a Principal Software Architect & Developer to drive architectural direction and hands-on delivery in Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; and Centennial, CO.

The role blends design leadership with writing production code, enabling a scalable SaaS platform with strong security and accessibility. You will establish engineering standards, lead technical initiatives, and collaborate with Product Owners while leveraging AI tools to accelerate development in a