Innovation Development Developer

National Heritage Academies; Grand Rapids (MI); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

National Heritage Academies (NHA) seeks a Senior Developer in Grand Rapids to drive data-driven software initiatives within the Innovation Development Department. The role emphasizes full-stack engineering, high autonomy, and collaboration with BI and executives to translate strategic goals into technical solutions.

With 5+ years of experience, you will design scalable systems for internal and external use, contribute to performance improvements, and mentor teammates in a hybrid work model that

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a software developer with a portfolio of projects.
• 5+ years of experience with database design and SQL.
• Proficiency in .NET/C#, Angular, and MS SQL.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and modern development tools.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Experience with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud).
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).

Responsibilities

• Full-Stack Software Development: design, develop, and maintain complex software for internal, commercial, and mobile deployment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align solutions with business goals.
• Write clean, maintainable code and resolve complex technical issues.
• Optimize performance and efficiency of systems.
• Stay updated with industry trends and best practices.
• Maintain and upgrade multiple systems owned by the department.
• Design and create a commercial-grade UI/UX.
• Innovate novel solutions for unique challenges.

Skills

Full-stack development

C#/.NET

Angular

MS SQL

Cloud (Azure/AWS)

CI/CD

Leadership

Communication

Data intelligence

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Azure/AWS

Job description

Summary:

At National Heritage Academies (NHA), the Developer is a key role within the Innovation Development Department. This role will be responsible for ensuring that our software development projects serve the departmental goal of transforming NHA’s performance through data intelligence. The ideal candidate for this position will have 5+ years of Full-Stack software engineering experience. They will have a passion for the revolution of the K-12 educational system. They will be designing the technical solutions that will transform how our school system performs. They will be given high levels of autonomy and authority to allow them to move quickly and efficiently. They will work closely with the Business Intelligence team and executives to understand high level objectives. The selected individual will work out of the National Heritage Academies Service Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Developers have a hybrid schedule. This is typically 2 days per week in the office.

Company Information:

National Heritage Academies (NHA) partners with communities to build and operate public charter schools. Founded in 1995, today NHA serves over 100 schools in nine states, with more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Our schools are designed to eliminate the achievement gap and provide school choice to families so their children are prepared for success in college, career, and life. A majority of our schools consistently outperform their local district on the state test. According to the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University, NHA is a leading performer among charter schools and management organizations, outperforming both conventional district schools and other charter school operators. In addition, according to our employee survey, over 90% of respondents agree that the work they do is meaningful to them. Join our team.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Full-Stack Software Development: Design, develop, and maintain complex software, ensuring high performance, scalability, and security. Software will be for internal use, commercial use, and for deployment on mobile devices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to help design software solutions that align with business goals and industry best practices.
• Coding and Debugging: Write clean, efficient, and maintainable code while debugging and resolving complex technical issues. Be aware of and follow industry best-practices and processes.
• Performance Optimization: Identify and implement optimizations to enhance the performance and efficiency of existing software systems.
• Research and Conventions: Stay updated with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to drive innovation within the team and organization.
• Maintenance strategy: Execute the support, upgrading, and maintaining of the numerous systems owned by our department.
• UI/UX design: Design and create a commercial grade UI/UX
• Innovation: Create novel solutions for unique situations. Not all projects will have comparable solution to model after. Innovation will be required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience as a software developer, with a portfolio of projects demonstrating expertise.
• 5+ years of experience with database design and SQL.
• Proficiency in multiple programming languages and platforms, but specifically .NET/C#, Angular, and MS SQL.
• In-depth knowledge of software development methodologies, design patterns, best practices, and code testing.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.
• Familiarity with modern software development tools, version control systems, and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Leadership and mentoring abilities.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud).
• Knowledge of containerization and orchestration technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).

Preferences:

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• Experience building applications consuming from and feeding to a data warehouse.
• Experience creating software for commercial sale and use.
• Experience holding other roles in the SDLC. PM, BA, QA, PO, SM, etc.
• Experience in EdTech
• Experience as a consultant or freelancer
• Entrepreneurial experience

This is an in-person position at our NHA Service Center located at 3850 Broadmoor Ave., Grand Rapids, MI.

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National Heritage Academies is an equal-opportunity employer.