Lead API Software Developer (Lead Software Developer)

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union; Aliso Viejo (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 214,000; Full time

Job summary

SchoolsFirst FCU seeks a Lead API Software Developer to provide technical leadership for the architecture, design, development, governance, security, and support of enterprise APIs and integrations. You will guide complex API initiatives across the full SDLC, establish reusable standards, and mentor developers while delivering secure, scalable, reliable solutions.

The role emphasizes API-first and contract-first approaches, OpenAPI/Swagger contracts, and a centralized API catalog with

Qualifications

• Requires High School Diploma or GED; plus Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Extensive API design and security experience.
• Strong leadership for architecture, design, and SDLC governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for enterprise APIs and integrations across the full SDLC.
• Lead API-first and contract-first practices using OpenAPI/Swagger.
• Mentor developers and review code and designs across multiple projects.
• Ensure API security, observability, and governance across the portfolio.
• Collaborate with security, risk, architecture, and vendors to design solutions.

Skills

C#

.NET Core

RESTful API design

API governance

Security architecture

Cloud platforms

DevOps practices

Agile/Scrum

OpenAPI/Swagger

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Azure DevOps

SQL Server

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

We’re always looking for diverse, talented, service-oriented people to join our exceptional team.

Lead API Software Developer (Lead Software Developer)

Pay Range: $129,880.00 - $214,303.00
Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

What You’ll Be Doing

Provides technical leadership for the architecture, design, development, governance, security, implementation, and support of enterprise APIs and integrations. Leads complex API initiatives across the full SDLC, establishes reusable standards and API-first practices, and guides developers, project teams, and business partners in delivering secure, scalable, reliable solutions. Evaluates technologies and integration approaches, resolves complex technical issues, and drives quality, observability, documentation, and continuous improvement across the API portfolio. Leads complex API and software development initiatives across the full SDLC, contributing directly to architecture, design, implementation, testing, deployment, troubleshooting, and production support to ensure successful delivery. Serves as the technical lead across multiple projects, providing hands‑on development, technical direction, code and design reviews, work delegation, coaching, and mentoring to developers in collaboration with the Manager. Designs, develops, and continuously improves secure, scalable enterprise APIs, application integrations, and reusable patterns that support internal platforms, external partners, and third‑party systems. Champions API‑first and contract‑first practices by defining clear, consumer‑focused RESTful API contracts using standards such as OpenAPI/Swagger and separating API definitions from backend implementation. Provides technical leadership and recommendations for API architecture, governance practices, standards, and the adoption of a centralized, audit‑ready API catalog and reusable API library. Establishes and enforces API lifecycle controls covering design, testing, approval, deployment, versioning, documentation, deprecation, and retirement to maintain quality and consistency. Designs defense‑in‑depth API security using enterprise IAM, OpenID Connect, JWT, mutual TLS, gateway controls, PII encryption, audit logging, threat modeling, and automated security testing in the delivery pipeline. Develops and supports API enablement capabilities—including developer portals, documentation, SDKs, and sandbox environments—to accelerate adoption and manage APIs as products across free, partner, and enterprise access tiers. Implements API observability through structured logging, distributed tracing, usage and performance metrics, service‑level objectives, and proactive alerting to improve reliability and incident response. Partners with business units, security, risk, compliance, architecture, and vendors to translate requirements into technical solutions, design integrations and automations, and evaluate build‑versus‑buy and hybrid gateway strategies. Plans and coordinates project delivery by prioritizing requests, developing estimates, assigning work, managing schedules and dependencies, and applying Agile/Scrum practices to meet commitments. Evaluates existing applications, integrations, development processes, and emerging technologies to identify performance, automation, standardisation, and modernization opportunities across the IT organization. Defines and reports project status, API governance metrics, and KPIs—including standards compliance, approval cycle time, catalog adoption, reliability, usage, and security defect trends—to management and stakeholders. Serves as senior technical resource and project lead, developing estimates, budgets, resources, managing project schedules, deliverables and status reporting to meet approved scope and timelines.

Additional Job Functions

Performs other duties as assigned. Complies with regulatory compliance and assigned training requirements including but not limited to BSA regulations corresponding to their specific job duties. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary and other employment related actions.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Bachelor's Degree in a related field or equivalent years of experience required
• 7-10 years of prior relevant experience required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expert knowledge of C# , .NET Core, and modern software development practices
• Strong understanding of RESTful API design, integration patterns, versioning, and governance
• Experience designing scalable, secure, and maintainable applications, services, and microservices
• Proficiency with SQL Server, T-SQL, database design, and performance optimization
• Experience with modern web technologies including JavaScript, TypeScript, and HTML5
• Experience supporting mobile application platforms utilizing Swift, Java and Kotlin
• Experience with cloud platforms, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices
• Knowledge of authentication, authorization, API security, and secure coding practices
• Proficiency with Azure DevOps, source control, automated testing, and deployment tools
• Experience working in Agile and Scrum environments
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to establish and enforce development standards, engineering best practices, and API governance
• Ability to lead technical design efforts, mentor developers, and conduct code reviews
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage priorities and deliver results across multiple initiatives
• Knowledge of financial services, digital banking, and credit union operations, or the ability to quickly acquire such knowledge

SchoolsFirst FCU is committed to Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Hiring

At SchoolsFirst FCU we are dedicated to building and growing a diverse, inclusive, and authentic Dream Team, so if you’re excited about a position or wanting to make a career change but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Many skills are transferrable and you may be just the right candidate for the position, or for other roles we are working on.

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion.

SchoolsFirst FCU is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, or genetic information.

This organization participates in E-Verify.

We're passionate about living our mission of providing Members with World-Class Personal Service and financial security.

There's a reason we love coming to work every day.

We have the privilege of serving those who build the future: school employees, and the families who make their work possible.

Our success is built on our relationships with each other, our Members and the community.

We value teamwork and face-to-face interactions and believe we’re at our best when we’re collaborating in‑person.

We also know the flexibility to work remotely benefits the wellbeing of our team.

View the work location information below on the job listing that interests you.

100% on‑site, 0% remote.

Including those serving Members in‑person at our branches.

Three days a week in the office and up to two days remote.

Hybrid teams coordinate on‑site days to collaborate in‑person.

Up to 100% remote.

Select individual contributor roles may be given the option to work fully remote.