Lead Software Architect

Lightspeed; Tualatin (OR); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & dental & flex spending

Life & disability insurance

PTO from start

Up to 12 paid holidays

401(k) with match

Charitable giving match

Job summary

Lightspeed Technologies in Oregon seeks a Lead Software Architect to own the software architecture across embedded firmware, applications, and platform. You will start as a hands-on architect and grow a small internal team while directing an external development partner to ensure the software aligns with hardware roadmaps.

This high-impact role reports to the SVP of Product and collaborates with Product Management and Implementation teams, balancing voice-of-the-customer input with architectural

Qualifications

• 7+ years in software engineering with architect or senior technical leadership.
• Defined software architecture for connected/IoT hardware, not only apps.
• Hands-on firmware planning with hardware/software integration.
• Direct experience managing external development partners and scope.
• Able to operate in ambiguity and build process and structure.
• Mentor a small team (2–5 engineers).

Responsibilities

• Lead software architecture across embedded firmware, applications, and platform layers.
• Own release process including versioning and production gating.
• Own security posture and respond to district security reviews.
• Direct external partner collaboration and decide what stays in-house.
• Build and grow an internal software team, starting with hands-on work.
• Collaborate with hardware/EE, product, and implementation teams.
• Write code and review architecture in the first year.
• Leverage AI-assisted tooling to boost team output.

Skills

Go

C/C++

Embedded systems

IoT

Leadership

External partners

Software architecture

Communication

Job description

Lightspeed Technologies is looking for a Lead Software Architect!

Who We Are and What We Do:

Lightspeed Technologies is on a mission to help every student hear every word. Our instructional audio systems create access to improved listening and learning between teachers and students by delivering optimum speech intelligibility, overcoming classroom noise, and providing crystal clear sound throughout the classroom. We are headquartered near Portland, Oregon, and serve schools across the United States and beyond.

Lightspeed is a mission-driven employee-owned company that lives by our Core Values of: Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Humility. These pillars of our company are demonstrated throughout both the employee and customer experience.

Position Overview:

Lightspeed is building the next generation of connected classroom audio products, and software is becoming an increasingly central part of that platform. We’re looking for a Lead Software Architect to take ownership of our software architecture and lead the growth of our internal software function; starting as a hands-on architect and team of one, building toward a small internal team, while directing an external development partner.

This is a high-impact, high-visibility role reporting directly to the SVP of Product, working alongside our hardware engineering team to ensure hardware and software evolve together as one platform. You’ll also work closely with our Product Management team and our Implementation team, bringing in voice-of-the-customer input, feature, and testing support.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Software architecture across our embedded firmware, application software, and platform-level systems; setting the technical direction for how Lightspeed's software stack evolves alongside our hardware roadmap.
• Release ownership - versioning, code freeze discipline, release candidates, firmware bundle creation, and the change-order process that gates production releases.
• Security ownership - vulnerability management, credential and certificate custody, and the security posture of a product deployed in K-12 schools, including responding to the security reviews our district customers conduct.
• Leadership of our external development partner, holding outsourced work accountable to architecture, quality, and timeline standards, and making calls informing decisions on what should stay outsourced versus brought in-house over time.
• Building and leading a small internal software team, starting with yourself and growing to include additional engineers.
• Close collaboration with Hardware and EE teams, including firmware planning and definition, to ensure software and hardware/firmware decisions are made together rather than in sequence or in silos.
• Close collaboration with Product Management and Implementation teams, incorporating voice-of-the-customer input, feature definition, and testing support into the software roadmap.
• Hands-on technical work- this is not a pure management role today. You’ll be writing code, reviewing architecture, and making direct design decisions, especially in the first year as the team is small.
• Use of AI-assisted development tooling to amplify the output of a lean team without sacrificing quality or architectural integrity.

What We Are Looking For:

• Demonstrated experience as a software architect or senior technical lead, spanning both embedded/firmware and application-level software.
• Track record of defining and documenting software architecture for connected/IoT hardware products, not just greenfield app development.
• Direct experience with firmware planning and definition, and a working fluency in how software architecture decisions constrain — and are constrained by — hardware and firmware realities.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity, building process and structure.
• Experience directing or managing an external/outsourced software development partner; holding a vendor accountable to specs, architecture standards, timelines, and quality.
• Strong collaborative instincts and communication skills; this role requires taking input from and coordinating closely with hardware/EE peers and navigating disagreement constructively.
• 7+ years of software engineering experience, including in an architect or senior technical leadership capacity
• Production-level experience with a systems language. Go is preferred, but strong C or C++ experience is also acceptable.
• Experience in IoT, embedded systems, or connected hardware products strongly preferred; audio-specific experience is a nice-to-have, not a requirement.
• Direct experience managing or mentoring a small team (2-5 people) is expected.

What We Are Offering:

• Medical, dental, and flex-spending programs
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance
• PTO accrual that begins immediately upon hire
• Up to 12 paid holidays a year
• 401 (k) with employer match
• Opportunities for matched charitable giving

Lightspeed Technologies embraces diversity and is an Affineaction/Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. Lightspeed participates in E-Verify.