Lead Software Engineer

Mcgraw Hill; Columbus (OH); Remote; USD 145,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

McGraw Hill seeks a Lead Engineer to architect and implement scalable, secure backend solutions for our education platform. You will define the technical direction, mentor a team, and partner with product managers to deliver robust functionality.

This remote role requires US work eligibility and emphasizes observability, performance, and reliability while adopting modern DevOps practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field.
• Minimum of 7+ years of applicable experience.
• Expertise in server-side languages such as Java and Go.
• Proficiency designing REST APIs & microservices for low latency.
• Deep knowledge of relational and non-relational databases.
• Cloud experience (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and IaC tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Strong performance optimization and caching knowledge.
• Experience with observability tools (New Relic, Datadog).
• Familiarity with CI/CD and DevOps practices.
• Solid understanding of web security and OWASP guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Architecture, development, and maintenance of scalable server-side apps.
• Collaborate with product managers and engineers to deliver platform features.
• Mentor and lead a team of software engineers.
• Ensure high-quality, maintainable code through reviews and tests.
• Optimize server performance, DB queries, and scalability.
• Implement observability and handle incidents, including after-hours support.
• Drive adoption of modern tools and practices for efficiency.

Skills

Java

Go

REST APIs

Microservices

Distributed systems

Performance optimization

Security best practices

CI/CD

Observability

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/related field

Master's degree (plus)

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

New Relic

Datadog

Job description

Overview

Build the Future

At McGraw Hill, we are dedicated to delivering digital learning experiences that transform education for learners and educators. Our focus is on creating seamless, impactful products that truly benefit our users while supporting growth and collaboration across teams. We foster a culture that values innovation, teamwork, and a balance between career growth and personal well-being.

How can you make an impact?

We are a passionate, fast-growing team within McGraw Hill, a global education technology company that is transforming the way students learn and succeed. To support our new strategic direction, we are looking for someone to help us build a robust set of tooling to support authorization and permissions across our suite of systems.

We are seeking a Lead Engineer to architect and implement scalable, high-performance, and secure server-side solutions for our platform. In this role, you will define the technical direction of our back-end systems, collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions, and mentor a team of developers. This position requires deep technical expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership experience to drive innovation and excellence in back-end development.

This is a remote position open to applicants authorized to work for any employer within the United States.

What You'll Do

• Architecture & Development: Design, develop, and maintain highly scalable, secure, and efficient applications.
• Collaboration: Partner with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to deliver seamless and robust platform functionality.
• Leadership: Mentor and lead a team of software engineers, providing guidance on technical challenges and fostering professional growth within the team.
• Code Quality: Ensure high-quality, maintainable code through rigorous reviews, automated testing, and adherence to industry best practices.
• Optimization: Continuously optimize server performance, database queries, and overall system scalability and reliability.
• Monitoring & Incident Management: Implement and maintain observability tools to monitor system performance and resolve incidents, including off-hours support when needed.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive the adoption of modern tools, technologies, and methodologies to enhance development efficiency and team productivity.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Information Technology, Computer Science or related field preferred. Advanced degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 7+ years of applicable experience.
• Expertise in server-side programming languages such as Java and Go.
• Proficiency in designing REST APIs & microservices for low latency and high availability systems.
• Deep understanding of database technologies, both relational (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and non-relational (e.g., MongoDB, DynamoDB).
• Experience in cloud environments (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure) and infrastructure as code tools like Terraform or CloudFormation.
• Strong knowledge of system performance optimization, caching strategies, and distributed systems.
• Experience with observability tools like New Relic, Datadog, or equivalent for performance monitoring.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
• Strong understanding of web security best practices and OWASP guidelines.

Why work for us?

The work you do at McGraw Hill will be work that matters. We are collectively building experiences that will help shape the future of education. Play your part and experience a sense of fulfilment that will inspire you to even greater heights.

The pay range for this position is between $145,000 - $180,000 annually, however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and location. An annual bonus plan may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical and/or other benefits, depending on the position offered.