Lead Software Engineer

Mheducation; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

McGraw Hill is seeking a Lead Engineer to architect and implement scalable, secure server-side solutions for our education platform. You will define the technical direction, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and mentor a team of engineers to deliver robust backend systems.

Ideal candidates bring 7+ years of experience, strong expertise in Java and Go, REST APIs, relational and non-relational databases, and cloud-based infrastructure with IaC tooling.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of applicable experience.
• Expertise in server-side languages Java and Go.
• Proficient in designing REST APIs & microservices for low latency and high availability.
• Deep understanding of relational and non-relational databases.
• Experience with cloud environments and IaC tools (Terraform/CloudFormation).
• Strong knowledge of performance optimization, caching, and distributed systems.
• Familiarity with observability tools (New Relic/Datadog).
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
• Strong understanding of web security best practices (OWASP).

Responsibilities

• Architecture & Development: Design, develop, and maintain scalable, secure apps.
• Collaboration: Work with engineers, product managers, and stakeholders.
• Leadership: Mentor and lead a team of software engineers.
• Code Quality: Ensure maintainable code with reviews and tests.
• Optimization: Improve server performance and database queries.
• Monitoring & Incident Management: Implement observability tools and resolve incidents.
• Continuous Improvement: Adopt modern tools and practices to boost productivity.

Skills

Java

Go

REST APIs

Microservices

Database design

Cloud infrastructure

Observability tools

CI/CD / DevOps

Security best practices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

GCP

Azure

Terraform

CloudFormation

PostgreSQL

MySQL

MongoDB

DynamoDB

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 aremote position open to applicantsauthorized to work for any employerwithin 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.