Lead Software Engineer

Civic Innovation Lab; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 112,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Civic Innovation Lab, based in Phoenix, AZ, is seeking a Lead Software Engineer with strong Java chops and deep Attention Management experience. The role offers a salary range of $112,000 to $165,000, with ownership of critical infrastructure, CI/CD tooling, and end-to-end feature delivery in a fast-paced environment.

You will partner with cross-functional teams to reduce cold-start times, trace complex bugs, and scale infrastructure using code and automation.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software development experience
• Strong Java expertise and code quality
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Portfolio or work samples demonstrating technology depth
• Growth mindset with constructive feedback

Responsibilities

• Reduce Attention Management cold-start times to improve wake-up latency for Phoenix users
• Trace and debug complex issues across multiple services to identify root causes
• Configure and manage infrastructure as code across staging and production
• Implement features end-to-end from design to production in Phoenix, AZ
• Develop CI/CD telemetry and dashboards that leadership uses
• Build self-service CI/CD tools to reduce ticket workload for Phoenix teams
• Monitor Elasticsearch error budgets to prevent outages in Phoenix, AZ
• Proactively identify bottlenecks and propose architectural improvements

Skills

Java

Communication skills

Growth mindset

Tools

Kubernetes

Elasticsearch

Job description

Civic Innovation Lab is on a mission to scale, and a sharp Lead Software Engineer with 8 of Attention Management experience is exactly who we need. We pair a $112,000 - $165,000 salary with real responsibility, so the Lead Software Engineer you become here grows faster than the title suggests.

Key Responsibilities

• Cut Attention Management cold-start times so Civic Innovation Lab functions wake before AZ users notice
• Trace a deeply technical technology bug across three Attention Management services to the one bad line
• Configure and manage infrastructure as code across staging and production
• Carry features from whiteboard sketch to Phoenix, AZ production without dropping the baton
• Pull CI/CD telemetry into dashboards Civic Innovation Lab leaders actually open
• Build CI/CD self-service tools so Phoenix teams stop filing tickets for everything
• Watch Elasticsearch error budgets and pump the brakes before Phoenix, AZ burns through them
• Identify bottlenecks and propose architectural improvements proactively

What You'll Bring

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A bias toward asking the dumb question before the expensive mistake
• A portfolio or work samples that demonstrate your technology expertise
• A learner's pace that keeps up with shifting requirements
• A growth mindset that treats feedback as fuel, not threat
• Real Java chops, plus the Kubernetes curiosity to keep growing

  We built Civic Innovation Lab in Phoenix, AZ to give technology teams the hands-on tools they actually deserve. Our team in AZ keeps a running list of what we'd do differently, and we actually act on it.