Lead Software Engineer

LendKey Technologies, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Unlimited PTO

Stock options

Job summary

A financial technology company is seeking a Lead Engineer to drive the evolution of their lending platform. This hands-on leadership role involves solving complex technical issues, mentoring engineers, and leading a cross-functional team. Candidates should have over 7 years of experience in software engineering and be comfortable in a technical leadership capacity. The role offers a base salary ranging from $180,000 to $225,000 depending on experience, and the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with a focus on community impact.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience as a full-stack or backend engineer.
• Prior experience as a Tech Lead or senior contributor.
• Experience leading developers and QA.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop high-quality, scalable applications.
• Lead a cross-functional team and technical execution.
• Mentor and coach engineers on modern development practices.

Skills

Excellent communication

Detail-oriented

Collaboration

Curiosity and adaptability

Technical confidence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

CI/CD practices

API-first architecture

DevSecOps practices

Job description

LendKey Technologies, Inc. is a pioneer in digital network lending, dedicated to simplifying the lending process for both financial institutions and borrowers. With more than 15 years of experience, LendKey has facilitated more than $7 billion in loans through hundreds of credit unions and community banks nationwide. Our mission is to empower local lenders with innovative, reliable technology that upholds community values while enabling access to national markets.

We’re seeking a Lead Engineer to help drive the evolution of our platforms. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role responsible for solving complex technical problems and building scalable, modern solutions. As a Lead Engineer, you will serve as the primary technical owner for a key domain on our next‑generation Lending platform. This role begins as a senior individual contributor leading development alongside a small team and provides a growth path to either Principal Engineer or Engineering Manager.

Please note: final‑round interviews for this role require an in‑person visit to our Cincinnati, Ohio home office. Applications from candidates unable to attend an on‑site interview will not be considered.

What You’ll Do:

• Design and develop high‑quality, scalable applications using modern frameworks, architectures, and engineering best practices.
• Serve as a hands‑on individual contributor, writing production code while leading day‑to‑day technical execution.
• Lead a cross‑functional team through story‑mapping, release planning, and backlog execution.
• Own technical execution and delivery quality for your domain: drive clarity, remove technical blockers, and ensure consistent, high‑quality outcomes.
• Work directly with the Software Architect to implement platform standards, architectural patterns, and long‑term technical direction.
• Establish and enforce strong engineering practices including code quality, architecture rigor, testing strategy, and CI/CD maturity.
• Lead and standardize AI‑assisted development practices using tools such as Cursor, Copilot, and similar platforms.
• Define and implement best practices for AI‑driven development, including secure prompt engineering, human‑in‑the‑loop validation, IP and data protection, and responsible use of code generation.
• Mentor and coach engineers on modern development practices and AI‑augmented workflows.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate technical options, align on solutions, and clearly communicate progress and risks.
• Maintain a tight feedback loop with the leadership team, escalating technical and execution risks early.
• Partner with dedicated QA resources to ensure comprehensive automated and manual testing and smooth release readiness.
• Foster collaboration and high ownership across both onshore and offshore contributors.
• Share best practices and contribute to cross‑team architectural and process improvements.
• Participate in production ownership, including incident response and on‑call rotation as required.

What We’re Looking For:

• Excellent communicator who brings clarity and technical confidence to teams and stakeholders.
• Energetic, disciplined, and deeply committed to building durable, production‑grade software.
• Strong attention to detail and a security‑first mindset.
• Takes on challenges with curiosity and is comfortable working in ambiguous problem spaces.
• Accessible, collaborative teammate who mentors through influence and example.

Technical Background

• 7+ years of experience as a full‑stack or backend engineer building modern, scalable applications.
• Prior experience serving as a Tech Lead or senior individual contributor.
• Experience leading developers and QA in a delivery capacity.
• Experience partnering closely with Product and business stakeholders to translate complex business needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Experience in financial services preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience preferred.

Strong understanding of:

• CI/CD, automated testing, and DevSecOps practices
• Distributed systems and design patterns
• API‑first and service‑oriented architectures
• MVC or similar architectural patterns for web applications

Why Join LendKey?

• Growth & Opportunity: Be part of a company that values professional development and encourages new ideas.
• Community Impact: Join a team that supports local communities and social responsibility.
• Creative & Transparent Culture: An open, collaborative environment that values innovation and honest communication.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and additional wellness coverage for your overall well‑being.
• Unlimited PTO: Flexible time off to support work‑life balance.
• Stock Options: Opportunity to share in the company’s growth and success.

The base salary range for this role is $180,000–$225,000, depending on your experience, skills, and location.

What We Do:

LendKey offers a comprehensive digital platform for private student loans, student loan refinancing, and home improvement loans, allowing community‑based financial institutions to expand their portfolios and serve more borrowers without increasing infrastructure. Through our ALIRO platform, lenders can efficiently participate in, buy, and sell loans, streamlining portfolio diversification and capital deployment.

For financial institutions, LendKey provides turnkey solutions that include:

• End‑to‑end loan origination and servicing expertise
• Seamless access to a national network of lending partners
• Advanced risk mitigation and compliance support
• Opportunities to efficiently deploy capital and diversify portfolios
• Access to affordable, competitive student loan products from trusted local lenders
• A simple, transparent digital application and servicing experience
• The benefits of community‑focused lending with the convenience of modern technology

LendKey’s network lending model empowers both lenders and borrowers, bridging the gap between local values and national reach.

LendKey Technologies, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. All employment decisions — including hiring, promotion, training, and compensation — are made based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status under applicable law.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a role or participate in the hiring process, please contact [e-mail].