Lead Software Engineer I

PowerSchool; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 93,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

401(k) plan

DTO

Tuition Reimbursement

Life Insurance

Wellness Program

Job summary

PowerSchool is seeking a Lead Software Engineer to drive development of scalable, AI-enabled software solutions for K-12 ecosystems. You will mentor engineers, lead architectural decisions, and deliver robust systems across multiple tech stacks while leveraging AI-assisted tooling.

You will collaborate with product managers, designers, and other engineers to ensure high quality, secure, and maintainable software, aligning with PowerSchool's mission and standards.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant software development experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in CS/Software Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience leading complex coding projects with no oversight.
• Experience using AI‑assisted development tools to improve productivity and code quality.
• SQL and database experience.
• Familiarity with OWASP threats and mitigation techniques.

Responsibilities

• Lead a software engineer team in planning, scoping, estimation, and execution of technical solutions, including AI-assisted tools.
• Collaborate with product managers, designers, and engineers to enhance software applications with AI insights.
• Write clean, maintainable code across TypeScript, Java, C#, Python, or other stacks using AI tools.
• Perform code reviews, identify bugs, and optimize performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Contribute across all phases of the SDLC from design to deployment with AI-enhanced testing.

Skills

TypeScript

Java

C#

Python

AI-assisted development

Lead projects

Security awareness

SQL

Data structures

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Software Eng

Tools

SQL databases

OWASP

Job description

Overview

About PowerSchool

At PowerSchool, we power education for students around the world. As the global leader in cloud-based K-12 software, we support the full education ecosystem—from the central office to the classroom to the home. Joining PowerSchool means being part of a mission-driven team that is transforming K-12 education by helping schools operate more effectively and deliver better outcomes for educators, students, and families.

Team Overview

Our Research & Development (R&D) team is the technical talent at the heart of our product suite, overseeing the product development lifecycle from concept to delivery. From engineering to quality assurance to data science, the R&D team ensures our customers seamlessly use our products and can depend on their consistency.

As a Lead Software Engineer, you will be a key driver in shaping our software systems. Your extensive expertise will fuel the development of robust, efficient, and top-tier software solutions. At the cutting edge of technology, you’ll apply systematic and disciplined approaches to every stage of the software lifecycle: from design and development to rigorous testing and evaluation. You will leverage generative AI, agentic AI, and other AI ‑ enabled tools and intelligent automation to enhance development efficiency, improve code quality, and support scalable, forward-looking system design. Your unwavering commitment to quality and your problem-solving prowess will serve as the guiding stars in your role.

Responsibilities

The Software Engineering team is a group of full stack developers who design, develop, and maintain our products, tools, and infrastructure.

Your Day-to-day Job Will Consist Of

• Serve as a leader on a software engineer team, contributing to the planning, scoping, estimation, and execution of technical solutions, including the effective use of AI ‑ assisted development and delivery tools.
• Work closely with product managers, designers, and fellow engineers to enhance software applications, leveraging AI insights to inform design choices and technical tradeoffs where appropriate.
• Uses AI to lead projects, d emonstrates a lead’s ability to make sound, critical architectural decisions for the team and optimizing code for performance, scalability, and reliability, including the evaluation of AI ‑ driven approaches and automation.
• Independently write clean, maintainable code using programming languages such as TypeScript, Java, C#, Python, or other relevant tech stacks while utilizing AI ‑ enabled tools to improve development speed, accuracy, and consistency.
• Engage in code reviews, identifying and resolving bugs, and fine-tuning existing systems, including the use of AI‑powered analysis and testing techniques.
• Contribute across all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from initial design to deployment, incorporating AI where it enhances quality, efficiency, or maintainability.
• Assist in testing and quality assurance, ensuring software reliability and optimal performance through both traditional and AI augmented testing methodologies.
• Innovate by exploring emerging technologies, including AI and machine learning capabilities, and proposing creative solutions to technical challenges.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 8+ years of relevant and related work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or equivalent, or equivalent years of relevant work experience.
• Travel occasionally, up to 5-10%, for key moments such as team summits, training, conferences, etc., with increased frequency during peak periods based on business demands.
• This position is subject to company on call policies which constitutes working hours outside of the normal workday as needed.
• Additional experience may be substitute for an advanced Degree.
• Proficiency with at least one or more programming languages (e.g., TypeScript, Java, C#, Python, or other relevant tech stacks)
• Experience leading complex coding projects with no oversight.
• Experience using AI ‑ assisted development tools (e.g., for coding, testing, debugging, or documentation) to improve productivity and code quality.
• Ability to evaluate, apply, and govern AI solutions responsibly, with consideration for security, performance, and maintainability.
• Ability to work with current software design principles, including patterns, algorithms, data structures.
• SQL and database experience
• Familiarity with OWASP threats and mitigation techniques.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, along with effective written and verbal communication.
• Capability to manage a heavy workload, handle frequent interruptions, and work with minimal oversight.
• Adaptability to a changing, dynamic environment.
• A passion for mentoring and guiding junior engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Kanban methodologies and relevant tools.
• Understanding of Education Technology industry

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

PowerSchool Offers The Following Benefits

• Comprehensive Insurance Coverage (including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pharmacy benefits, Life Insurance and AD&D)
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts
• Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
• Comprehensive 401(k) plan
• Generous Parental Leave
• Unrestricted paid time off (known as Discretionary Time Off - DTO)
• Wellness Program, including ClassPass & Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Optional Benefits: Pet Insurance, Identity Theft Protection, Student Debt Repayment Program and Prepaid Legal coverage

A reasonable estimate of the base compensation range for this position is $92,800 - $170,300 USD. This compensation range is specific to the United States and it incorporates many factors including but not limited to an applicant's skills and prior relevant experience and training; licensures, degrees, and certifications; internal equity; internal pay ranges; and market data/range parameters.

EEO Commitment

EEO Commitment

PowerSchool is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. PowerSchool is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. Our inclusive culture empowers PowerSchoolers to deliver the best results for our customers. We not only celebrate the diversity of our workforce, we celebrate the diverse ways we work. If you have a disability and need an accommodation regarding our recruiting process, please let us know by emailing [e-mail].