Software Engineer II

Northwestern Mutual; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 98,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, WI is seeking a Software Engineer II to join the API Enablement team within Digital Platform. You will partner with engineers, architects, and business teams to design, build, and implement secure, scalable APIs that align with enterprise standards.

This role blends hands-on coding with guidance and influence, requiring strong communication, curiosity, and a desire to help others deliver better technology solutions across the organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 1-3 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Experience developing software using Java, JavaScript, Python, .NET, or similar.
• Familiarity with CI/CD practices.
• Experience with public cloud technologies such as AWS or Azure.
• Strong technical and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and business audiences.

Responsibilities

• Apply engineering best practices to analyze, design, develop, and support API-based software solutions.
• Develop software using modern development practices and CI/CD methodologies.
• Partner with engineering teams to promote API standards and best practices.
• Utilize monitoring, automation, and tooling to improve reliability and performance.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive technical feedback.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Contribute to team standards, governance, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Software Development

Adaptive Communication

Technical Problem Solving

Cloud Technology

DevOps

Learning Agility

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience

Tools

AWS

Azure

CI/CD

Job description

About the Role

Northwestern Mutual is seeking a Software Engineer II to join the API Enablement team within Digital Platform. This team plays a unique role across the enterprise by helping engineering teams design, build, and implement APIs that are secure, scalable, and aligned with enterprise standards.

As a Software Engineer II, you will partner closely with software engineers, architects, and business teams to develop API solutions, promote engineering best practices, and improve how teams across Northwestern Mutual build and consume APIs. This role combines hands‑on engineering with collaboration, guidance, and technical influence.

Success requires strong communication skills, curiosity, problem‑solving ability, and a desire to help others deliver better technology solutions.

What You Will Do

• Apply engineering best practices to analyze, design, develop, and support API‑based software solutions.
• Develop software using modern development practices and continuous integration and deployment methodologies.
• Partner with engineering teams to promote API standards, design patterns, and best practices.
• Utilize monitoring, automation, and operational tooling to improve solution reliability and performance.
• Participate in code reviews and provide constructive technical feedback.
• Collaborate with technical and non‑technical stakeholders to translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Contribute to team standards, documentation, governance initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Support and mentor less experienced engineers as opportunities arise.

What You Will Bring to the Role

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 1-3 years of professional software engineering experience.
• Experience developing software solutions using modern programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, Python, .NET, or similar technologies.
• Familiarity with continuous integration and deployment practices.
• Experience working with public cloud technologies such as AWS, Azure, or containerized environments.
• Strong technical and analytical problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to technical and business audiences.
• Demonstrated curiosity, learning agility, and willingness to expand technical expertise.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Interest in mentoring junior engineers and contributing to team development.

Skills You Have

• Software Development: Designs, develops, tests, maintains, and supports software applications using sound engineering practices and modern development methodologies.
• Adaptive Communication: Communicates technical concepts effectively to both technical and non‑technical audiences while building strong partnerships across teams.
• Technical Problem Solving: Approaches complex challenges with structured thinking, identifies root causes, evaluates options, and implements effective solutions.
• Cloud Technology: Supports, develops, and maintains solutions leveraging cloud technologies and modern infrastructure practices.
• DevOps: Applies CI/CD, automation, monitoring, and operational best practices to improve delivery quality and reliability.
• Learning Agility & Critical Thinking: Quickly learns new technologies and concepts while evaluating challenges through a thoughtful, analytical lens.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Works effectively with engineers, architects, and stakeholders to deliver solutions that meet business and technical needs.

Compensation Range

• Pay Range - Start: $98,320.00
• Pay Range - End: $147,480.00
• Geographic Specific Pay Structure: Structure 110: $108,160.00 USD - $162,240.00 USD
• Geographic Specific Pay Structure: Structure 115: $113,040.00 USD - $169,560.00 USD

We believe in fairness and transparency. It’s why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process.

Grow your career with a best‑in‑class company that puts our clients' interests at the center of all we do.

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.

At Northwestern Mutual, we believe relationships are built on trust. That our lives and our work matter. These beliefs launched our company over 160 years ago. Today, they’re just a few of the reasons why people choose to build careers at Northwestern Mutual.

What started in Milwaukee, WI has grown into 7,000+ home office professionals split across 3 campuses: New York City, Franklin and downtown Milwaukee (HQ) – each one bringing with it its own unique talent and culture. In a company with such a long and storied history, this may be the most exciting and important time to be a part of Northwestern Mutual as we are growing our digital and tech capabilities and are always on the lookout for bright, tech‑savvy candidates.

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.