Staff Software Engineer

collectorsuniverse; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Collectors Universe is seeking a senior engineering leader to guide the modernization of our tech stack across NestJS/TypeScript microservices and Next.js frontends. You will shape the architecture, align teams, and drive secure, scalable solutions across our platform.

This role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, mentorship, and strategic tech decisions that will influence our trading and authentication workflows.

Qualifications

• Experience leading enterprise-grade architecture and modernization programs.
• Ability to design scalable services and data flows end-to-end.
• Strong collaboration with stakeholders and cross-functional teams.
• Proven mentoring of senior and mid-level engineers.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction for multiple services and platforms.
• Own the architecture of the team\'s domain end-to-end.
• Design products and services enabling autonomous development and scaling.
• Lead modernization from PHP monolith to Java/TypeScript and minimize risk.
• Ensure security, testing, observability, and operational excellence.
• Promote AI-assisted engineering with standards and guardrails.
• Foster knowledge sharing and cross-team collaboration.
• Manage blockers and communicate with stakeholders.

Skills

Technical leadership

Architecture ownership

NestJS

TypeScript

Java

Monolith modernization

PostgreSQL/MySQL

Security & observability

AI-assisted engineering

Mentoring & coaching

Stakeholder collaboration

Tools

NestJS

TypeScript

PostgreSQL

MySQL

Java

PHP

Next.js

Job description

Collectors is the leading creator of innovative technology that provides value-added services for collectors worldwide. We grade, authenticate, vault, and sell millions of record-setting collectibles, all while modernizing and digitalizing the process to further our mission of helping collectors pursue their passions. We're always on the lookout for talented people to join our growing team.

Our services span collectible trading cards, autographs, comic books, coins, video games, event tickets, and memorabilia. Our subsidiaries include PSA, PCGS, Beckett, SGC, and Card Ladder.

Since our founding in 1986, we have graded and authenticated millions of items. We employ more than 3000 people across our headquarters in Santa Ana, California and offices in New Jersey, Texas, Florida, Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canada, Mexico, Germany, the UK, and France.

As part of our interview process, we request that candidates have their cameras on during video interviews. This helps foster meaningful conversation and allows us to create an experience that closely resembles our standard working environment. Certain interview steps may take place by phone. For remote roles, and at our discretion, candidates may be asked to participate in an on-site interview as part of the final stages of the process.

We understand there may be occasional circumstances requiring accommodation and are happy to discuss them as needed. Your recruiter will be able to clarify expectations and answer any questions you have.

About the Role

Beckett is the trusted authority in sports card and collectibles grading, pricing, and marketplace services. Our platform is mid-transformation: a new generation of NestJS/TypeScript microservices and Next.js frontends is actively replacing a prior generation of Java/Spring Boot services, while two large legacy PHP monoliths still power critical grading and e-commerce workflows. Getting this migration right - without disrupting the business - is the defining technical challenge of the next few years.

What You’ll Do

• Set technical direction
• Own the architecture of your team's domain end to end: services, data flows, integration points, and failure modes across the full portfolio (e.g., NestJS services, their Postgres/MySQL data stores, the legacy systems they front, and the frontends they serve).
• Design products and services that allow for iterative, autonomous development and future scaling , deliberately reducing the friction of future changes - service boundaries, contract design, data ownership, and migration paths.
• Lead high-stakes modernization work: defining strangler patterns around the PHP monolith , sequencing Java→TypeScript service replacements, and ensuring byte-compatible, low-risk cutovers.
• Build a working understanding of adjacent systems and products across the org - grading, marketplace, CRM, payments, identity, data/ETL - and use it to catch cross-system risks early.
• Set the bar for security, testing, observability, and operational excellence, and use operational data to drive stability and performance improvements.
• Lead the adoption of AI-assisted engineering across the tech org: establish standards and guardrails for AI coding tools (code review expectations, testing requirements, security and IP hygiene), identify where AI agents can accelerate the modernization effort (legacy code comprehension, test generation, migration scaffolding), and measure the impact.

Lead Delivery

• Successfully lead projects of moderate scope and/or complexity spanning 1-2 quarters , coordinating engineers, stakeholders, and dependencies to a predictable landing.
• Plan and develop using an explicit value-vs-cost framework , so urgency and prioritization are easily understood by both the team and stakeholders.
• Identify and communicate blockers and delays within your team to the right stakeholders before they become surprises.

Multiply the Organization

• Foster a culture of knowledge sharing and documentation within your team and with business stakeholders - initiate and facilitate meaningful discussions around complex issues.
• Build strong relationships with teammates, your manager, business stakeholders, and senior engineers across the organization.
• Mentor senior and mid-level engineers through design reviews, pairing, and feedback; foster a culture where feedback is sought out and used as a tool for growth.
• Raise the org's collective AI fluency: share proven workflows, prompts, and agent configurat