Lead Software Engineer

On-site and Hybrid WorkPersons in these roles are expected to spend part of their time on-site in our Seattle offices and may occasionally work remotely from their home in the Greater Seattle area. On-site requirements vary based on position and team. If you have questions about Hybrid work arrangements for this role, please ask your recruiter.Base salary: Our base salary range is $146,880 - $220,320, and in addition we have generous bonus plans to provide a competitive compensation package. Who You AreLove animals? Have you always wanted to apply your technical and creative expertise to a product that protects endangered species on a day-to-day basis? You don’t have to decide between a technical career and a deeply moving, important calling. Imagine your cutting-edge software being used by a wildlife ranger in Africa, helping them to combat poaching, study animals, and help local communities! Who We AreThe Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) is looking for our next Backend Software Architect to help drive our Applied Science & Technology team’s EarthRanger project. EarthRanger is a software platform that empowers conservationists to make informed operational decisions by integrating data from many sources to create a holistic view of their protected area. Our solution helps prevent endangered species poaching, combat deforestation, promote human-wildlife coexistence, and advocate for legal wildlife protection. Used by over 700 conservation organizations worldwide—from iconic national parks like Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya and North Luangwa National Park in Zambia to species-specific programs like the Snow Leopard Trust in Mongolia and Panthera’s Mountain Lion Program in Washington state—EarthRanger is making a global impact.We are seeking a Backend Software Architect with extensive experience in processing, storing, and retrieving large volumes of IoT data for analysis. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in designing scalable systems that handle real-time data streams from diverse sources such as animal trackers, radios, vehicles, rangers, patrols, and remote imaging devices. You will be responsible for architecting solutions that efficiently ingest, store, and analyze data from over 100 hardware sensors, enabling conservationists to make informed operational decisions based on comprehensive and timely information. Responsibilities Architect scalable solutions including design documents and lead the implementation of that system by their team, including the management and processing of near real-time data streaming from remote sensors. Act as a technical innovator and thought leader, driving continuous learning, experimentation, and data- and metrics-driven decision making. Architect and enforce best practices for unit testing and CI/CD to support scalable, reliable delivery of web, service, database, and mobile platforms. Provide broad architectural expertise spanning multiple technology domains, from designing web service interfaces to engineering scalable backend systems and integration layers. Anticipate obstacles and performance risks early, formulate strategies to mitigate issues and maintain delivery momentum. Maintain a delivery-focused mindset and willingness to perform all tasks required to meet deadlines. What You’ll Need Established track record of delivering complex software solutions to delight customers. Bachelor's degree and/or Master's degree in Computer Science, or equivalent experience. A minimum of 12 years of software development experience. Preferred Experienced coder in Python with over 4 years of experience developing applications and services in that language (Version 3.10+). Proven track record of architecting and delivering scalable SaaS solutions built with Django, using PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, and Elasticsearch; skilled in multi-tenant designs and Kubernetes deployments for high availability and performance. Expertise in RESTful APIs with Django REST Framework; experience with real-time interfaces via WebSockets or Socket.IO. Experience designing real-time systems with Celery, Pub/Sub, or similar for distributed background processing and messaging. End-to-end application security expertise (data at rest and in transit; securing public-facing interfaces). Experience delivering solutions on AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure; Google Cloud preferred. Physical Demands and Work Environment The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Must be able to remain in a stationary position for long periods of time. The ability to communicate information and ideas clearly and accurately. The ability to observe details at close range. A Little More About Ai2 Ai2 is a Seattle-based non-profit AI research institute founded in 2014 by the late Paul Allen. Our mission is building breakthrough AI to solve the world’s biggest problems. We develop foundational AI research and innovation to deliver real-world impact through large-scale open models, data, robotics, conservation, and beyond. Equal Opportunity and Benefits Ai2 is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, veteran status, disability status, or other legally protected characteristics. We offer comprehensive benefits described in our policy statements. Medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, basic AD&D, short- and long-term disability, and employee assistance program. Voluntary life and AD&D options, HSA, healthcare and dependent care FSAs, and 401(k) plan. Commuting or internet stipend and fitness/wellbeing stipend. Paid time off: up to 10 sick days, up to 7 personal days, up to 20 vacation days, and 12 paid holidays; eligible for annual bonuses and long-term incentives. Note: This job description does not restrict Ai2 to the duties and responsibilities specified herein. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and may be modified to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This role is in Seattle. If you are not local, relocation may be considered. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-10-03