Software Engineer I - Full-Stack

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:   Grade: Technical 406 Pay Range: $98,300.00 - $147,400.00 Job Description As a Software Engineer I, Full Stack, you will help design, develop, test, and operate software solutions that support business and student-facing systems. You will work across modern frontend and backend applications, primarily using JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and related technologies. This role is designed for an early-career engineer who wants to grow beyond a single framework or application layer. You will take ownership of defined components, collaborate with engineers and stakeholders, use modern development tools responsibly, and develop the skills necessary to contribute across the full software delivery lifecycle.  What You'll Do • Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain functionality across frontend and backend applications. • Maintain accountability for small, contained components within the broader application architecture under the guidance of team leadership. • Build modern user interfaces using JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, and related web technologies. • Develop and maintain backend services and APIs using Node.js, TypeScript, NestJS, or comparable server-side technologies. • Work with relational databases, external APIs, cloud services, and third-party platforms. • Translate functional and non-functional requirements into maintainable designs, code, tests, and technical documentation. • Identify gaps, risks, ambiguities, and deficiencies in requirements and propose practical solutions. • Apply testing strategies that balance software quality, delivery timelines, maintainability, and cost. • Use AI-assisted development tools to accelerate research, implementation, testing, debugging, and documentation while independently validating generated output for correctness, security, maintainability, and alignment with engineering standards. • Participate in code reviews and provide constructive technical feedback. • Troubleshoot issues across application layers and use logs, metrics, traces, and other diagnostic information to identify root causes. • Collaborate effectively with Engineering, Product, QA, Architecture, Security, and operational partners. • Communicate progress, risks, dependencies, and technical decisions clearly. • Adapt to changing requirements, technologies, delivery priorities, and architectural direction. • Contribute to successful delivery that is on time, within scope, and aligned with organizational goals. What You'll Bring • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience. • Approximately two years of professional software development experience, including internships, apprenticeships, or equivalent hands-on experience. • Experience developing web applications or services using JavaScript or TypeScript. • Experience with at least one modern frontend framework, preferably Angular. • Experience with Node.js or another backend application platform. • Understanding of API development, HTTP, authentication, authorization, and application integration. • Experience working with relational databases and writing or troubleshooting SQL. • Familiarity with automated testing, including unit, integration, component, or end-to-end testing. • Understanding of software development fundamentals, including abstraction, modularity, algorithms, data structures, system decomposition, security, reliability, and maintainability. • Ability to investigate unfamiliar systems, learn new technologies, and work across multiple application layers. • Ability to evaluate a problem, identify reasonable solution options, and recommend a path forward. • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work through ambiguity without waiting for every implementation detail to be defined. • Clear written and verbal communication skills. • A collaborative mindset, personal accountability, and a willingness to ask questions, receive feedback, and continually improve. Experience in Lieu of Education Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this position may substitute for formal education requirements. Generally, one year of relevant experience may substitute for one year of education, subject to hiring manager discretion. Bonus Points • Experience with NestJS or another structured Node.js backend framework. • Experience with Python, Django, or comparable backend technologies. • Experience with AWS or another major cloud platform. • Experience building or operating cloud-native applications. • Experience modernizing, migrating, or refactoring legacy applications. • Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines, or infrastructure automation. • Experience with application observability, including logs, metrics, distributed tracing, and production troubleshooting. • Experience with PostgreSQL, Oracle, or other relational database platforms. • Experience with authentication standards such as OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, or SAML. • Experience integrating third-party systems and enterprise APIs. • Experience using AI-assisted software development tools in a professional or project environment. • Experience with Git, GitHub, JIRA, IntelliJ, or Visual Studio Code. • Experience working in Agile or Scrum delivery environments. • Technical certifications or relevant project contributions. What Good Looks Like Successful engineers in this role do more than complete assigned coding tasks. They seek to understand the user need, the surrounding system, and the consequences of their implementation decisions. They are expected to: • Take increasing ownership of their work from clarification through production validation. • Produce code that is understandable, testable, secure, and maintainable. • Use AI and automation as accelerators without outsourcing technical judgment. • Move comfortably between frontend, backend, database, cloud, and operational concerns as their experience grows. • Raise problems with context, identify realistic options, and recommend a solution. • Adapt when requirements or technologies change. • Ask for help early while still demonstrating independent investigation and initiative. • Leave systems, tests, and documentation in a better state than they found them. What to Expect At WGU, our mission drives everything we do, including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their technical fundamentals, problem-solving approach, learning ability, communication skills, and potential for growth. We thoughtfully review every application and invite forward candidates whose experience, capabilities, and potential best align with the role and our mission. Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.