Software Engineer (Back-End Focus)

We are Skyward. That is, a love for people, for improvement, for human advancement through information technology. We are a people-centered business with a desire to serve others.

We are diverse and unified; creative and collaborative; a collection of complementary, not competing talents. And though on the surface we remain relaxed, beneath, a torrent of energy links us to our civic tech mission. We stand by our values, and we won’t compromise on any of them.

Integrity: We’re conscientious, intentional, and empathetic. Our words and actions align. That’s our character.

Please don’t ask us to play another part, we’re poor actors. Compassionate: If we may borrow a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” Because our team is thoughtful and supportive, caring deeply for each other, our clients, and our work, this comes naturally. Inquisitive: We remain students by failing openly and turning lessons into solutions.

Unconventional: For us, life isn’t what happens outside of work. Work happens inside of life and our culture erases the line often dividing the two. Authentic: Made possible only because we embody the values listed above.

We’re relaxed and fun yet intensely curious and driven. Team members are placed with thought, care, and precision to ensure that Trust, Truth, and Transparency continue to represent our brand. Because of that, we continue Onward, Upward, and Skyward.

We need a Software Engineer. Would your friends say you’ve got a talent for dissecting complex problems until they tap out? Maybe you’ve even been told (more than once) that you care way too much about modernizing outdated systems, especially the ones powering public services .

If you’re the kind of backend engineer who gets a kick out of building systems that are both elegant and impactful, we’ve got good news: we’re not bored, we’re impressed, and we want you on our team. Come join us if you're motivated to learn from others, to learn from mistakes, to be part of a future-looking and growth-oriented team. Let's go Skyward together.

What you’ll do: • Be on a team supporting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) endeavor to modernize enterprise systems’ access, reducing manual effort, improving data accuracy, and enhancing transparency for stakeholders. Oh, and utilizing cutting-edge NLP and LLM techniques • Stay up to date with technology and customer experience best practices, to include artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots, and customer feedback tools • Write effective, scalable code. • Work extremely closely with human centered design experts to implement solutions that are intuitive, responsive, and personalized to each customer’s needs • Develop back-end components to improve responsiveness and overall performance.

• Investigate and debug test failures throughout, updating tests or reporting bugs as necessary and provide test coverage analysis based on automation results. • Collaborate with various departments such as customer support, marketing, and product development to identify and address customer pain points, optimize customer journeys, and create a seamless experience across all touchpoints What we’d like you to have: • 5+ years of experience coding in Python • Familiarity and knowledge of DevOps / DevTestOps / DevSecOps best practices. • Strong knowledge of CI/CD practices and tooling, with hands-on experience automating build, test, and deployment workflows • Solid understanding of how to build pipelines that are scalable, maintainable, and integrated with testing frameworks, code quality checks, and security gates • Experience with containerization technology (I.e., Docker or Kubernetes).
• REST API Experience. • Understanding of one or more different agile methodologies, including Scrum, Lean, or SAFe. • Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to work effectively with various stakeholders.

What would blow us away: • You’ve got AI chops • You’ve previously supported the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, we encourage you to apply. At Skyward, we’re focused on hiring individuals with the right skills and passion to grow, not just checking off every box. And now the important part.

What we offer you: • Medical, dental, vision insurance (fully paid for employees) • 15 days of paid leave • 7 days of sick leave • 2 days bereavement leave • 11 paid Federal holidays • Up to 40 hours for jury duty • 401K with 4% employer contribution (and no vesting period) • Up to 4 weeks of paid paternity and maternity leave • Company provided laptop • $5,000 per year for professional development • $600 per year for technical supplies and equipment • $2,000 referral bonus • Life and disability insurance • HSA and FSA • Legal Shield and ID Shield Voluntary Benefits • Opportunity to work in a collaborative, motivated team focused on modernizing government services with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions. Who says government work can't be exciting! At Skyward, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or background, can thrive.

We support flexible working hours and remote opportunities to help maintain a healthy work-life balance for all employees, including caregivers and those with unique needs. Offers of employment with Skyward are contingent upon acceptable results of a background investigation. Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance due to the nature of our work as a government contractor.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.

If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us. We believe great work deserves great pay. That’s why we ensure our compensation is not only competitive but also fair and transparent, as required by Maryland law.

Expect a salary that matches your skills, experience, and the value you bring to the table — because you’re worth it! At Skyward, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or background, can thrive. We support flexible working hours and remote opportunities to help maintain a healthy work-life balance for all employees, including caregivers and those with unique needs.

Offers of employment with Skyward are contingent upon acceptable results of a background investigation. Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance due to the nature of our work as a government contractor.