The posting
We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our team. Rustici Software makes eLearning standards based software which is responsible for launching and tracking standards based online learning for millions of learners. You would join a team that develops software that integrates into other software products around the world. We are a remote/in-office hybrid company whose headquarters is located in Franklin, TN. While we give consideration to local candidates, we are open to qualified remote candidates residing in the United States.
The ideal candidate will be able to balance the competing priorities of producing quality code and solving customer problems quickly. We are not hung up on a particular amount or type of experience, but we are adamant about a particular level of skill and aptitude. The areas of expertise we value are in software development, communication, and learning new technologies. Experience in specific languages is not crucial, but we look for developers that can code in more than one language and/or are familiar with more than one framework. We primarily use TypeScript for front end web development and Java or Python for back end web service development, but there is no guarantee we’ll use those languages for our next project.
US based only, direct hire only, no recruiters, no contracting agencies, please.
Current Technologies
- Java or Python
- JavaScript/TypeScript particularly Vue
- SQL (MySQL, Postgres, SQL Server)
- Git/GitHub, Docker
- AWS
- Cursor AI
What will you be doing?
Our Senior Software Engineers work as full stack web developers on a team that maintains and improves one or more of Rustici’s software products. Senior Software Engineers are individual contributors reporting to an Engineering Manager
- Maintaining existing codebases: One or more software products and all of the ancillary tools needed to manage them. These are profitable products that have been around for 10+ years (and we expect to be around for 10+ more) and that our customers expect to work as well or better than they did last year or the year before or the year before that. There is technical debt to be paid, refinement to interfaces and implementations, bugs to squash, and processes to improve. QA is a forethought and a requirement, developing test code is just part of the work.
- Writing technical specifications for new work: Anytime we embark on larger features, we build out a technical specification, with the goal of expressing the work in English before we attempt to express it in code. We write technical specifications for the larger work we do.
- Taking new features from start to finish: We really value autonomy here at Rustici. Engineers pick up work that needs to be done and run with it until it has passed code reviews and QA.
- Identifying new work: We rely a lot on customer feedback for improvements and new features, but we also don’t expect all the answers to come from the top down, and will look to our engineers for ideas on what to work on next.
- Weekly standups: We try to keep meetings at a minimum. Each team meets once a week to discuss the work that happened last week, and what they expect to accomplish in the coming week. Most teams also have a longer form meeting to dive deep into technical items impacting the team as a whole.
- Mentoring: We feel one of the best ways to enhance our teams overall and individually is for our more experienced developers to pass along their techniques, how they’ve honed their craft, and what successes and failures they’ve experienced in their career to more junior developers.
- Learn Everyday: We believe in continuous improvement whether that is at a product level or a personal one. Engineers should be improving their craft, whether that is via new technical skills or tools, diving deep into an existing ability, or learning more about how the business operates.
Successful candidates
Successful candidates have a mix of skills in the technology space including programming in various languages, using various frameworks, and having a general familiarity with the components of a mature software development life cycle. We look for the following, but if you don’t have experience with all of the following we’d still like to hear from you.
- Strong web application development using contemporary frameworks in Java, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or similar particularly in extensible, scalable, performant, and secure implementations
- Experience with front end SPA development in a contemporary framework such as Vue, React, or similar as well as experience directly with HTML and CSS
- Experience with implementing automated unit, integration, end-to-end, etc. tests
- Experience with contemporary software development lifecycle processes including agile principles, task estimation, version control, quality assurance, release management, etc.
- Experience with a Unix CLI toolset preferred
- Experience with deployment of web applications particularly in AWS is beneficial
- Experience writing technical and/or functional specifications
- Experience mentoring other engineers
- Experience with cross team collaboration including with support, product, and operations teams
About our work
Every day, millions of people around the world access valuable learning and training content powered by Rustici Software’s products. If you’ve ever taken an online course, there’s a good chance our software was running behind the scenes. We specialize in helping software vendors and organizations solve problems specific to implementing eLearning standards, such as SCORM, xAPI and cmi5. Since 2002, we’ve been sharing our expertise with our customers and the industry by providing resources for creating, delivering and distributing eLearning content. We are proud to be known as the “SCORM folks,” “eLearning nerds” and most recently, productizing AI to assist our customers in better understanding and delivering training.
How we’re different
Rustici Software isn’t your average workplace. There’s a reason why we have been named a “Best Place to Work” by the Nashville Business Journal for 15+ years.
Over the last 20+ years, we’ve created a unique environment where people want to work and look forward to Monday. We strive not to be static. We desperately want to grow, change, and do our work better year over year. This is your chance to work with a group of people that want you to be opinionated about the work we do and how we do it. You won’t always win the arguments we participate in, but you’ll know that we deeply value your input and that your coworkers are as passionate as you.
Rustici benefits
We also take great care of the people that work here, and our benefits are unrivaled.
- Flexible work environment: Rustici Software offers the best of all worlds when it comes to where you work. Remote from your home office, a private office in Franklin, TN if you prefer, or a mix of both. We care more about the work that you do than where you do that work.
- Untracked PTO
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
- HSA and FSA plans
- Short-term and Long-term disability
- Company paid life insurance
- 401k/Retirement vesting+matching on day 1
- Performance-based bonuses
- Office perks: Concierge services, gym equipment, yoga room and stocked kitchen with snacks and drinks
How to apply
- Tell us why you want to work with us.
- Explain what you can bring to our team.
- Include your resume, portfolio, or whatever best represents your experience
- Submit your answer to our developer test
Each time we hire, we wait until we find exactly the right person. If that’s you, we really hope you’ll apply. Make sure that what we get from you makes it apparent that you are the right person for the job, and that you want to work here, not just somewhere.
Check out “An Open Letter” from our Managing Director, Tammy Rutherford. It says a lot about what you need to know before applying to this job opening. You might also want to read up on our answers to the Joel Test to see how we approach software development.
You will also want to spend some time on our website, learn how we think, what we do, and why we have been named a “Best Place to Work” by the Nashville Business Journal for 15 years. Get to know us if you want us to get to know you.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.
