IT Software Engineer

Nelnet is a diversified and innovative company committed to enriching lives through the power of service as a student loan servicer, professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payments processor, renewable energy solutions, and K-12 and higher education expert. For over 40 years, Nelnet has been serving its customers, associates, and communities.

The perks of working at Nelnet go beyond our benefits package. When you join the Nelnet team, you're part of a community invested in the success of each individual. That support comes through in our work, as we are united by our mission of creating opportunities for people where they live, learn, and work.

We're looking for a mid-level software engineer to join a delivery team that supports high‑volume, distributed software powering critical borrower and agent workflows. In this role, you’ll work in an agile environment to develop backend services in C#/.NET, work with both SQL and NoSQL datastores, and have opportunities to contribute to frontend Angular web apps. You'll collaborate on service-oriented and message-driven architectures, containerized deployments, and modern delivery practices using IaC-driven workflows.

US Citizenship and the ability to obtain a Federal security clearance are required for this role.

Nelnet believes in a hybrid work environment that accommodates both in-office and remote work. This model promotes a positive work-life balance and culture, enabling in-person collaboration when possible while also providing benefits associated with remote work. The standard hybrid work schedule includes 24 hours of in-office work each week, for associates that reside within 30 miles of an office. This position is open to candidates that can work hybrid or in-office out of the Centennial CO, Lincoln NE, or Brownsville TX offices. This is subject to change, based on manager discretion.

At this time, we are unable to move forward with external candidates that reside in these states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington.

Job Responsibilities:

• Participate in solution design to satisfy a wide range of business needs.

• Analysis and translation of business requirements into technical requirements for development, and creation of design documents and technical specifications.

• Adhere to Best Practices and Standards in the areas of technology and security.

• Provide post implementation support including, but not limited to, monitoring application performance and debugging existing code.

• Keep abreast of advancements and changes in technology and develop an understanding of how new technologies can be leveraged provide business solutions.

EDUCATION: 

Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and/or a related discipline or work experience.

EXPERIENCE: 

Candidates should have 5+ years of software development experience and strong proficiency in multiple key competencies. We're looking for mid-to-senior-level software engineers to fill this position, but highly-skilled candidates with <5 years experience are also encouraged to apply.

COMPETENCIES – SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES:

• Develops backend web and worker services using C#/.NET that implement business requirements for high‑volume workflows, with attention to performance and maintainability.

• Writes efficient SQL and understands relational modeling, using Entity Framework + LINQ appropriately; caching familiarity (e.g. Redis) is a plus; familiarity with IBM i Db2 is a plus.

• Uses Git in a team setting and participates effectively in code review to improve correctness and maintainability.

• Writes highly-testable code and contributes to automated unit and integration tests.

• Applies secure coding practices and works within security/compliance requirements informed by standards such as NIST; responsibly manages software dependencies and secrets.

• Identifies and diagnoses issues by reading logs, tracing distributed workflows, and using monitoring tools to pinpoint root causes; participates in on-call and production release processes.

• Works within established service boundaries and clean-architecture conventions, keeping business logic separated from infrastructure and avoiding tight coupling across services.

• Produces clear documentation that supports long‑term maintainability, onboarding, and operational support.

• Possesses a strong understanding of the full software development lifecycle with experience in agile delivery models.

• Strives to quickly learn new technologies, domain concepts, and business processes within a complex regulatory environment.

• Communicates clearly and effectively in both verbal and written forms, adapting to technical and non‑technical audiences.

• Takes ownership of assigned work through completion, proactively surfacing risks and ensuring deliverables are production‑ready.

Bonus:

• Works effectively in containerized environments, building and troubleshooting services packaged with Docker; comfortable working within IaC-driven deployment workflows and using AWS tooling to support delivery and diagnostics.

• Develops frontend web applications using TypeScript/JavaScript with Angular; uses component libraries and validates alignment to WCAG & Section 508 expectations.

• Implements message-driven processing, handling failures safely with retry-aware logic and idempotent processing assumptions; NServiceBus or similar messaging framework familiarity.

• Experience with spec-driven AI development in multi-agent workflows.

Annual compensation range for this role is $100,000 - $135,000 depending on experience.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: LINK.

Nelnet is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful workplace where all associates have the opportunity to succeed. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we ensure that all qualified applicants are considered for employment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We value the unique contributions of every team member and believe that a positive work environment benefits everyone.  

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or corporaterecruiting@nelnet.net.

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.