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 408
Pay Range: $116,000.00 - $174,100.00
Job Description
The Software Engineer II is an early- to mid-career contributor that has a combination of formal education and experience in the software engineering field. They are responsible for the research, design, development, analysis, testing, and implementation of software operating or application systems. They communicate project information to client, project manager, or other design personnel working on projects. They maintain good working relationships with clients and staff. They write and maintain complete documentation. They support team members and ensure established goals and deadlines are met. They keep management informed of status and significant problems.
Primary Responsibilities
- Serve as a contributing member of the software engineering team, supporting the development and delivery of high-quality software solutions.
- Maintain accountability for the quality, reliability, and performance of services within assigned areas of ownership.
- Deliver projects on time, within budget, and aligned to defined scope and business objectives.
- Demonstrate proficiency in core software engineering principles and at least one technical specialty area, such as databases, middleware, integrations, or user interface development.
- Contribute to team effectiveness through collaboration, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Participate in knowledge transfer and professional development activities to expand technical expertise and increase overall contribution.
- Act as a subject matter expert within assigned areas, providing accurate and authoritative guidance when needed.
- Support rapid identification and resolution of production issues to minimize service disruptions and restore functionality efficiently.
- Apply practical testing strategies that balance quality, risk, delivery timelines, and cost while ensuring appropriate coverage.
- Translate functional, non-functional, and implied business requirements into scalable, maintainable technical designs and code.
- Identify gaps, risks, and ambiguities in requirements and proactively recommend solutions.
- Develop clear technical requirements and documentation that can be effectively interpreted and implemented by others.
- Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong understanding of software development processes, including planning, coding, testing, measurement, security, abstraction, algorithms, complexity, reuse, and development tools.
- Experience utilizing engineering tools and technologies related to application development, including database management, user interface development, APIs, and system integrations.
- Ability to design and develop software solutions that meet both functional and non-functional requirements while incorporating best practices in security, scalability, fault tolerance, and maintainability.
- Working knowledge of software design methodologies, including object-oriented, function-oriented, and data-centered design approaches.
- Understanding of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies and the ability to evaluate the strengths, limitations, and practical applications of different development models.
- Knowledge of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) concepts and cloud-based architectures, including considerations for scalability, reliability, performance, and cost optimization.
- Ability to leverage data and metrics to evaluate system performance and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Ability to explain system functionality and architecture to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong partnership mindset when collaborating with operations, support teams, and cross-functional partners to resolve issues and improve system performance.
- Demonstrated sense of urgency and accountability when addressing technical challenges and production incidents.
- General awareness of the higher education landscape, particularly online education delivery models.
- Openness to innovation, experimentation, and adopting new technologies and approaches.
- Ability to contribute to a collaborative, high-performing team environment through professional and constructive interactions.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with different audiences, actively listen, and escalate issues appropriately.
- Ability to identify technical risks, assess potential impacts, and collaborate with senior engineers and leaders on mitigation strategies.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field.
Education Substitution
Equivalent professional experience may be substituted for educational requirements. Generally, one year of directly related experience may be considered equivalent to one year of required education, at the discretion of the hiring manager.
- 3+ years of experience developing web-based applications and web services using Java, REST APIs, and related web technologies.
- 2+ years of hands-on experience with:
- Java (Spring Framework, Apex)
- JavaScript (Angular)
- AWS
- Docker
- Experience working with relational databases and integrating third-party solutions into existing technology ecosystems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with development tools such as IntelliJ IDEA, VS Code, Git, and Jira.
- Experience working within Agile and Scrum development environments.
- Experience with identity and access management technologies, including IDM and OSSO.
- Experience with Hibernate, Seam, Banner, or similar enterprise platforms.
- Experience integrating with legacy systems and enterprise applications.
- Experience with cloud-native application development and modernization initiatives, including migration or refactoring of on-premises applications to cloud environments (preferably AWS).
- Experience with J2EE, Java EE, JavaScript, and SQL.
- Relevant technical certifications in cloud, software development, or related technologies.
This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.
LI-JW1
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.
