Software Engineer

About Us

The Citizen Project

Our organization is dedicated to improving the lives of residents on Roosevelt Island by enabling collaboration among citizens, businesses, and city authorities to develop technology solutions to urban challenges and improve economic and environmental outcomes.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Volunteer Lead Software Engineer to guide the design, development, and maintenance of our digital platforms. This role combines technical leadership with hands-on development and mentorship, helping shape our long-term technology strategy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and development of software applications
• Define and implement technical standards, best practices, and coding guidelines
• Design and maintain cloud infrastructure using AWS
• Build and scale modern web applications using React
• Integrate and optimize geospatial and mapping features using Mapbox
• Conduct code reviews and ensure quality, security, and performance
• Mentor and support volunteer developers and interns
• Collaborate with product, operations, and program teams
• Translate organizational needs into technical solutions
• Manage technical documentation and workflows
• Support deployment, testing, and maintenance
• Identify opportunities for system improvements and innovation

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software development experience (or equivalent)
• Strong proficiency in modern JavaScript and web development
• Hands-on experience with:
  • AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, or related services)
  • React for frontend development
  • Mapbox for geospatial mapping and visualization
• Experience with RESTful APIs and system architecture
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
• Experience leading or mentoring technical teams
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and documentation skills
• Passion for social impact and volunteer work

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with nonprofits or volunteer-based teams
• Knowledge of data privacy, security, and compliance standards
• Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies
• Open-source project contributions
• UX/UI design or product management experience