Lead Software Engineer - Full Stack

An Introduction to Codal

Codal is an award-winning web design and development consultancy that helps enterprise organizations solve complex problems and accelerate growth through elegant, data-driven digital solutions. Our areas of expertise include application modernization, eCommerce, UX/UI design, product strategy, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

At Codal, you will collaborate with some of the most innovative organizations in the world and work on cutting-edge technologies that push the boundaries of design and software development. We promote long-term success, not just for our clients but for our team, helping you develop a professional roadmap that takes your career to new heights.

Job Summary 

Codal is searching for a Tech Lead to perform various architectural tasks and provide technical leadership. To ensure success, you should have experience leading a team of 4-6 engineers, plus extensive experience with designing architectures and web applications, ensuring the team delivers robust, scalable and secure solutions. This role involves hands-on coding and maintaining high quality and standards across the full stack to deliver high-performance technologies.

• Architectural Vision: Design and lead the implementation of system architectures, including both scalable microservices and well-structured monolithic solutions, tailored to project requirements.
• Backend & API Mastery: Establish and enforce best practices for backend development, focusing on robust API design (REST/GraphQL), security protocols (OAuth/JWT), and comprehensive technical documentation.
• Data Strategy: Define and manage the overall data persistence strategy, covering relational databases (PostgreSQL), NoSQL solutions (MongoDB), and high-performance caching layers (Redis).
• Infrastructure & DevOps Collaboration: Partner with the DevOps team on critical infrastructure management, including CI/CD pipeline optimization, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and effective utilization of AWS/Azure cloud services.
• Performance Optimization: Proactively identify and resolve performance bottlenecks within the backend stack, driving optimizations to enhance system latency and throughput.
• Mentorship & Quality Assurance: Elevate team capabilities through deep-dive code reviews, providing constructive feedback focused on security, maintainability, and architectural soundness.

Ideal candidate skills

• Experience: Ideally 6+ years of relevant experience in hands-on full-stack development and technical leadership.
• Architecture: Provide technical design architecture for implementing complex web applications and scalable backend systems.
• Mentorship: Conduct code reviews and provide technical guidance to team members to ensure best practices.
• Standards: Establish and maintain high standards of code quality, performance, and security across all project deliverables.
• Tech Stack: 3+ years of deep expertise in technologies including Node.js, React, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, and modern frontend & CMS frameworks.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• DevOps & Cloud: Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, AWS/Azure/GCP, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Data Systems: Expertise in software architecture, database systems (BigQuery/SQL/NoSQL), and cloud-native applications.
• Soft Skills: Strong communication, leadership, and Agile methodology skills.
• Execution: Demonstrated ability in delivery, scalability, and solving complex technical challenges.

Requirements

• 3+ years of engineering lead experience, managing a team of 4 to 6 people
• Must have good logical & programming skills for at least one language like NodeJS/Python
• Good track record in terms of finding slow code & vulnerabilities during code review
• Has delivered enterprise-level projects
• Must have active hands-on experience alongside a leading team of engineers
• Comfortable with leading a team of five
• Based in the Chicagoland area

Need another reason to hit the “apply” button?

• Codal is a global agency with over 200 employees, and offices in the US, Canada, the UK, and India 
• We regularly host happy hours, dinners, excursions, and other company events to unwind after a hard day at work
• Office snacks and drinks + a fancy Bevi water machine with flavored water 
• We offer Medical, Life, Dental/Vision, and many more insurance types 
• Employer 401k match - 4% 
• A recreational group that regularly competes in city leagues for softball and volleyball 
• An office in the heart of downtown Chicago with a gym, food court, Walgreens, rooftop bar, outdoor sports court, and other amenities
• Working hybrid for in-person collaboration and sprint-planning days

Note: Codal only communicates with candidates through official @codal.com email addresses. We never request payment during the hiring process. Please be vigilant regarding recruitment scams.

At Codal, we are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.