Lead Software Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC

INTRODUCTION

Your success is a train ride away! As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees. Are you ready to join our team? Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.

ROLE

Opportunities: Lead & Principal Software Engineers for Digital Technology
Role can be based in Washington DC, Philadelphia, or Wilmington, DE. Requests for Remote work will be reviewed but not guaranteed. Amtrak will be hiring experienced Software Engineers to support our Digital Technology (DT) organization. Open positions may include:
- Lead Software Engineer
- Principal Software Engineer

Opportunities will exist across several Digital Technology teams supporting enterprise applications, cloud modernization, system integrations, and enhancements to core technology platforms. These engineering roles may support:
- Development of high-quality software systems
- Full-stack application development and architecture
- Cloud engineering and platform services
- API and microservices design
- Enhancements to enterprise systems (including SAP and related platforms)
- Mainframe/TPF modernization efforts
- Application support, testing, and deployment coordination
- Collaboration with business analysts, architects, and product teams to translate requirements into technical solutions

If you would like to be considered for upcoming Software Engineering positions, please apply here.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education, training and/or relevant experience.
- Plus 6 years of relevant work experience.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

- Lead the design, development, and deployment of enterprise-grade applications using Java, Spring Frameworks, and Angular.
- Architect and implement cloud-native solutions leveraging AWS services and container orchestration with Kubernetes.
- Drive best practices in Agile development, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps tooling (Jenkins, Git, Docker).
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality deliverables aligned with business objectives.
- Implement Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) methodologies to maintain robust and reliable code.
- Optimize application performance and scalability through effective database design and query tuning in PostgreSQL or other relational databases.
- Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to junior engineers and peers.
- Ensure compliance with security standards and industry best practices throughout the software development lifecycle.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience developing or modifying Java software applications and related technologies (Core Java, Spring Boot, Kafka, Node.js, Python, etc)
- Strong understanding of core internet technologies (HTTP, REST, database fundamentals, data modeling)
- Proficiency in SQL Server, Oracle, or similar relational databases
- Experience with frontend, backend, mobile, cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP), DevOps (Jenkins, Kubernetes, Docker), or a combination of these
- Ability to define, design, and implement integration plans
- Familiarity with Agile methodologies (SCRUM, SAFe)

ARCHITECTURE & LEADERSHIP (especially for Principal level)

- Ability to articulate complex architectures in actionable terms
- Experience serving as a point of escalation for technical issue resolution
- Ability to support or lead architectural decision-making
- Strong documentation and communication skills
- Experience mentoring or guiding engineering teams

ADDITIONAL PROFILE STRENGTHS

- Broad understanding of information systems and application architecture standards
- Experience with system maintenance, enhancements, or production support
- Ability to work under deadlines and manage changing priorities

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

- Proficient in Java, Spring Core, Spring Boot, Spring MVC, Spring Batch, and Spring Integration.
- Strong front-end development skills with Angular (latest versions), JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, and Material UI.
- Deep understanding of AWS cloud services and cloud-native application architecture.
- Solid experience with SQL/PostgreSQL and relational database design.
- Hands-on experience with Agile methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps tools (Jenkins, Git, Docker, Kubernetes).
- Familiarity with Jira and Confluence for project tracking and documentation.
- Strong knowledge of TDD and BDD principles.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Strong communication and interpersonal abilities to collaborate effectively with stakeholders.
- Proven leadership experience in guiding teams and delivering complex projects.

The salary/hourly range is $103,700 - $134,460 for the Lead Software Engineer and $124,600 - $161,352 for the Principal Software Engineer. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation.

In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.

RELOCATION OFFERED: No

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Up to 25%

RECRUITER NAME: Kelly Thompson
RECRUITER EMAIL: [[recruiterEmail]]

You power our progress through your performance. We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions. Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions require a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen. Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law. In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR * 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions. In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. * 1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses.

Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Amtrak is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race/color, to include traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to, hair texture and hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions, such as lactation), national origin/ethnicity, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.