Lead Software Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington
Washington is one of the most active states for lead software engineer visa sponsorship, driven by the massive tech presence in the Seattle metro area. Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta all maintain large engineering offices here and have consistent records of sponsoring H-1B visa and L-1 visas for senior engineering talent.
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Join Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) as a Lead Software Engineer where you will help shape the future of power system event analysis. The Synchrowave software team builds advanced tools that engineers around the world rely on to understand, diagnose, and improve power system performance.
In this role you will collaborate with developers, engineers, and UX designers to develop new products that automate event analysis, locate faults and prevent outages. Your work will play a key role in ensuring that Synchrowave products deliver accurate, reliable, and intuitive analyses to engineers who depend on SEL solutions every day. If you’re passionate about applying your software development skillset to create high-impact software tools that transform the way engineers analyze faults, we would be excited to welcome you to the Synchrowave team.
A typical day as a Lead Software Engineer might include:
- Designing and building features that automate power system event analysis, including fault location algorithms, waveform visualization, and reporting.
- Leading technical design discussions, writing design documents, and making architectural decisions that balance performance, maintainability, and usability.
- Mentoring developers on software design patterns and domain concepts.
- Collaborating with protection engineers and UX designers to translate complex workflows into intuitive software experiences.
- Investigating and resolving challenging technical issues.
This job might be for you if:
- You have 8+ years of professional software development experience, with demonstrated technical leadership, working knowledge and experience of electric power systems or other transferable knowledge and industry experience.
- You are proficient in multiple programming languages and have experience building desktop or web applications with complex data processing.
- You write clean, testable code and champion engineering best practices such as automated testing, continuous integration, and iterative delivery.
- You communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and can translate requirements into well-structured software designs.
- You have experience leading or mentoring a team of developers.
It is a plus if you have:
- Domain knowledge of electric power systems, protection and control, automation, and data analytics.
- Experience with full-stack development.
- Familiarity with containerization and microservice architectures.
- Experience efficiently applying AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, AI code review, AI-driven testing) to accelerate software delivery while maintaining code quality.
- Understanding of how to evaluate and integrate AI/ML capabilities into product features.
- Experience in electrical utilities, consulting, or system integration.
- Extensive experience with power systems and customers.
- Working knowledge of Vision or other PM Tracking Software.
- Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include:
- Develop engineers, specialists, and technicians; serve as a technical expert in software design and application for automation solutions.
- Research, innovate, and develop new solutions and processes.
- Review, approve, and complete scopes, budgets, and schedules with a high standard of quality.
- Lead project planning and support customers in design, configuration, validation, and deployment of solutions.
- Model and apply SEL Values, Principles of Operations, and World Class Manufacturing principles.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications Include:
- BS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
- Willingness to travel occasionally.
- Background check results satisfactory to SEL.
- Negative drug test result(s).
Location: Pullman, WA
This position is located in Pullman, WA. Nestled in Eastern Washington, offering an exceptional quality of life. Embrace the charm of small-town living with spacious surroundings, no traffic hassles, and easy access to outdoor adventures in nearby mountains, rivers, and forests. Plus, benefit from excellent schools and universities in the area.
Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work.
People are at the core of our company and we hire employee-owners. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.
- We’re 100% employee owned. Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options.
- We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
- We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay.
- We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.
- Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits.
Pay Range Data: $121,000 - $181,500 annually
We set starting pay based on job-related factors such as your experience, training, knowledge, and skills. We are looking to fill this position at the Lead level, and we welcome applicants with a range of experience. Depending on your background, we may consider you for a different level, with compensation aligned accordingly.
Lead Software Engineer: $102,500 - $153,700 annually
Development Lead Engineer: $121,000 - $181,500 annually
Senior Software Engineer: $142,800 - $214,100 annually
Communication with Applicants
We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at careers@selinc.com.
SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.
Lead Software Engineer Job Roles in Washington
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Search Lead Software Engineer Jobs in WashingtonLead Software Engineer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for lead software engineers in Washington?
Washington's strongest sponsorship activity for lead software engineers comes from Microsoft and Amazon, both headquartered in the Seattle area, along with major offices from Google, Meta, Apple, and Salesforce. Mid-size and growth-stage technology companies in Bellevue and Redmond also sponsor regularly. DOL Labor Condition Application disclosure data confirms Washington consistently ranks among the top states for H-1B filings in senior engineering roles.
Which visa types are most common for lead software engineer roles in Washington?
The H-1B is the most common visa category for lead software engineers in Washington, as the role qualifies as a specialty occupation requiring a related bachelor's degree or higher. L-1A and L-1B visas are also used frequently given the number of multinational tech companies headquartered here, particularly for engineers transferring from international offices. O-1A is an option for engineers with a strong record of industry recognition or significant contributions.
Which cities in Washington have the most lead software engineer sponsorship jobs?
Seattle and Bellevue account for the large majority of lead software engineer sponsorship activity in Washington. Redmond, home to Microsoft's main campus, is another concentrated hub. Kirkland hosts Google's second-largest U.S. engineering office. Outside the Seattle metro, Olympia and Spokane have limited sponsorship volume for these senior roles, so most candidates focus their search on King and Snohomish counties.
How to find lead software engineer visa sponsorship jobs in Washington?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles that include visa sponsorship, so you can search lead software engineer positions in Washington without sorting through listings from employers who don't sponsor. The platform focuses on international candidates, which means listings are matched to the actual sponsorship requirements of H-1B and other work visa categories relevant to senior engineering roles in Washington's tech sector.
Are there any Washington-specific considerations for lead software engineers seeking visa sponsorship?
Washington has no state income tax, which affects prevailing wage comparisons since DOL wage levels are set against local market rates in the Seattle metro, one of the highest-paying software engineering markets in the country. The University of Washington and Washington State University also supply a consistent pipeline of international graduate students on F-1 OPT, meaning many lead engineer candidates in this state transition from OPT to H-1B sponsorship through existing employers.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored lead software engineer jobs in Washington?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.