Software Development Engineer III
First seen by Alion on Jul 31, 2026.
Job Description :
We're not hiring someone to close tickets. We're hiring someone who makes us rethink how we build an AI-native, self-driven engineer who sets a new standard for the entire team.
If you're the kind of person who shipped a side project last weekend just because you were curious about a new API, read on.
What You'll Do :
Own full frontend domains end-to-end :
- From architecture decisions to the final pixel.
- You don't wait for a TRD to appear in Jira - you write it, break it into subtasks, automate what can be automated, and ship.
- You hold ownership of what you build post-release too.
Build AI-powered tooling & workflows :
- Use Cursor, Claude, and agentic flows to 10x your own output.
- Then build internal tools that let the whole team do the same - from AI-assisted PR reviews to automated task breakdown to type-safe API hook generators. You consume AI and you create with it.
Propose, pitch & cross-pollinate :
- Identify cross-functional opportunities - in product, QA, DevOps, backend, business - and pitch them.
- Every quarter you should be landing at least one idea that wasn't in anyone's roadmap yet.
- You think in user impact and system impact simultaneously.
Set the standard others measure themselves against :
- Your PRs, your documentation, your incident responses, your code quality - all of it becomes the benchmark.
- You run knowledge sessions, document your workflows publicly, and make others feel like they need to level up just to keep pace.
Monitor, audit, and fix proactively :
- P95 LCP, TypeScript coverage, test coverage, incident SLAs - you track these without being asked.
- You build dashboards. You catch regressions before customers do. You care about the system's health like it's your product.
What We're Looking For :
- Core skills : TypeScript (strict), React (deep), Performance engineering, AI-native workflows, TanStack Query, Jest/RTL, Storybook, Next.js/BFF patterns, Zod/API contracts, CI/CD fundamentals, Web Vitals & observability, Cursor IDE.
- Mindset non-negotiables : Inquisitive by nature, Self-driven, Product thinking, Cross-domain fluency, Strong communicator, Startup mentality, Side projects, Builder's itch.
Green Flags & Red Flags :
- We'll move fast for you if : You can walk us through your AI workflow fluently. You've built something on a weekend just to try a new tool. You have side projects - released or not.
- You've simplified your own workflow so much that your output embarrasses your past self. You ask questions that make us rethink things. You've crossed domains - shipped something that touched backend, DevOps, or product strategy.
- Instant disqualifier if : You can only think inside the ticket. You wait to be told what to build next. You've never experimented with AI tools beyond a ChatGPT prompt. You haven't shipped or attempted anything outside your job description. You need a manager to spot problems for you.
SDE3 Fast-Track :
No fixed timeline. You drive it.
1. Land & demonstrate bar-raising output : Ship independently, document your AI workflows, set visible quality standards in PRs and code reviews.
2. Drive cross-functional initiatives : Pitch and land at least one initiative that spans product, design, or backend. Show architectural thinking.
3. Build something that outlasts you : A tool, a framework, a workflow, a system that the team uses after you built it. Present a case study.
4. Become the reference point : When the team debates an approach, they ask what you'd do. That's SDE3. It can happen in 3 months if you're exceptional.
We're building a team where AI-native isn't a buzzword - it's table stakes. The person we hire for this role won't just use AI to go faster. They'll redefine what fast means for everyone around them. If the rest of the team doesn't feel a little pressure to upskill after your first month, we haven't found the right person yet.
If you're still reading this and nodding - we'd like to meet you.
Skills
UI, Frontend Architecture, TypeScript, React.js, Next.js