Lead Software Engineer (Portals)
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 10, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 10, 2026.
About SoundExchange
SoundExchange is the largest global neighboring rights organization in the world, redefining how creators in the music industry get paid. By turning data into fast, accurate revenue for artists and rights owners, we have collected and distributed more than $13 billion in digital performance royalties to date on behalf of more than 800,000 music creators. As the sole organization designated by the U.S. government to administer the Section 114 sound recording license, SoundExchange seamlessly collects and distributes digital performance royalties from platforms like Pandora, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, and thousands more, as well as all available international performance royalties through a strong global partnership network.
Title: Lead Software Engineer/Engineering Manager (Portals Team)
Department: Technology
Job Location: Washington, DC or anywhere (Continental US) (If local, on-site Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Reports To: Director, Engineering
Supervisory Role: No
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Summary:
The Lead Software Engineer for our Portals team will be a key contributor to full lifecycle software development while coaching, leading, and mentoring their small technical team. This role oversees the technical details and day-to-day execution of all new features and operational activities within the development team in collaboration with the technical product owner. The Lead Engineer is a critical element in our agile delivery process for new features and capabilities to support our growing music royalty processing platform.
Essential Functions:
- Provide hands-on technical leadership to a small team of software engineers
- Collaborate across teams to estimate, design, develop, support, test, and deliver data driven solutions
- Facilitate architecture discussions and decision-making both within and across teams
- Interface with key project stakeholders, mentor team members, and promote and improve software engineering practices
- Demonstrate responsibility, accountability, and dedication to engineering team and company success
- Establish and promote use of technologies and processes that lower risk and increase efficiency
- Support and improve software development standards and best practices, including generative coding, peer reviews, and source control
- Support and improve existing software applications and design, or collaborate on designing, new software applications or features
- Take responsibility for full Agile SDLC, especially from refinement to release
- Lead, coach, and develop team members by setting clear expectations, providing timely feedback, supporting growth, and fostering a collaborative and accountable work environment
Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSAs):
- Proficiency at designing and developing software using many of the following: Python, Django, SQL (Postgres), AWS (S3, ECS, OpenSearch, RDS, Cloudfront, etc.), JavaScript, Typescript, JPax, Git, Kiro
- Experience with Terraform or other infrastructure as code technologies
- Experience with Vue3 or other UI frameworks
- Experience with migrating legacy application to modern technologies
- Experience building enterprise software with complex business rules and data models
- Experience designing and developing microservices or other distributed systems
- Experience with scaling to work with large data sets
- Ability to influence and communicate effectively with team members, peers, and business partners
- Proficiency in Agile software development methodology, processes, and practices
Required Education, Certifications/ Licenses, Related Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent experience
- 7 or more years of experience in software engineering
- At least 2 years of experience leading a software engineering team
ADA Specifications:
- This position requires the ability to remain in a stationary position (standing and/or seated) all of the time
- This position requires the ability to spend all of the time viewing computer monitors
Travel Requirements:
- If hired remote, this person is expected to travel to the Washington DC corporate office as needed (3-4 times per year).
PAY RANGE: $171,000.00 - $209,000.00
Note:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary.
Taking Care Of The Band:
At SoundExchange we empower creators and help shape the future of music. One way we do this is by respecting different voices, varied perspectives, and distinct backgrounds of all our team members. We are intentional in creating a culture where we recognize that all employees have the opportunities and support needed to thrive. We strive to create teams that reflect the music community we serve - every individual’s unique attributes and abilities are valued, and are part of how we innovate, create, and deliver experiences to the creators we champion.
SoundExchange has an employee-led committee that focuses on amplifying different voices and backgrounds and undertakes activities to promote inclusion and access. It helps to cultivate SoundExchange culture and policies, advocates for equality within the music industry, and participates in community building activities in the Washington, DC area where SoundExchange is located.
All with the goal of promoting more belonging and access in the workplace, music industry, and local community.
Accommodations:
SoundExchange is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access the SoundExchange Careers website as a result of your disability. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis. If you need an accommodation, please email [email protected].