Lead Software Engineer

Job Description

Join a leading legal technology firm at the forefront of AI-driven legal tools, where you'll play a critical role in designing and deploying innovative software solutions that empower attorneys and legal professionals across the industry.

Role Overview

This senior software development leadership position involves architecting, developing, and maintaining advanced legal applications, AI-powered features, and automation systems. The successful candidate will directly contribute to building scalable, secure, and efficient software solutions while guiding a specialized tech team. This role offers the opportunity to influence cutting-edge AI integration and system architecture in a dynamic, regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design, development, and deployment of custom legal and AI-driven applications, from requirements analysis to production support
• Architect, implement, and optimize CI/CD pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI to facilitate rapid, reliable software releases
• Design, deploy, and manage containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes) supporting scalable and portable applications in cloud or hybrid infrastructures
• Champion responsible AI development practices, including integrating large language models (LLMs), RAG pipelines, and agentic workflows into legal software solutions
• Develop and refine evaluation methodologies for AI system quality, including accuracy assessment, hallucination risk mitigation, and compliance with security standards
• Mentor developers through code reviews, pairing, and technical coaching, emphasizing Python best practices and full lifecycle development skills
• Collaborate with legal professionals and IT leadership to translate business needs into robust technical solutions
• Identify, prioritize, and remediate technical debt, security vulnerabilities, and system bottlenecks within critical software environments
• Lead design and implementation of AI/LLM-powered features, such as document classification, e-discovery automation, and AI-assisted legal research tools
• Conduct comprehensive testing (unit, integration, and end-to-end) to ensure high-quality deliverables in regulated industry environments

Core Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field; equivalent practical experience acceptable
• 7+ years of professional software development experience with at least 2+ years in a senior or lead role
• Extensive hands-on expertise in Python, including frameworks such as Django, FastAPI, and Flask
• Proven track record across the full software development lifecycle-requirements gathering, architecture, coding, testing, deployment, and support
• Strong experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI)
• Deep expertise in containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) for scalable, portable environments
• Experience integrating AI APIs/models (e.g., OpenAI LLMs, Claude, Harvey) into production legal applications
• Proficiency in web technologies, including TypeScript/JavaScript, and familiarity with frameworks like NextJS (preferred)
• Cloud deployment experience across Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, with a focus on security compliance in regulated sectors
• Familiarity with MLOps practices, model lifecycle management, and infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, Bicep, CloudFormation)
• Knowledge of legal or financial industry security standards, with experience supporting sensitive data workflows and e-discovery processes

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field
• .NET development experience (C#, ASP.NET Core), especially in legacy or migration projects
• Experience with Microsoft 365 integrations, including Microsoft Graph and Copilot
• Building RAG pipelines, multi-agent systems, or agentic workflows
• Knowledge of legal, financial services, or other highly regulated industries with stringent security requirements
• Experience with MLOps pipelines and model lifecycle management tools

Core Technical Skills

• Python (Django, FastAPI, Flask) AI/LLM APIs (OpenAI, Claude, Harvey) CI/CD (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI) Docker Kubernetes Cloud Platforms (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud) TypeScript/JavaScript Web frameworks (NextJS) Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep, CloudFormation) MLOps Security Standards in Regulated Environments