Washington Post
Staff Full Stack Software Engineer, Content Creation
Washington Post, Washington, DC
Job Description
The Washington Post is seeking a Staff Engineer to enhance our content management systems (CMS) in response to the dynamic needs of a modern newsroom. As a Staff Engineer, you will be a cornerstone of technical leadership, fostering innovation and high standards within our CMS team.
In this role, you will work closely with cross-functional teams, including editorial, product, and engineering, to deliver scalable, efficient solutions that enhance the user experience. You will model quality coding practices, establish reusable components, and develop frameworks that other teams can leverage. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of content management systems, a commitment to sustainable coding practices, and the ability to keep up with emerging technology trends. We are looking for a strategic thinker with strong technical skills and a collaborative mindset, someone who can drive team alignment on best practices, champion ethical standards, and help shape the future of digital journalism at The Washington Post.
Motivation
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Compensation and Benefits
Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:
Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.
The salary range for this position is:
131,500.00 - 219,100.00 USD Annual
The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.
The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
The innovation doesn't end in the Newsroom - dozens of teams power The Washington Post. We are now hiring the next innovator - how will you Impact Tomorrow?
#washpostlife
The Washington Post is seeking a Staff Engineer to enhance our content management systems (CMS) in response to the dynamic needs of a modern newsroom. As a Staff Engineer, you will be a cornerstone of technical leadership, fostering innovation and high standards within our CMS team.
In this role, you will work closely with cross-functional teams, including editorial, product, and engineering, to deliver scalable, efficient solutions that enhance the user experience. You will model quality coding practices, establish reusable components, and develop frameworks that other teams can leverage. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of content management systems, a commitment to sustainable coding practices, and the ability to keep up with emerging technology trends. We are looking for a strategic thinker with strong technical skills and a collaborative mindset, someone who can drive team alignment on best practices, champion ethical standards, and help shape the future of digital journalism at The Washington Post.
Motivation
- You exemplify inspiring leadership that makes your team a sought-after environment for high-caliber talent.
- Your communication skills bridge technical and non-technical domains, facilitating smooth cross-functional collaboration.
- A passion for continuous improvement drives you to adopt innovations where they add value, focusing on sustainable solutions.
- With a user-focused mindset, you approach both external and internal projects with a view toward long-term maintainability and impact.
Responsibilities
- Lead the development and architectural decisions for complex features and epics, emphasizing performance, scalability, and testability.
- Promote quality coding patterns, reusable code, and scalable architecture across applications and teams.
- Break down large projects into manageable tasks, defining milestones and coordinating parallel work streams.
- Actively mentor peers and share knowledge across the organization through documentation, technical discussions, and hands-on collaboration (e.g., pair programming).
- Implement and refine testing strategies, aiming to catch issues early and reduce technical debt.
- Proactively address bugs, anticipating and resolving issues sustainably.
- Set up and maintain effective alerting, monitoring, and observability for team systems; participate in on-call rotation, managing escalations with clarity.
- Collaborate with Product Managers (PMs) to define requirements and stretch goals, ensuring project plans align with product objectives, technical standards, and ethical guidelines.
- Write and maintain detailed technical, design, and architectural documents; encourage thoughtful debate on design and product decisions within the team.
- Serve as an advocate for industry best practices, representing the organization at conferences and in technical communities.
- Lead the adoption of new metrics, contribute to data-driven improvements, and ensure adherence to accessibility, ethical, and sustainability standards (e.g., W3C and IEEE).
- Foster psychological safety within the team, guiding discussions to stay productive and constructive.
- Drive team-wide alignment on technical and project strategies, and offer structured, actionable feedback to peers.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree preferred, with a focus in computer science, engineering, business, or a related technical field.
- Minimum of 8 years of relevant technical experience, including at least 6 years in software development.
- Expertise in coding, architectural design, and maintaining sustainable, extensible systems.
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to balance trade-offs in technology choices to meet business and technical goals.
- Proficient in React, JavaScript, and AWS; experience with Java/Kotlin, CDN configuration, NGINX, and performance tools (e.g., Lighthouse) is a plus.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of engaging technical and non-technical stakeholders alike.
- Commitment to software ethics, data minimization, and responsible technology use in line with accessibility, sustainability, and industry standards.
Compensation and Benefits
Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:
- Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
- Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
- Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
- Nine paid holidays and two personal days
- 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
- Robust mental health resources
- Backup care and caregiver concierge services
- Gender affirming services
- Pet insurance
- Free Post digital subscription
- Leadership and career development programs
Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.
The salary range for this position is:
131,500.00 - 219,100.00 USD Annual
The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.
The Post strives to provide its readers with high-quality, trustworthy news and information while constantly innovating. That mission is best served by a diverse, multi-generational workforce with varied life experiences and perspectives. All cultures and backgrounds are welcomed.
The innovation doesn't end in the Newsroom - dozens of teams power The Washington Post. We are now hiring the next innovator - how will you Impact Tomorrow?
#washpostlife