Description
Trailhead Senior Engineer Job Description
Trailhead is the engine powering the next generation of digital learning, and we are looking for a Senior Member of Technical Staff (SMTS) to help build the biggest shift in software since the cloud. We are currently mobilizing our community as a force multiplier for the "Agentblazer" movement—a global effort to equip leaders and early adopters with the skills needed to navigate an AI-driven world. In this role, you will be a key contributor within a distributed, collaborative team of engineers dedicated to scaling this learning ecosystem exponentially. You will help foster a culture of transparent communication and high-quality code, ensuring that Trailhead remains the most engaging and effective way for our customers to learn and grow.
Technically, you will execute the evolution of our platform as we bridge our core stack with the latest industry innovations. While our foundation is built on Ruby on Rails, Node.js, and React deployed on Heroku, you will be instrumental in our strategic shift toward high-performance, modular web architectures. You will leverage your technical expertise to build seamless user experiences, contributing to the "learning engine" that delivers high-impact developer events and hands-on workshops. Your role is critical in maintaining the stability, security, and "fun factor" that defines the Trailhead brand while helping the team "skill up" on modern engineering practices.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter who thrives on ownership and can navigate the pressures of a fast-paced environment with a great sense of humor. Success in this position requires being an effective collaborator who can provide insightful feedback through code reviews and possess the communication skills to align with a distributed workforce. We value engineers who don't just write code but influence the product, helping to transform Trailblazers into Agentblazers who drive real change within their organizations.
Responsibilities
Feature Development: Build and deliver complex, end-to-end features by writing maintainable, high-quality code across the full stack (Ruby on Rails and React).
Code Excellence: Perform rigorous code reviews to ensure code is well-tested, maintainable, and adheres to SOLID design principles.
Technical Mentorship: Provide guidance to junior and mid-level engineers, sharing knowledge on refactoring, performance optimization, and testing strategies.
System Design: Participate in architecture and design discussions, helping to document new systems and identify ways to minimize technical debt.
Testing & Quality: Design and execute comprehensive test plans, including unit, functional, and integration tests to ensure a high-quality user experience.
Operational Support: Support editorial and marketing teams by debugging production issues and ensuring the platform operates at peak performance.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: 7+ years of professional experience with object-oriented programming (Ruby, Python, Java, or Go).
Full-Stack Proficiency: Strong professional experience with Ruby on Rails or an equivalent MVC framework (e.g., Django, Laravel, or Spring Boot) and React (or similar modern frameworks).
Technical Standards: A deep understanding of what good, well-factored code looks like and the ability to discuss the trade-offs of different technical approaches.
Web Fundamentals: Strong command of HTML, CSS, and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
Datastore Knowledge: Solid experience with relational databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL) and a strong understanding of relational database design and schema theory.
Cloud Platforms: Experience deploying and managing applications on Heroku or major cloud environments (e.g., AWS, GCP, or Azure).
Communication: Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent professional experience.
Preferred Skills
Modern Frontend: Proven ability to build high-performance, native React components integrated with robust design systems.
Advanced Tooling: Working experience with Node.js, TypeScript, and automated testing frameworks (e.g., Cypress.io, Jest, or Selenium).
Infrastructure & Scaling: Experience with Redis, Memcached, or other caching layers, as well as exposure to containerization (e.g., Docker) to improve application performance.
Agile Mindset: Experience working in an Agile environment with short release cycles for public-facing products.
Collaboration: A proactive, "can-do" attitude with a passion for making learning fun and accessible to everyone.