Senior Software Engineer - Automation

Build automation that improves reliability and speed while working in a values-driven, ownership-oriented culture at Sammons Financial Group. This onsite Senior Software Engineer role in West Des Moines, IA pairs deep systems and security thinking with hands-on development, testing, and continuous improvement. You will collaborate across analysts, designers, and programmers, and also provide guidance to less experienced team members.

What you’ll do

Under general direction, you will help define system scope and objectives, devise or modify procedures for complex problems, and prepare detailed specifications that guide program development. Responsibilities span the full software lifecycle, including designing, coding, testing, debugging, documenting, and maintaining applications and automated test scripts.

• Collaborate with analysts, designers, and programmers on new software programs, applications, and automated test scripts
• Use expert knowledge of the organization’s Systems Development Life Cycle to drive delivery
• Lead the definition, development, and documentation of software requirements, objectives, deliverables, and specifications with internal users and departments
• Own project planning activities, including scoping, scheduling, and implementation planning
• Prepare and/or interpret business, functional, and non-functional requirements; create and maintain user-oriented applications and design specifications
• Design, develop, test, document, and implement applications according to standards and methodologies
• Develop automation scripts, follow automated test script guidelines, and research issues through testing
• Design, implement, and maintain databases while following database standards, integrity controls, and information requirements
• Plan and coordinate security measures to protect information resources from accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure
• Design and run functional and performance tests for new and existing programs, analyze results, and drive corrective solutions
• Recommend, schedule, and perform software improvements and upgrades
• Ensure compatibility and interoperability of systems; review and analyze system effectiveness and efficiency and develop improvement strategies
• Create system design models using E-R Diagrams, UML models, flow charts, and similar mechanisms
• Perform cost-benefit and ROI analysis to support management decisions
• Conduct research on emerging development products, languages, and standards for procurement and development efforts
• Liaise with software and hardware suppliers to address issues quickly
• Participate in cross-departmental projects when needed and cultivate best practices through training and mentoring
• Oversee quality assurance for program logic, data processing, and error resolution
• Use established status reporting, time accounting, and collaboration processes to provide data for management
• Maintain currency of professional, technical, and business skills

On-call and schedule

• Must be on call during scheduled times
• May be required to work extended hours at night and on weekends to support conversion, operational problem resolution, or testing of a new program

Technologies you may work with

• JavaScript, Node.js, REST APIs, JSON
• SQL, relational databases, Git/source control, CI/CD
• Automated unit, integration, API, regression, and end-to-end testing
• Playwright, Docker, Kubernetes
• C#, .NET, MongoDB, NoSQL
• Microsoft Azure and cloud platforms, Azure DevOps
• Event-driven or distributed architectures; performance and load testing; contract testing
• Observability, logging, metrics, distributed tracing
• Workflow and process automation
• LLM APIs, RAG, MCP, agentic workflows, AI evaluation and monitoring, guardrails, human-in-the-loop design
• Workflow and process automation, AI-enabled application development
• E-R Diagrams, UML models, flow charts

Requirements

• College degree in the field of computer science, information science, management information systems (preferred)
• Minimum 8 years IT development experience or equivalent (preferred)
• Effective verbal and written communication skills with business partners and IT staff
• Problem-solving skills to research and recommend solutions
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet established deadlines
• Ability to direct and coordinate the work of other team members on a project without HR management responsibility
• Knowledge of computer programming languages as required for the system
• Criminal background check required
• Work authorization required; Sammons Financial Group is not considering candidates who need immigration sponsorship now or in the future, including students on F1-OPT, F1-CPT, or J-1

What Sammons Financial Group offers

• Comprehensive health coverage for you and your family, including Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA & FSA options, and term life insurance
• Competitive compensation with a performance-based incentive program tied to clear goals and individual and/or company success
• 100% company-funded Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), plus automatic enrollment in 401(k)
• Friday afternoons off year-round, generous paid time off, and paid holidays
• Paid development time, tuition reimbursement, and professional development opportunities across industry, individual, and leadership programs
• Volunteer time off and a company nonprofit matching gift program
• Ownership culture grounded in Accountability, Connection, Openness, Respect, and Integrity

Compensation: USD 84,721 to 176,501 per year.

Location: West Des Moines, IA (onsite).

Equal Opportunity: Sammons Financial Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. Sammons participates in E-Verify.

Note: Sammons Financial Group maintains an internal Talent Acquisition function and does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from search firms, staffing agencies, or other third-party recruiting vendors.