Staff Software Engineer/Architect

This role centers on designing and delivering production services, guiding architectural decisions, and progressing toward platform ownership within Cooper Flooring's technology landscape.

Responsibilities

• Develop production grade backend services in Python, including FastAPI based APIs that power the business, taking ownership from design through implementation and operation.
• Create a practical React based user interface that operators, office staff, and field personnel rely on daily.
• Shape and evolve the relational data model, manage migrations, and maintain a clean PostgreSQL platform; migrations are treated as core work.
• Make and defend architectural decisions, defining domain boundaries, integration contracts, access control models, and data shapes with documented rationale for smooth handoffs.
• Design portable API integrations between internal services and external partners, prioritizing interoperability over vendor lock-in.
• Establish and enforce development standards, conventions, review gates, and guardrails that enable fast delivery without drift.
• Manage the Azure based infrastructure, including Container Apps, Static Web Apps, Docker workloads, networking, Key Vault, and identity via Microsoft Entra ID.
• Own the delivery pipeline including CI/CD, automated deployments, environment management, and infrastructure as code.
• Embed security and compliance by design, covering identity controls, secrets handling, monitoring, vulnerability remediation, and SOC 2 support within code and data models.
• Participate in disaster recovery and business continuity planning for the platform.

Requirements

• Minimum of five years building and shipping production web applications as the owner, with strong Python backend experience (FastAPI or equivalent) and React frontend expertise.
• Proficient in relational data modeling and migrations, with PostgreSQL preferred.
• Demonstrated architectural judgment, with a track record of designing systems, making trade-offs, and articulating rationale, including reflections on future choices.
• Working competence in Microsoft Azure and cloud native operations, including containers (Docker), CI/CD, networking, and identity basics; deeper depth is a plus, with a willingness to grow.
• Security integrated into design from the start, not bolted on later.
• Capable of thriving in a small, high trust team: self directed, low ego, ownership of outcomes end to end, and a focus on the software’s operational impact.

Technologies

• Python
• FastAPI
• React
• PostgreSQL
• Azure
• Container Apps
• Static Web Apps
• Docker
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Key Vault

Benefits

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

AI and Automation

AI is used deliberately and at scale, with Claude Code serving as a primary development accelerator. AI features are integrated into the platform with guardrails; the default pattern is to propose structured AI suggestions for human approval, while sensitive data is guarded by design. You will identify high value opportunities to apply AI to development, reporting, and operations, upholding a responsible and secure posture.

Our Architecture Has Opinions

• Structural emphasis over cultural norms
• Architecture Decision Records are maintained
• Append only activity streams enforced at the database level
• Claims based access control applied consistently
• PII free AI egress by design, not by afterthought
• Portability first
• KISS and defer with a named trigger

Not Required

Experience with our legacy FileMaker system is not required; it is being retired and the successor does not need to learn it.

How We Hire

The primary focus is judgment rather than resume items. Expect discussions of real architectural decisions from our platform with conclusions removed, and be prepared to reason aloud about how you would approach them. We are assessing how you think about this platform and whether you would improve or generalize it rather than memorize a framework.

Why This Role Matters

The CIS platform is a strategic asset currently concentrated in a small number of individuals. This role is about building a durable, scalable foundation, becoming a peer and eventually a successor who ensures the technology base outlives any single engineer and supports future growth.

Pay

Salary range: USD 77,322.59 to 93,119.67 per year.

Work Location

Hybrid remote in Carrollton, TX 75006.

Nice to Have (and Teachable)

• Deeper Azure specialization across architecture, security operations, and infrastructure as code at scale
• Experience with operational, field service, logistics, or home improvement domains
• Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions, reporting and business intelligence, workflow automation
• Experience applying AI to real engineering and operational work