Optimal’s mission is to help students make informed decisions about their education by providing transparent, data-driven, and user-focused products. We embrace a culture of growth, experimentation, and creativity. Our small and agile team allows all members to exercise great responsibility and freedom, allowing each person to have a measurable impact on our business and experience continual growth. We reward results with a unique profit sharing program and encourage self-development through benefits like our tuition reimbursement program.

We’re looking for an experience Senior Software Engineer to join our team. Our experienced Ruby on Rails software engineers write and maintain complex code bases, process large amounts of data using advanced algorithms, and design front-end features to deliver unique value to our users. We embrace an agile mindset, delivering high quality products in a timely manner and working with team members across different divisions, like product and marketing, to come up with the best solutions.

Some of the technologies we use:

• Languages/Frameworks: Ruby on Rails, Javascript (ES6+), Web Components, HTML/CSS
• Databases: MySQL, Redis
• Search Engines: ElasticSearch
• Cloud: AWS including the S3, EC2

Principal Responsibilities:

• Integrate large and complex data sets from multiple sources into a single unified system through APIs
• Scale large datasets across multiple websites using a combination of relational and non-relational databases and search engines
• Maintain and build widgets for a custom in-house CMS
• Design and write performant code that delivers a seamless end-to-end user experience
• Participate in brainstorming sessions to solve difficult problems
• Provide technical guidance to HTML/CSS developers and team members in other divisions responsible for helping publish content
• Strong communication skills
• Responsible for our publishing machinery and ensuring we can maximize productivity in addition to managing direct reports.
  

• B.S. in Computer Science or relevant experience
• Experience in languages like Java, Ruby, Python, etc. for web projects - understanding of web frameworks (Rails) is a plus
• Clear understanding of HTTP and RESTful web standards
• Understanding of common pitfalls with designing and scaling database-driven applications
• Understanding of testing best practices
• Linux/Unix experience
• Dynamic, self-driven learner that isn't afraid to get their hands dirty
• Strong problem solving skills

Benefits: Profit-based bonuses; health, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) retirement contributions; competitive & flexible vacation policy (up to 6 weeks with seniority); tuition reimbursement program. charitable match & volunteer hours.

Our waterfront office is located in downtown Kirkland, WA. Prior to COVID, we kept our kitchen fully stocked, built an impressive collection of board games, and loved interacting with our troop of quirky office dogs. We are working remotely during COVID but continue to find ways to support one another through online activities, such as small group lunches, themed happy hours, and social Slack channels. We've even had a few masked-up outdoor gatherings for frisbee golf and apple picking. And yes, those quirky dogs—and now cats!—make occasional virtual appearances. We have opened all positions to be fully remote, so if and when the local team returns to the office, you can join us from anywhere virtually. We hope you'll consider becoming a part of our team at Optimal.

Optimal's policy is to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optimal prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.