Senior UX Software Engineer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Software Engineer

Company: Charles River Analytics

Location: Cambridge, MA

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Software Engineering / Operations Technology

Date Posted: 2026-07-31

Experience Level: 7+ Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: Hybrid (60% onsite)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a high-performing engineering team focused on developing robust software solutions with a strong emphasis on User Experience (UX) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).

• Architect scalable and robust software systems, driving technical direction and ensuring feasibility, optimal technology selection, and system-level efficiency.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including UX researchers, subject matter experts, and customers, to deliver cutting-edge visualizations and interactive applications.

• Drive the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC), from requirements management and development to testing and deployment, while mentoring junior engineers.

• Contribute to proposal development for new research and development programs by leading technical elements and demonstrating engineering expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Software Engineer, indicating a blend of deep technical expertise in software development and a strong focus on user-centric design principles. The emphasis on leadership, mentoring, and technical direction suggests a role that bridges individual contribution with team management and strategic technical decision-making, particularly within the context of R&D and government programs. The hybrid work arrangement and specific onsite days are key logistical considerations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive engineering leadership, including mentoring junior engineers, conducting code reviews, defining tasks, directing technical efforts, and selecting appropriate technologies.

• Architect and define scalable, robust, and maintainable software systems aligned with customer and program requirements, ensuring adherence to best practices in system design and optimization.

• Collaborate with Principal Investigators (PIs) to understand, define, and prioritize technical requirements, meticulously tracking them within GitLab for efficient project management.

• Execute and oversee the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC), from initial requirements management through development, merge requests, rigorous testing, and final deployment, ensuring quality and efficiency at each stage.

• Foster direct, collaborative relationships with customers and external partners, acting as a key technical liaison to ensure project success and client satisfaction.

• Develop responsive, user-facing applications utilizing modern frameworks such as React, React Native, modern JavaScript, Unity, or other relevant technologies to create intuitive and engaging user interfaces.

• Lead the technical aspects of proposal writing for new research and development programs, leveraging past project successes and technical vision to secure future opportunities.

• Champion and implement DevSecOps practices throughout the SDLC, ensuring security and operational readiness are integrated from the outset.

• Understand and contribute to the planning and execution of test and evaluation events, ensuring software solutions meet rigorous quality and performance standards.

• Guide and collaborate with multi-performer teams on large-scale integration efforts, ensuring seamless deployment and functionality across complex systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a significant leadership component, extending beyond individual coding to include mentorship, architectural oversight, and client interaction. The mention of GitLab and DevSecOps points towards a modern development workflow. The requirement to lead proposal efforts indicates a strategic business development aspect to the role, common in R&D-focused organizations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a closely related technical field. Experience:

• Minimum of 7+ years of professional software development experience, with a strong preference for exposure to the full software development lifecycle (SDLC).

• Experience in Department of Defense (DoD) projects or environments is highly preferred. Required Skills:

• Proven ability to provide engineering leadership, including mentoring, code reviews, task definition, technology selection, and architectural guidance.

• Expertise in architecting scalable, robust software systems, considering factors like performance, maintainability, and security.

• Strong proficiency in modern web and/or desktop/mobile development frameworks, with a focus on user-facing applications (e.g., React, React Native, modern JavaScript, Unity/C#).

• Comprehensive understanding and practical experience with the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), including requirements management, development, testing, and deployment.

• Familiarity with DevSecOps practices and their implementation across the SDLC.

• Experience working with multi-performer teams on large-scale integration efforts.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to build relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.

• U.S. Citizenship is a mandatory requirement. Preferred Skills:

• Experience leading test and evaluation (T&E) events.

• Familiarity with API/Data Services such as HTTP, GraphQL, REST, gRPC, or WebSockets.

• Experience with back-end development using NodeJS, Python, C#, or Java Spring.

• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS EC2, OpenShift Virtualization) and containerization (Docker).

• Experience with various database technologies (e.g., Neo4j, Postgres, MongoDB, ElasticSearch).

• Familiarity with web mapping APIs like Cesium, GeoJson, Mapbox, or Leaflet.

• Experience with XR hardware (Oculus Quest, Hololens, HTC Vive).

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize leadership, SDLC mastery, and specific development competencies. The preferred skills offer a roadmap for candidates to highlight additional valuable expertise, particularly in specialized areas like cloud, databases, and XR technologies, which are relevant to Charles River Analytics' R&D focus. The U.S. Citizenship requirement is critical for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase of projects demonstrating expertise in architecting and developing scalable, robust software systems, highlighting architectural decisions and their rationale.

• Examples of user-facing applications developed, emphasizing responsive design, intuitive UX, and effective human-computer interaction.

• Case studies detailing contributions to the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), including requirements definition, development, testing strategies, and deployment processes.

• Demonstrations of leadership and mentorship, potentially through contributions to team processes, code reviews, or technical guidance provided to junior engineers.

• Evidence of experience with DevSecOps practices, illustrating how security and operational readiness were integrated into development workflows. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how requirements are gathered, defined, and tracked using tools like GitLab, demonstrating a structured approach to requirements management.

• Documentation or examples of architectural design patterns and principles applied in previous projects, emphasizing scalability, maintainability, and performance.

• Descriptions of testing methodologies and frameworks employed, showcasing a commitment to software quality and robustness.

• Case studies illustrating successful collaboration within multi-performer teams on large-scale integration efforts, detailing communication strategies and conflict resolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, as it will serve as tangible proof of the candidate's technical leadership, SDLC proficiency, and ability to deliver complex software solutions. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the processes behind their work, not just the end products.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $160,000 - $210,000 per year Benefits:

• Comprehensive health coverage: 100% employer-paid medical and dental insurance.

• Additional insurance: Vision, life, and disability insurance.

• Family support: Paid maternity and paternity leave.

• Professional development: Tuition reimbursement.

• Wellness: Monthly gym allowance.

• Convenience: Free parking.

• Work-life balance: Generous paid time off.

• Financial well-being: Bonus and retirement contribution (as part of an employee-owned company). Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility, with 60% onsite presence required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior Software Engineer role in the Cambridge, MA area. The benefits package is exceptionally strong, particularly the 100% employer-paid medical and dental, and the employee ownership aspect is a significant differentiator. The hybrid work arrangement requires a minimum of 3 days onsite, which candidates need to be aware of.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Research & Development, with a focus on AI, robotics, smart sensing, and human-centered computing. The company also serves government programs and the commercial marketplace. As part of GRVTY, there's an increased focus on mission-critical national security domains.

Company Size: Charles River Analytics is an employee-owned company, indicating a strong culture of shared ownership and collaboration. While the exact number of employees isn't specified, the mention of "organizational depth" and joining forces with GRVTY suggests a significant and growing entity.

Founded: Charles River Analytics became an employee-owned company in 2012, indicating a history of growth and strategic evolution. Their recent merger with GRVTY signifies a new phase of expansion and capability enhancement.

Team Structure:

• The role implies being part of an engineering team that collaborates closely with UX research leads, subject matter experts, and customers.

• The Senior UX Software Engineer will provide technical leadership and mentorship within this team.

• Reporting structure likely involves reporting to a Director of Engineering or similar leadership role, with direct interaction with Principal Investigators.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core aspect, involving teams focused on AI, robotics, and human-centered computing. Methodology:

• Emphasis on modern web, desktop, and mobile frameworks for developing visualizations and interactions.

• Commitment to the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), with a focus on agility and efficiency.

• Integration of DevSecOps practices for secure and robust development.

• Data-driven decision-making and a focus on delivering solutions to challenging problems.

• Collaborative approach to problem-solving and innovation.

Company Website: cra.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be highly collaborative, innovative, and focused on solving complex problems. The employee ownership model suggests a strong sense of commitment and shared success. The integration with GRVTY indicates a strategic direction towards expanding capabilities, particularly in national security.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior Engineer, indicating a significant level of experience and responsibility. It involves not only individual technical contribution but also leadership, mentorship, and strategic input into technology choices and project direction. This is a crucial step for individuals looking to move into technical leadership or management roles within a software engineering context.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Software Engineer will likely report to an Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering, or a Principal Investigator, depending on project structure. They will, in turn, mentor and guide junior engineers and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including UX researchers and subject matter experts.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the success of R&D projects by ensuring the development of robust, user-friendly, and technically sound software solutions. This directly influences the effectiveness of government programs and the competitiveness of commercial products. Leading technical elements of proposals also has a direct impact on the company's growth and pipeline.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Leadership: Opportunity to deepen expertise in system architecture, software design patterns, and emerging technologies within AI, robotics, and