Senior Software Engineer
Braven
Senior Software Engineer
Braven
Non-profit career-readiness program for underrepresented students
Braven · Chicago, United States (Hybrid) · Full-time · Posted 2026-07-30
Workplace: hybrid
Department: Systems
Job Title: Senior Software Engineer
Team: Systems
Location: Hybrid in Chicago (IL) or Newark (NJ)
Employment Type: Full-time
FLSA Classification Exempt
Start Date: ASAP
Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.
We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students, followed by support that lasts through graduation.
Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.
To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs.
In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000-100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Senior Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of the platform, tools, and automation that power Braven’s programs. On the Systems team, we prioritize impact, ship the simplest thing that works, and iterate as we learn, balancing the agility to move quickly with the discipline of strong engineering practices and keeping real impact on students’ lives ahead of elegant code. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will take ownership of complex, end-to-end full-stack initiatives across our learning platform, data systems, and the AI and automation that scale our programs, raising the technical bar through architecture and code reviews and mentoring engineers as the team grows.
This role is on the Systems team and reports directly to the Sr Dir, Software Engineering.
Design and ship complex features (60%)
Raise the team’s technical bar (25%)
Collaborate and stay current (15%)
Other duties as assigned
Preferred Qualifications
Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.
Work Demands
Additional Requirements
Application & Interview Process
While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:
Braven provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:
Compensation
Braven offers opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly relative to one another, their qualifications, and their impact on the organization, and we take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each offer is carefully determined using external and internal benchmarks.
The hiring range is determined by role scope, qualifications, and internal equity, with annual growth based on performance. Braven does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth as $111,300 - $139,000 in Chicago and $122,500 - $153,100 in Newark. This is based on a 50-hour work week. This is a full-time, regular, exempt, and benefits-eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.
Please note that Braven is firm in its compensation philosophy; therefore, only candidates who believe our total rewards package aligns with what they are looking for in their next opportunity are encouraged to apply.
Location
We gather in the office 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday) and work remotely 2 days a week (Monday and Friday). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of one of our hubs: Chicago or Newark. We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.
Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.
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Braven is a non-profit that partners with colleges, employers, and funders to help underrepresented and first-generation students move from college to strong first jobs. It delivers career readiness through the Braven Accelerator, a semester-long, credit-bearing course with online modules and in-person learning labs. Fellows work in cohorts on real-world challenges and receive coaching from volunteer professionals, plus Leadership Coaches who guide groups and develop their own management skills; after the accelerator, they gain ongoing alumni support, mentoring, and access to internships and jobs. Braven collaborates with public universities and offers BravenX, a fully virtual option with stipends, aiming to broaden networks, build skills, and reduce underemployment to promote education equity.
Explore more opportunities at Braven