Software Architect

About NextLink Labs NextLink Labs is a fast growing technology firm focused on helping companies build, scale, and secure their software applications and organizations. We believe that in order for companies, teams, and products to succeed, technology must be utilized effectively and securely. We pride ourselves in helping our clients win in their respective industries. As a remote-first company with team members spread out all across the country, NextLink Labs continuously works to ensure our work environment is comfortable and collaborative. We also aim to maintain an inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive professionally and live full lives outside of work. Position Summary NextLink Labs is seeking a versatile Software Architect to join our Custom Software Development consulting team. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in Ruby on Rails alongside a broad generalist's toolkit, and is comfortable moving across languages, frameworks, and problem domains as our client portfolio demands. This person will architect and build web applications for our clients while also contributing strategically to elevate our consulting practice. Key Responsibilities As a Software Architect with strong Ruby on Rails experience and a generalist's instincts, you will design and implement robust systems across a variety of client tech stacks, build end-to-end solutions, make architecture decisions to alleviate technical debt in legacy applications, and engage in technical conversations with clients to understand their pain points and shape the right solution. You'll mentor engineers and help establish internal best practices that raise the bar across the team. If you're a self-motivated engineer who enjoys ownership and variety, we'd love to talk. What You'll Do Design, develop, and maintain scalable web applications and APIs using Ruby on Rails Move fluently between Rails and other frameworks/languages depending on the client engagement Architect and implement service-oriented and microservices-based solutions Communicate directly with clients to give demonstrations and receive feedback Review legacy software applications to identify and remediate technical debt Work in an agile team environment with weekly stand ups Engage in code reviews of your teammates' work Contribute to internal NextLink Labs documentation and code templates Engage in thought leadership through blog posts, webinars, and other marketing materials Assist Sales and Marketing by joining scoping calls and providing technical input Required Qualifications 5+ years of experience building production web applications with Ruby on Rails Strong understanding of ActiveRecord, Rails conventions, background job processing (Sidekiq/Resque), and database optimization Experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs and integrating with third-party services Proficiency with relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred) Experience with GO & Kafka is desired. 3+ years of experience with at least one additional major framework or language (e.g., Django/Python, Node.jsy, Java) Experience with modern frontend frameworks (React, Vue, or similar) Ability to work independently and take ownership across a variety of software engagements Ability to scope individual features and full software projects based on client requests Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build buy-in, facilitate compromise, and guide client expectations Strong unit-testing and debugging abilities (RSpec, Minitest, or equivalent) Proficient understanding of version control systems (Git) Understanding of accessibility and security compliance Understanding of fundamental design principles behind a scalable application Strong problem-solving, analytical, and strategic thinking abilities, capable of making well-informed and timely decisions Nice to Have Experience with DevOps tooling (AWS, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes) Experience modernizing or migrating legacy Rails monoliths Previous consulting or client-facing engineering experience Why NextLink Labs We're a technical consulting firm that values clarity, ownership, and outcomes Competitive salary with bonus structure Remote-first culture, flexible work schedule, and autonomy to do your best work Healthcare (Medical, Dental, and Vision) and 401k Responsibility and autonomy at a growing company The opportunity to build something big and exciting Paid parental leave Visa Sponsorship At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or take over sponsorship for existing visas. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.