Associate Software Engineer

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Technical 403 Pay Range: $72,000.00 - $108,000.00 Job Description At Western Governors University (WGU), technology plays a critical role in advancing our mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable education. Our engineering teams build the platforms, services, and tools that support millions of student interactions and empower employees across the university. We are looking for a Software Engineer II who is passionate about backend development and eager to grow their technical expertise while contributing to meaningful products that improve the student experience. As a Software Engineer II, you will help build scalable backend services and APIs that power modern web and mobile applications across WGU's digital ecosystem. This role is ideal for an engineer with a strong foundation in software development who is ready to deepen their experience working on production systems alongside experienced engineers and technical leaders. You will primarily focus on backend development using Java and Python while collaborating closely with engineers working in Angular and Flutter. You'll gain hands-on experience designing APIs, integrating systems, working with cloud-native technologies, and building reliable software solutions that support learners and employees. What You'll Do Develop, enhance, and maintain backend services and APIs using Java and Python Build and support RESTful APIs and backend integrations across multiple platforms Collaborate with frontend and mobile engineers to deliver end-to-end application features Write clean, maintainable, secure, and testable code Troubleshoot issues, debug applications, and contribute to performance improvements Participate in code reviews and technical discussions to improve engineering quality Support CI/CD pipelines, deployments, and operational excellence initiatives Learn and apply cloud-native development principles and backend engineering best practices Contribute to Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, and team collaboration activities Continuously improve technical skills while contributing to team goals and product outcomes Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience Professional experience developing software applications or backend services Experience with Java or Python development Understanding of backend application architecture and REST API design principles Familiarity with relational or NoSQL databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB Experience using Git and modern version control workflows Basic understanding of cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies and contribute within a collaborative engineering environment Preferred Qualifications Experience developing backend applications using Spring Boot, FastAPI, Flask, or Django Exposure to containerization technologies such as Docker Familiarity with CI/CD concepts and automated deployment practices Understanding of frontend integration patterns and API consumption Experience contributing to team-based software projects in academic, internship, open-source, or professional environments Exposure to Agile software development methodologies Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law. In 1997, a coalition of 19 U.S. governors founded Western Governors University with a singular vision: to make higher education more accessible by offering full degree programs online. Starting small, we quickly expanded. Today, we’re one of the largest accredited online universities in the U.S. Click on the links below to learn more: Enrollment Counselor Evaluator Field Experience Roles (Part-time & Intermittent) Program Mentor Service Desk Technician Mexico Team