Director of Software Engineering

About CJA

The New York City Criminal Justice Agency (CJA) is a not‑for‑profit service and research organization that partners with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. CJA is NYC’s main pretrial services agency, combining operations, pilot projects, and research. It uses procedural justice practices to provide pretrial services to over 100,000 arrestees annually and maintains internal and externally shared database systems for descriptive and evaluation research on arrestee characteristics, case processing, court outcomes, and policy reform.

Information Technology

Posted: 5/14/2026

Position Summary

The Director of Software Engineering leads the design, delivery, and operation of CJA’s enterprise application platforms, ensuring secure, scalable, and reliable systems that support mission‑critical operations. The role owns the full software development lifecycle, provides technical leadership, and partners with business and IT leadership to translate operational needs while balancing delivery speed, stability, and governance in a regulated, high‑availability environment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design, delivery, and operation of enterprise application platforms, ensuring secure, reliable, and scalable systems that support mission‑critical operations.
• Own the full software development lifecycle, including architecture, feature delivery, release management, and production readiness, coordinating deployment and reliable operation with infrastructure teams.
• Establish and enforce software engineering standards, best practices, and governance frameworks (code quality, testing, CI/CD, technical decision‑making).
• Ensure high availability and performance of applications supporting 24/7 operations, including monitoring, incident response, and continuous improvement of system stability.
• Define and drive architecture and modernization strategy, including cloud‑native patterns, API‑driven design, and containerized environments.
• Lead and grow the Software Engineering team, including hiring, mentoring, and driving accountability for delivery, quality, and professional development.
• Partner with executive leadership and business stakeholders to translate operational needs into scalable technical solutions.
• Oversee software‑related vendors, consultants, and service providers, ensuring alignment with engineering standards, delivery expectations, and cost management.
• Contribute to IT strategy, roadmap planning, and cross‑functional initiatives, collaborating with Data Platform, Infrastructure, and Solution Delivery teams.
• Champion NYCJA’s values and principles.

Ideal Candidates

We seek a hands‑on technical leader with experience building and operating enterprise application platforms in regulated, mission‑critical environments. The role requires leading and growing a Software Engineering team with full accountability for delivery, system reliability, and long‑term platform sustainability. Ideal candidates bring experience owning application systems at scale and have demonstrated the ability to set technical direction while maintaining strong execution. They are comfortable in complex environments, balancing competing priorities and making sound trade‑offs across speed, stability, and cost. As an effective leader and collaborator, they influence across teams, translate business needs into practical, scalable solutions, and can align stakeholders toward common outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in software development, including production systems.
• Five (5) years of leading software engineering teams with accountability for delivery and outcomes.
• Experience owning and operating application platforms in production environments.
• Experience supporting high‑availability or mission‑critical systems.
• Strong experience with cloud‑based platforms and distributed systems (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Experience working in containerized or cloud‑native environments (Docker, Kubernetes, or equivalent).
• Experience integrating enterprise systems and third‑party platforms.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non‑technical teams.
• Experience working in regulated or high‑accountability environments preferred.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet background check requirements and work within a hybrid schedule.
• Internal applicants must have one year in their current role and be in good standing (no disciplinary action within the last 90 days).

Salary

155 k–185 k, with generous benefits in line with CJA’s compensation framework.

Benefits

Health, dental and vision insurance; comprehensive mental health and wellness support; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); four weeks of vacation; paid holidays; a retirement plan with employer matching contributions; and extensive professional learning and development opportunities.

Hybrid Work Schedule

Monday–Friday 9 AM–5 PM (T‑Th in office; Mon & Fri remote).

CJA Values

• Commitment: active partners in criminal justice reform.
• Fairness: guided by fairness and the presumption of innocence; integrity, no bias, and privacy protection.
• Innovation: curiosity and innovative techniques in research, pilot programs, and community engagement to reduce unnecessary pretrial detention.

Equal Opportunity Statement

CJA is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Note: Only candidates being considered will be contacted.