Sr Software Engineer

As a Senior Software Engineer at Southwest Airlines, you'll bring advanced technical expertise to design, develop, test, document, and implement application systems that are functionally appropriate, technically sound, and well-integrated. You'll play a key role in identifying and resolving production issues, mentoring Software Engineers, and driving "shift-left" practices that improve quality and efficiency early in the development lifecycle. With a holistic view of the organization, you'll ensure that your work aligns with both Customer needs and enterprise standards, so that the delivered solutions are built to last and built to scale. This role joins the Crew Planning Technology Team and will help lead the development of a greenfield application that will replace a critical legacy system powering Crew attendance and leave management. You'll work with cutting-edge tools, including AI-assisted development, and collaborate with a Team that values speed, smart design, and curiosity. Your leadership and innovation will directly impact how we support our Crew Members and keep our operation running smoothly, and you'll ultimately help Southwest continue to deliver reliable, People-first service at scale.

Additional details

• This role allows for voluntary remote work for the majority of your working time within the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with occasional on-site presence at our Corporate Campus for training, meetings, and business needs. This role may also require limited travel for business purposes.
• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

We're committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics.

Responsibilities

• Drive the technical direction and feature roadmap of large-scale cloud systems

• Serve as a technical lead contributing to and directing the efforts of development teams, including internal and external team members

• Determines operational feasibility by evaluating analysis, problem definition, requirements, solution development, and proposed solutions

• Drives detailed definition of feature requirements through discussions with product managers and customers

• Supports continuous improvement by investigating alternatives and new technologies

• Prepares and installs solutions by determining and designing system specifications, standards, and programming

• Evaluates code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems

• Mentor Software Engineers to allow for skill/knowledge development through advice, coaching, and training opportunities

• Update job knowledge by studying state-of-the-art development tools, programming techniques and computing equipment; participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations

• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of software development methodologies, practices, concepts, and technologies obtained through formal training and / or work experience

• Proactively shares knowledge and skills of software development and testing to solve a range of problems

• Advanced knowledge of at least one required programming language

• Excellent partnering, communication, negotiation skills, and execution in working with various Technology or partner Teams

• Ability to articulate (verbally / visually) ideas, approach, concepts, options, risk, impact, and provides guidance to technical, non-technical, and Leadership audiences

• Ability to lead multiple assignments, whether administrative or project related, while maintaining a successful level of completion in all responsible work

• Ability to mentor others

• Ability to lead ideating, presentations, mentoring and group-thinking sessions

• Ability to influence without authority

Education

• Required: High School Diploma or GED

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information systems or similar fields of study or equivalent advanced level experience

Experience

• Required: Advanced-level experience, seasoned and specialized knowledge in software development and methodologies

Licensing/Certification

• N/A

Physical Abilities

• Ability to perform work duties from [limited space work station/desk/office area] for extended periods of time

• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job

• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job

Other Qualifications

• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines

• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986

• Must be at least 18 years of age

• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines

• Must be able to travel and /or attend Company and non-Company facilities and remote locations such as remote-based offices as necessary

Pay & Benefits

• Competitive market salary from$134,750 - $149,700 per year* depending on qualifications and experience, with opportunity for future pay increases based on performance and market movement. For eligible leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.

Benefits you'll love

• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)

• Southwest will help fund your Retirement Savings Plan with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**

• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***

• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)

• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.

• Explore more Benefits you'll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits

*Pay amount doesn't guarantee employment for any particular period of time

**401(k) match contributions are subject to the plan's vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits

***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to plan's vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company