Sr. Software Engineer; AI

About Nava

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges. As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services.

People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will work on a research and development team exploring how new technologies can make complex public systems more responsive, efficient, and user-friendly.

• Lead development of scalable, user-facing software that simplifies complex service interactions
• Architect and implement modern backend systems that integrate with diverse data sources and APIs
• Rapidly prototype and iterate on features to test hypotheses, validate user needs, and refine the product through continuous learning
• Work closely with designers, researchers, and product managers to translate user insights into secure, reliable software.
• Implement strong privacy, security, and compliance practices in every aspect of the system
• Contribute to technical documentation, prototyping strategies, and recommendations for future scaling

• Proven experience designing and building production-grade systems using modern programming languages (e.g., Python, Type Script, or similar)
• Strong background in product engineering - translating user and product requirements into reliable, maintainable, and well-tested software
• Strong understanding of API and system integration design, cloud architecture, and data workflows
• Experience developing or integrating generative AI applications
• Demonstrated ability to work iteratively—rapidly prototyping, testing, and improving features based on real-world feedback
• Strong grounding in security, privacy, and accessibility principles, particularly when handling sensitive or regulated data
• Excellent collaboration skills with cross-functional partners including design, product, and research

• Familiarity with public benefits systems or other complex, rules-based government processes
• Experience with document processing, OCR, or data extraction workflows

• All roles at Nava require the following:
  Legal authorization to work in the United States
• Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
• Work authorization that doesn t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
• May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract

• Health coverage - comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
• Insurance coverage - Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
• Time off - vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
• Company holidays - enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
• Annual bonus - when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
• Parental leave - paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
• Wellness program - full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
• Virtual care - see doctors online with no copay through United Healthcare s virtual visit program
• Sabbatical leave - earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
• 401(k) match - Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your…