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:
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 who is eager to launch and grow their software engineering career while contributing to a meaningful platform that improve the student experience.
About the Role
We’re looking for a motivated Backend Software Engineer to help build scalable backend services and APIs that power modern web and mobile applications. This role is ideal for someone eager to grow technical skills while working alongside experienced engineers on real-world software solutions.
You’ll focus primarily on backend development using Java and Python while collaborating with frontend and mobile teams working in Angular and Flutter. You’ll gain hands-on experience with APIs, cloud technologies, databases, and modern software development practices.
What You’ll Do
Develop and maintain backend services and APIs using Java and Python
Assist with building RESTful APIs and backend integrations
Collaborate with frontend and mobile teams to support application features
Write clean, maintainable, and testable code
Troubleshoot bugs and assist with application performance improvements
Participate in code reviews and team engineering discussions
Support CI/CD pipelines and deployment activities
Learn cloud-native development and backend best practices
Participate in Agile development processes
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
3 years experience in a business environment
Experience with Java or Python
Basic understanding of backend development concepts and REST APIs
Familiarity with databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB
Understanding of Git and version control workflows
Basic knowledge of cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP
Strong problem-solving and communication skills
Desire to learn modern backend technologies and development practices
Preferred Qualifications
Internship or personal project experience with backend development
Familiarity with Spring Boot, FastAPI, Flask, or Django
Exposure to Docker or CI/CD concepts
Working knowledge of Angular or frontend integration patterns
Experience working on collaborative software projects
Tech Stack
Backend: Java, Python, Spring Boot, FastAPI, Flask, Django
Frontend: Angular, TypeScript
Mobile: Flutter, Dart
Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB
Cloud: AWS, Azure, or GCP
Tools: GitHub, Jira, Postman
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 [email protected].
Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field
- 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 environment
What We Do
Western Governors University is a private, nonprofit online university that provides accessible, competency-based education designed for working professionals.
