What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Engineer position at CYPHER Learning?
CYPHER Learning is seeking a Staff Engineer to join our dynamic and fast-paced organization. This unique, cross-functional role spans multiple teams—Engineering (Frontend & Mobile App), DevOps, and Advanced Support. With a direct reporting line to the VP of Engineering, this individual will also serve as a vital liaison between these teams, ensuring smooth communication, streamlined processes, and innovative solutions that drive our platform forward.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Engineering (Frontend & Mobile)
● Frontend Development: Collaborate closely with the Senior UI Engineer to build and refine user-facing features, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience.
● Mobile App Enhancement: Contribute to the development and optimization of mobile applications, focusing on performance, scalability, and user-centric design.
● Code Reviews & Best Practices: Conduct regular code reviews, maintain coding standards, and champion best practices for quality, maintainable software.
2. DevOps
● Infrastructure Management: Work directly with the DevOps Manager to design, implement, and optimize CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, and deployment processes.
● Automation & Monitoring: Develop scripts and automated tools to reduce manual tasks, enhance system monitoring, and improve platform reliability.
● Cross-Team Collaboration: Coordinate with Engineering teams to align infrastructure needs with application architecture and to ensure smooth deployments.
3. Advanced Support
● Ticket Resolution: Handle complex or escalated support tickets requiring deep platform knowledge, troubleshooting, and debugging skills.
● QA Collaboration: Partner with the QA & Support Manager to analyze recurring issues, propose system improvements, and communicate timely resolutions.
● Documentation: Create and maintain internal documentation to streamline future support efforts and reduce resolution times.
4. Cross-Functional Leadership & Communication
● Key Communicator: Serve as the primary point of contact between the Engineering, DevOps, and Support teams, as well as the VP of Engineering.
● Process Improvement: Proactively identify inefficiencies and propose actionable solutions to improve workflows, tooling, and team collaboration.
● Team Alignment: Facilitate regular sync-ups and status updates, ensuring that priorities and goals remain aligned across departments.
5. Other Duties
● Additional Assignments: Participate in other initiatives or special projects as directed by the VP of Engineering.
● Continuous Learning: Stay current with emerging technologies, best practices, and industry trends to drive innovation within CYPHER Learning.
Skills & Experience:
● Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience) required.
● Technical Expertise:
○ Frontend: Proficiency in modern JavaScript/TypeScript, React, Vue, or similar frameworks.
○ Mobile: Experience with native or cross-platform mobile app development (e.g., iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter).
○ DevOps: Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP), and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
○ Support: Advanced troubleshooting skills, with the ability to diagnose complex system issues.
● Professional Experience: 10 years in a software engineering or DevOps role, ideally with experience spanning multiple responsibilities or departments required.
● Soft Skills:
○ Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interface with cross-functional teams and leadership.
○ Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and debugging skills to rapidly identify solutions.
○ Adaptability: Comfortable navigating shifting priorities and requirements in a fast-paced environment.
