Lead Software Developer

Kforce has a client in Overland Park, KS that is looking for a highly skilled Lead Software Developer to spearhead a client's front-end engineering efforts and drive the technical direction of their web products. Reporting directly to the CTO, The Lead Developer will serve as the primary technical authority for the React/TypeScript front-end ecosystem while bringing solid full-stack instincts including hands-on PHP and MySQL experience to every project.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary technical owner of our ReactJS/TypeScript front-end codebase - architecture, standards, and roadmap
• Design and build performant, maintainable Single Page Applications (SPAs) and reusable component libraries
• Establish and enforce front-end coding standards, design patterns, and best practices across the team
• Lead code reviews for all front-end pull requests, ensuring quality, consistency, and security
• Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, browser compatibility issues, and accessibility gaps
• Write and maintain PHP back-end services and APIs that support front-end feature development
• Work with MySQL databases - designing schemas, writing optimized queries, and troubleshooting slow-running operations
• Collaborate with back-end engineers to define API contracts, data models, and integration patterns
• Contribute to all phases of the software development lifecycle, from requirements through deployment
• Directly manage two front-end developers: day-to-day task assignment, 1-on-1s, and quarterly/annual performance reviews
• Mentor and coach team members, helping them grow technically and professionally
• Foster a collaborative, results-driven engineering culture built on transparency and continuous improvement
• Participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and cross-team technical discussions
• Propose and champion improvements to application scalability, reliability, and developer experience

• BS/MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field preferred; Equivalent professional experience will be considered
• 7+ years of software development experience, with a strong emphasis on front-end engineering
• Expert-level proficiency in ReactJS and TypeScript - you have built and maintained large-scale React applications in production
• Strong command of modern front-end fundamentals: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (ES6+), responsive design, and accessibility standards
• Hands-on experience with PHP (object-oriented, MVC patterns) and at least one major PHP framework (Laravel, Symfony, etc.)
• Solid relational database skills with MySQL - schema design, query optimization, and troubleshooting
• Proficiency with Git and collaborative version control workflows
• Demonstrated experience managing or formally leading developers, including performance feedback and mentorship
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; Able to bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders

Nice to Have:

• Working knowledge of AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Azure - familiarity with cloud-hosted infrastructure, deployments, and services
• Experience with RESTful API design and/or GraphQL
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker), or infrastructure-as-code is a huge plus
• Experience in a high-traffic or performance-sensitive environment (e.g., applications serving 1M+ visitors/month)
• Familiarity with Jira or similar project management and ticketing tools

The pay range is the lowest to highest compensation we reasonably in good faith believe we would pay at posting for this role. We may ultimately pay more or less than this range. Employee pay is based on factors like relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, location, performance, union contract and business needs. This range may be modified in the future.

We offer comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, HSA, FSA, 401(k), and life, disability & ADD insurance to eligible employees. Salaried personnel receive paid time off. Hourly employees are not eligible for paid time off unless required by law. Hourly employees on a Service Contract Act project are eligible for paid sick leave.

Note: Pay is not considered compensation until it is earned, vested and determinable. The amount and availability of any compensation remains in Kforce's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified in its discretion consistent with the law.