Development Lead

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for a Development Lead for a CONTRACT assignment with one of our premier Sports entertainment clients in NY , NY, We’re looking for a Development Lead who acts as the eyes and ears of the Head of Backend Engineering - surfacing project progress, blockers, and key design decisions in real time, and bringing forward clear options for approval. You’ll stay hands-on enough to design, review, and ship distributed systems on AWS alongside the team, not just report on them. WHAT YOU’LL DO Serve as the eyes and ears of the Head of Backend Engineering - keeping them current on project progress, blockers, and key design decisions as they arise. Present a clear set of design and architecture options - with trade-offs - for the Head of Backend Engineering to approve. Develop technical recommendations on system architecture, tooling, and delivery timelines, and present them for leadership approval. Translate business requirements into technical designs and communicate trade-offs clearly to stakeholders, from engineers to executives. Architect and build distributed, cloud-native systems on AWS, balancing scalability, reliability, and cost. Write and review production Python code regularly - this is not a whiteboard-only leadership role. Integrate AI capabilities (Gemini, Claude) into product and internal tooling, from prototyping to production. Actively participate in sprint planning, backlog grooming, and daily standups, partnering closely with the PM who leads those ceremonies. Run multiple concurrent projects at once, sequencing priorities and reallocating effort as scope shifts. Mentor engineers through code review, pairing, and technical design discussions.

5+ years building distributed systems in production, including hands-on architecture and design. Deep expertise in AWS (e.g., ECS/EKS, Lambda, S3, RDS, SQS/SNS, IAM) and cloud infrastructure patterns. Strong Python skills, with a track record of writing maintainable, well-tested code at scale. Solid SQL skills and experience designing and consuming REST APIs and webhooks. Practical experience integrating LLM-based AI tools (Gemini, Claude, or comparable) into real products. Comfort working within Agile/Scrum ceremonies led by a PM, while leading a team technically without losing hands-on involvement. Excellent written and verbal communication - you can explain a technical decision to an engineer and to a VP. Proven ability to juggle multiple concurrent projects without dropping details. Must be based in the U.S. and available for core collaboration hours in Eastern Time. NICE TO HAVE Skilled at mapping out system architecture and workflows visually - mind maps, diagrams, flowcharts - to align teams before code is written. Experience with diagramming and architecture tools (e.g., Lucid chart, Miro, draw.io, or the C4 model). A habit of documenting designs and workflows so decisions stay legible to the team after the fact

By applying for a job with SGA, you agree to allow SGA to process your application for this and future opportunities in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Also, to ensure timely processing, you agree to be contacted by our AI recruiter via email, text, or phone. Message frequency varies and data rates may apply, but you can reply STOP to any SMS message to opt-out of texts and may contact SGA at to opt-out of AI communications. The choice not to engage with AI will not adversely impact your consideration for placement. AI is not used to make any hiring determinations.

SGA is a technology and resource solutions provider driven to stand out. We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. Each year, we match consultants like you to more than 1,000 engagements. When we say let’s work better together, we mean it. You’ll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. Be yourself, love what you do and find your passion at work. Please find us at .