> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2718610-software-engineer-iii](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2718610-software-engineer-iii). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Software Engineer III - **Company:** Trust Llc - **Location:** McLean, VA, United States - **Experience:** Experienced - **Salary:** $172,528.0 - $201,375.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, Code Coverage, Software Quality, Data Integration, Relational Databases, Cursor (Graphical User Interface Elements), Database Queries, Java Virtual Machine (JVM), PostgreSQL, OAuth, Operational Databases, Pattern Recognition, Openid Connect, Software Deployment, Software Engineering, Management of Software Versions, Openapi, Data Logging, Freeform SQL, Backend, Information Technology, Restful APIs - **Published:** September 4, 2026 - **Apply:** https://startup.jobs/software-engineer-iii-trust-service-team-idme-9636009 ## About the Role Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience). 4+ years of professional software development experience with a strong emphasis on backend service engineering, preferably in Java or another JVM language. Proficiency with AI-assisted development tooling (e.g., Claude Code, Cursor) and commitment to an AI-first engineering culture that leverages these tools to maximize code quality, test coverage, and engineering velocity. Deep comfort with relational databases, writing complex SQL queries, reasoning about query plans, and working within a production database schema. Experience designing and versioning REST APIs backed by OpenAPI specifications., Experience with modern Java (21+) and its type-safety features - records, sealed interfaces, pattern matching - applied to real production codebases. Familiarity with graph or highly relational data models: understanding entity relationships, traversal patterns, and the tradeoffs of different read/write shapes. Comfort reasoning about identity and trust decisions: what it means for a credential to be verified, how different verification methods vary in reliability, and how expiration or decay affects downstream trust. Experience with identity standards such as NIST 800-63-3, OAuth2, or OpenID Connect. Strong track record of shipping well-tested, production-quality backend features with careful attention to failure modes, rollback safety, and backwards-compatible schema changes. Startup or high-growth company experience with a strong bias toward ownership and execution. ## Description As a Software Engineer III, you will work on a high-throughput, correctness-critical Java backend service at the heart of ID.me's identity platform. The work is backend-intensive and data-model-deep: you will design and evolve REST APIs, write precise database queries, and ship features that are used at production scale. You will be a key technical voice on how the trust data model evolves and how new inspection types, identity providers, and scoring rules land safely in production., Build & Ship Trust Graph Features: Design, implement, and evolve the Trust Service API end-to-end, from API contract design through database query authoring and production deployment. Independently drive small-to-medium features with minimal oversight, coordinating closely with the Identity, Platform, and consumer-facing product teams that depend on the trust chain. Data Model & API Contract Ownership: Own the trust inspection data model and the REST API contract that downstream consumers and SDKs bind to. Make deliberate decisions about backwards compatibility, versioning, and the clean separation between public API shape and internal implementation details. Correctness, Reliability & Performance: Ensure that trust reads and writes are correct under concurrent load. Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in database query plans. Own reliability improvements: observability, structured logging, alerting, and on-call response for a service that downstream teams depend on continuously. Database & Integration Engineering: Write and review complex SQL queries against ID.me's identity graph schema. Collaborate with the platform team when underlying data contracts change, and ensure the trust service stays correctly decoupled from its data dependencies. Understand and navigate PostgreSQL semantics, schema migration risks, and safe deployment patterns. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with the Product engineering, Architects and Platform teams, the trust chain feeds risk decisions, audit queries, and downstream access grants. Bring a clear-eyed technical perspective to cross-team planning: surface contract risks early, write precise specs for new inspection types, and hold the line on data-model correctness when product velocity would otherwise cut corners. ## Related Videos - [The Data Phoenix: The future of the Internet and the Open Web](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1116-the-data-phoenix-the-future-of-the-internet-and-the-open-web) - [Keeping applications secure by evolving OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100152-keeping-applications-secure-by-evolving-oauth-2-0-and-openid-connect) - [Developing the Backend with Stefan Lingler, CTO at Shpock](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100360-developing-the-backend-with-stefan-lingler-cto-at-shpock) - [For the REST of us: API First and Conway’s Law](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1932-for-the-rest-of-us-api-first-and-conway-s-law) - [Contract-First Frontend: Scaling Reliable UIs with OpenAPI and AI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1995-contract-first-frontend-scaling-reliable-uis-with-openapi-and-ai) - [OpenAPI meets OpenAI](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1150-openapi-meets-openai) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [Navigating the AI Shift](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/629-navigating-the-ai-shift) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [Why Upskilling And Reskilling is Important For Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/428-why-upskilling-and-reskilling-is-important-for-developers) - [How to Become an AI Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/331-how-to-become-an-ai-engineer)