Senior Full Stack Software Engineer - Lynchburg, VA

KECH is hiring a Senior Full Stack Software Engineer to take technical ownership of business-critical applications and help lead ongoing modernization and new software development. This is a hands-on role for an experienced engineer who can maintain production systems, make sound architecture decisions, strengthen security and reliability, and use AI-assisted development within a disciplined DevSecOps delivery process.

The initial assignment will focus on supporting established applications and advancing newer solutions. The engineer will also design, build, integrate, and support future software products and applications as business priorities evolve. This work requires close collaboration with the broader development team on planning, technical decisions, dependencies, code reviews, knowledge sharing, and integrated delivery. The right candidate can work across existing and emerging technologies while improving architecture, testing, documentation, maintainability, and operations.

We do not expect candidates to have expert-level experience with every technology listed. Strong candidates will bring deep experience in production web application development, demonstrated ability to work across legacy and modern platforms, and the capacity to learn unfamiliar tools quickly.

What You Will Do

· Own the maintenance and improvement of current PHP and MySQL applications, including defect resolution, performance tuning, controlled feature changes, and analysis of existing code, databases, integrations, scheduled processes, and user workflows.

· Lead the incremental modernization of application capabilities using a modern React and TypeScript stack. Current technologies include Next.js, Prisma, PostgreSQL, and Tailwind CSS.

· Design maintainable application components, responsive and accessible user interfaces, APIs, data models, migration routines, and integration patterns.

· Plan and execute database changes and data migrations with appropriate validation, reconciliation, backup, recovery, and rollback procedures.

· Create automated tests for critical workflows and deliver changes in small, testable increments, using regression testing, feature flags, and production observability where appropriate.

· Build and improve application CI/CD workflows with the broader development team, incorporating automated builds, testing, code-quality and security checks, pull-request review, release controls, and reliable deployment and rollback procedures.

· Diagnose application-level production issues using logs, monitoring information, and standard Linux command-line tools, collaborating with the appropriate team members on environment or infrastructure issues.

· Use AI coding assistants and software development agents to analyze legacy code, accelerate implementation, generate tests and documentation, review changes, and support defect diagnosis, with human validation and appropriate data and security controls.

· Apply secure development practices covering authentication, authorization, input validation, data protection, secrets, dependencies, audit logging, and common web application risks.

· Document architecture, setup, deployment, interfaces, database decisions, support procedures, and known technical debt.

· Work with business leaders and users to clarify requirements, evaluate tradeoffs, estimate work, and deliver practical solutions.

· Collaborate with and mentor members of the broader development team on architecture, technical standards, release coordination, knowledge sharing, and resolution of complex application and production issues., PHP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Next.js, React, TypeScript, Prisma, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Tailwind CSS, GitHub, GitHub Actions or comparable CI/CD tooling, automated testing, security scanning, AI-assisted development tools, and potentially WordPress.

What Success Looks Like

· The current application remains stable and supportable while undocumented dependencies and high-risk technical issues are reduced.

· Critical system knowledge is converted into clear architecture, deployment, operating, and support documentation.

· Modernization work is delivered in controlled increments that preserve business behavior and data integrity.

· Code review, automated testing, release discipline, and security practices become consistent parts of the engineering process.

· The DevSecOps pipeline provides repeatable builds, automated quality and security checks, controlled deployments, traceability, and reliable rollback procedures.

· AI-assisted development improves delivery speed and documentation without weakening code ownership, review standards, data protection, or production controls.

· Six or more years of professional software engineering experience with increasing responsibility for production web applications; candidates with 7 to 10 or more years of relevant experience are preferred.

· Strong hands-on PHP and MySQL experience supporting, maintaining, and refactoring established production applications.

· Strong modern JavaScript or TypeScript experience using React or a comparable frontend framework, together with solid HTML and CSS fundamentals.

· Strong relational database design and SQL skills.

· Experience designing or consuming APIs and integrating applications with external services.

· Experience with automated testing, Git-based delivery workflows, code review, and secure development fundamentals.

· A working understanding of CI/CD practices, Linux-based application environments, and application security. This role does not require the candidate to be a dedicated DevOps, system administration, or cybersecurity specialist.

· Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools for code analysis, implementation, testing, documentation, or code review, with effective human oversight.

· Experience diagnosing production issues across application, database, and integration layers, with demonstrated technical ownership and the ability to deliver with limited supervision.

· Strong collaboration, communication, and mentoring ability, including the ability to explain technical decisions to nontechnical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience leading a PHP-to-Node.js migration, legacy application modernization, or comparable platform transition.

· Experience establishing unit, integration, end-to-end, and characterization tests for an existing application.

· Experience with one or more of the following: Next.js, Prisma, PostgreSQL, Tailwind CSS, or reusable component-based design systems.

· Experience with one or more delivery and operations capabilities, such as GitHub Actions, containers, infrastructure as code, advanced observability, or detailed security-scanning platforms.

· Experience with authentication, authorization, multifactor authentication, multi-tenant application design, or regulated business data.

· Experience with Antigravity or another AI coding assistant, agentic development tool, or automated code review platform.

· Experience administering or developing WordPress websites.

· Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, information systems, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• 401(k)
• 401(k) 3% Match
• 401(k) matching
• AD&D insurance
• Bereavement leave
• Dental insurance
• Dependent health insurance coverage
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Prescription drug insurance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Work from home