Senior Software Engineer, Personalization & AI
Join the future of news
We're on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you'll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.
About Our Team
The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning Newsroom and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.
Why This Role Matters
The Washington Post is seeking a Senior Software Engineer with expertise in personalization, AI-powered development, and scalable full-stack solutions. In this role, you'll contribute to the design, development, and deployment of intelligent user experiences by working with technologies like Python, Postgres, and AWS services. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, work on complex projects, and help shape how millions of users experience personalized content on our platform.
Want more jobs like this?
Get jobs in Washington, DC delivered to your inbox every week.
What Motivates You
- You're passionate about solving meaningful technical challenges that directly impact user experience.
- You have a curious mindset, always exploring new technologies and approaches.
- You're driven by collaboration, continuous learning, and building software that's both scalable and impactful.
- You thrive in environments where you have autonomy but also enjoy being part of a close-knit, supportive team.
Software Engineering
- Design, build, and maintain full-stack web applications using Python, React, Node.js, and AWS services.
- Develop and optimize database schemas and queries, primarily using Postgres.
- Follow best practices in version control, code reviews, unit testing, and continuous integration.
- Partner with data scientists to integrate and deploy AI models and personalization features.
- Help build recommendation systems, content optimization tools, and other user-centric solutions.
- Work closely with product managers, designers, and other engineers to define, scope, and deliver solutions.
- Translate business requirements into technical solutions that are robust, scalable, and user-focused.
- Provide technical guidance to junior engineers through code reviews and knowledge sharing.
- Contribute to team-wide engineering standards and best practices.
- Participate in technical planning and design discussions for new features and infrastructure improvements.
- Take ownership of end-to-end development efforts from idea to production.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (Master's degree is a plus).
- 7+ years of experience in software development, including 1+ years working with AI or personalization-focused features.
- Strong experience with full-stack development using Python, React, Node.js, and relational databases like Postgres, MySQL.
- Familiarity with NoSQL solutions like MongoDB or DocumentDB.
- Proficient with AWS services such as EC2, Lambda, S3, ECS, and RDS.
- Comfortable working with CI/CD pipelines and monitoring tools (e.g., Datadog, Splunk).
- Experience with in-memory data stores and caching solutions (e.g., Redis) to improve application performance and scalability.
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as AWS CloudFormation or Terraform for automating cloud resource provisioning.
- Strong problem-solving and debugging skills.
- Effective communicator, able to articulate ideas to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative, and collaborate in team environments.
Compensation and Benefits
Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:
- Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
- Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
- Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
- Nine paid holidays and two personal days
- 20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
- Robust mental health resources
- Backup care and caregiver concierge services
- Gender affirming services
- Pet insurance
- Free Post digital subscription
- Leadership and career development programs
The salary range for this position is:
$119,700 - $199,300 Annual
The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience, and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements. This position may be eligible for a bonus or incentive program, and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will discuss bonus payment terms and conditions during the interview process.
Your story awaits. Apply today!
Learn more about The Post at careers.washingtonpost.com.
Perks and Benefits
Health and Wellness
- FSA
- On-Site Gym
- HSA With Employer Contribution
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Short-Term Disability
- Long-Term Disability
Parental Benefits
- Non-Birth Parent or Paternity Leave
- Birth Parent or Maternity Leave
Work Flexibility
Office Life and Perks
- Commuter Benefits Program
- Casual Dress
Vacation and Time Off
- Personal/Sick Days
- Paid Holidays
- Paid Vacation
Financial and Retirement
- Pension
- 401(K) With Company Matching
Professional Development
- Promote From Within
- Shadowing Opportunities
Diversity and Inclusion
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program
Company Videos
Hear directly from employees about what it is like to work at The Washington Post.