Software Engineer (Platform Engineering)

About the Department

The Software Engineer is an independent contributor who delivers features end-to-end, contributes to team-level improvements, and operates effectively across multiple parts of the tech stack. The position shapes technical solutions, refines requirements with Product Managers, and improves code quality and code maintainability leveraging software engineering principles and practices.

The Platform Engineering specialization focuses on building and maintaining shared tooling, pipelines, platform capabilities, and infrastructure-as-code resources that improve developer productivity and system reliability across MBTA technology teams. This specialization enables product and application teams to adopt best-practice standards for quality, security, observability, deployment automation, cost efficiency, and operational resilience. Platform Engineers develop infrastructure-as-code models to use AWS-based resources and create other tools, patterns and automation that strengthens MBTA’s overall software engineering ecosystem. 

Position Duties

• Perform a wide variety of software engineering tasks primarily in the relevant languages.
• Deliver and maintain well-architected features from design through implementation.
• Demonstrate strong fundamental coding and debugging skills by writing reliable, maintainable code while demonstrating a strong understanding of possible tradeoffs to meet deadlines by effectively articulating impacts and proposing solutions.
• Contribute to on-call rotations and address routine incidents.
• Follow engineering standards, including code reviews, documentation, and testing. Participate and offer constructive feedback to improve.
• Improve maintainability and reduce complexity through refactoring.
• Investigate defects and lead feasibility assessments to identify improvements.
• Protect data security, compliance, and privacy across all work activities by following secure coding practices.
• Participate in team rituals (stand-ups, planning, retros).
• Work collaboratively with UX and PMs to refine requirements for difficult problems and reduce unnecessary scope.
• Participate in on-call rotation of technology systems and services.
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions.

Supervision

• No direct reports.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Two (2) years of relevant professional experience in software engineering.
• Experience independently delivering features end-to-end to solve problems.
• Experience applying software engineering principles and practices to quickly and creatively achieve team or project goals.
• Experience with monitoring, on-call, incident response, and reliability engineering.
• Strong debugging and investigative skills.
• Experience with software testing best practices and CI/CD.
• Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into technology.
• Strong communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in at least one or more programming languages.
• As part of the selection process, candidates will be asked to complete and pass job-related technical assessments, which may include a software design diagramming exercise and/or a timed coding exercise.
• Ability to participate in on-call rotation of technology systems and services.

Substitutions

• A high school diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• An associate’s degree from an accredited institution and an additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor’s degree requirement.
• A master’s degree in a related subject substitutes for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one (1) year of experience.

Other Qualifications

• More than four (4) years of relevant professional experience in software engineering.
• Solid understanding of APIs, data flows, and failure modes.
• Experience with Elixir.
• Experience with AWS.
• Experience in public sector, transportation agency, and/or civic technology team.
• Experience with Terraform / OpenTofu / Infrastructure as Code tools.
• Experience in agile software development practices.
• Knowledge of transit data standards (such as GTFS, GTFS-RT, TODS, TIDES).

Benefits

Employment Benefits at the MBTA

Full-Time Employees:

The MBTA offers comprehensive benefits packages. Types of benefits offered at the MBTA are subject to the union affiliation / Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of the position to which you apply. Benefits that may apply to your position include the following:

• Insurance: Health, Dental, Vision, Life (basic and supplemental), and Long-Term Disability
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Vacation, Personal Days, Sick Leave, and Holidays
• Retirement: Pension or deferred compensation 401(a), plus MBTA contributions
• Complimentary pass for travel on the MBTA transit system (bus, train, ferry, and Commuter Rail)
• Tuition Reimbursement (up to $10,000 per year)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for student loans
• Commuter Choice Parking Program: Pre-tax benefits for parking
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Pre-tax benefits for healthcare-related expenses
• Discounted tickets for concerts, movies, travel / vacation, etc. via TicketsAtWork.com
• Shopping discounts via GovX.com
• Verizon and AT&T service discounts
• And more...

Disclaimer:

The above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the MBTA, which may or may not apply to a specific position. This summary is not a contract and is not meant to change the provisions of union contracts or Authority policies and does not establish a binding practice. Please contact the assigned Recruiter directly or email [email protected] for more information.

The MBTA is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerMassachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityAddress 10 Park Plaza

Boston, Massachusetts, 02116 Phone(617) 222-3200
Website https://www.mbta.com