Remote
US
$169K–$185K
💻Engineering
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Lead Software Engineer (Remote)
At 8th Light, we bring life to the best ideas.
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Chicago, we are a technology solutions consultancy that partners with organizations from early-stage startups to the world's largest companies. We take on hard software challenges and turn them into durable results. We build agentic products, the platforms they run on, and the engineering and design at every layer.
Our commitment to quality means we deliver solutions we’re truly proud of, while our curiosity sparks innovation and breakthrough thinking. 8th Lights thrive in an environment that champions continuous education, fueling our growth through mentorship and hands-on work. We foster an open, collaborative culture grounded in honesty that builds trust, and believe true success is measured by the outcomes we create for our clients.
If this kind of work and our kind of people energizes you, you’ve found the right place.
You’ve shown long-term repeated success on a variety of projects, typically over the course of 7+ years. You can be the go-to leader for any software development engagement. You have a broad and deep range of expertise that allows you to make an immediate impact on projects. In your previous experience, you have:
As a lead technologist on projects, you’ll work with a variety of clients, typically one to two in a year, through a variety of technologies and frameworks over the course of your career with us. You’ll lead more complicated projects, leading teams to do so. You’ll work with colleagues who share your passion for technology solutions. You’ll invest time developing your skills and sharing what you know. You’ll be responsible for:
We work across many areas, and encourage anyone with the experience listed above to apply. We would particularly like to encourage applicants with experience in the following areas:
Building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is an ongoing journey, and we’re excited to keep learning and growing together. We have a proud tradition of hiring talented colleagues with real-world career experiences.
At 8th Light, we believe our people are our greatest asset. Their growth, well-being, and success shape our future.
Our wellness package is designed with the Whole YOU in mind and includes:
See our full list of Benefits.
At 8th Light, we are committed to a compensation philosophy that is transparent, fair, and helps us attract and retain top talent in alignment with our company’s strategic growth goals and clients’ needs.
We benchmark our salaries using Geographic Structures to establish competitive pay ranges within the regions where 8th Lights live. Our pay ranges for our Lead Engineer position within our four US structures are as follows:
Reach out to recruiting@8thlight.com for more relevant information pertaining to your local market.
As a remote-first company, 8th Light's culture is rooted in strong connections that extend across our teams, regions, and beyond client work. We are a distributed team across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with hubs in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.
If you are hired into a hub, you will be a part of a team with regular rituals around co-working and community building. For team members outside of those cities, we offer access to coworking spaces to foster continued collaboration and connection across our global team.
In most cases, our consulting engagements do not require travel.
We hope to see you apply!
At 8th Light, one of our core values is Honesty that builds trust — and that shapes how we approach hiring. We want you to have a clear picture of who we are, what we're looking for, and how we handle your information throughout the process.
Before submitting your application, please take a moment to review our Global Candidate Privacy Notice. By applying, you acknowledge that you've read it.
USD 126,279 - 184,068
Annually
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Gender Affirming Care
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Pet Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Wellness Programs
Employee Assistance Program
Fitness Stipend
Commuter Benefits
401(k) / Retirement Plan
401(k) Match
Pay Transparency
PTO / Vacation
Paid Holidays
Flexible Schedule
Sick Days
Bereavement Leave
Company Equipment
Home Office Stipend
Coworking Allowance
Fertility Benefits
Parental Leave
Learning & Development Budget
Mentorship Program
Employee Recognition Awards
Charity Matching
Volunteer Time Off
No. US roles are posted as remote, but 8th Light's London postings state that employees working from the London hub follow a hybrid model with a minimum of one day per week in the Waterloo Office. People hired into a hub city join regular co-working and community-building rituals, and team members outside hub cities are offered access to coworking spaces.
The benefits page says 8th Light supports team members across the U.S. and the U.K., with offices in Chicago (headquarters) and London. Its job postings describe a distributed team across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with hubs in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. Check each posting for the location it is open to.
Usually not. 8th Light's job postings state that in most cases its consulting engagements do not require travel.
Pay is benchmarked using Geographic Structures, so ranges depend on where you live. US roles use four structures, from Structure 1 (Tampa Metro, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin) to Structure 4 (Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City). A recent Lead Software Engineer (Remote) posting listed a US range of $126,279 to $184,068 across the four structures.
The US benefits page lists 20 days of PTO a year with additional accrual after 5 years, 11 holidays (8 company holidays plus 3 floating), a 401(k) with up to 4% employer matching, up to 12 weeks of parental leave at 100% pay, an annual professional development stipend with dedicated time and O'Reilly Learning access, and Apple Pro devices with 4K displays. UK team members get 25 days of annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and a pension with up to 5% employer matching.
