Full Stack Software Engineer

Job Title: Full Stack Software Engineer

Reports To: Director of Product

Status: Full-Time/Exempt/Regular

Salary Range: $110,000 - $120,000

POSITION OVERVIEW

PBS News seeks an experienced Full Stack Engineer to join our team in building high-quality educational digital experiences for public media. You'll play a key role in developing and supporting our educational products, while also contributing to cross-platform initiatives. This includes a large-scale overhaul project on the Student Reporting Labs (SRL) digital learning platform, StoryMaker, to increase interactivity and site functionality, as well as working on other special digital projects. This role blends user interface development with backend engineering and offers the opportunity to work on a high-visibility media ecosystem that reaches millions. We are seeking someone with technical skill, excellent problem solving, and a desire to work with a team to bring a vision to life.

This position will report to the PBS News Director of Product, and secondarily to the SRL Director of Operations and Development.

This role is a grant-funded position for a minimum of 12 months, with an intention of continuing indefinitely dependent on funding.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Software Engineer will be responsible for maintaining and upgrading SRL digital products, in collaboration with PBS News Digital team. Their duties include:

Understand and maintain PBS News’ three educational websites: Story-Maker.org, StudentReportingLabs.org, and NewsHourClassroom.org

Collaborate on ways to improve user experiences, including:

Developing tools for virtual community building

Developing tools for content sharing

Creating new digital elements, such as an interactive map highlighting student content

Collaborating on how digital products can support our mission

Executing expressed digital needs from staff and participants

Troubleshooting issues with websites and digital tools

Develop, test, maintain, and improve full stack web applications using Django/Wagtail and modern JavaScript frameworks

Take the technical lead on projects related to our educational products, helping shape user experiences that support students and teachers

Collaborate with product and software engineering to support additional products, including news sites, special editorial projects, and internal tools

Implement responsive, accessible, and visually consistent frontend experiences using Tailwind CSS

Build RESTful APIs and data-driven features in Python and Django

Participate in the development of site architecture and content models that scale

Integrate third-party services and APIs to extend site functionality

Own features from ideation to deployment using modern DevOps practices

Write maintainable, well-tested code and conduct code reviews

Monitor and support production systems for performance and reliability

Participate in cross-functional planning

Research new technologies and propose strategic improvements to our stack

What success looks like:

You will quickly adapt to working in a hybrid environment and seamlessly use different digital communication tools to connect with colleagues across the country. You understand the importance of working collaboratively and on deadline to achieve a desired goal and familiarize yourself with our mission, work, events and educational resources. In your first 90 days, you will solidify a digital infrastructure plan with SRL’s Director of Operations and PBS News Director, Product for the department’s digital presence and products.

SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED

5–10 years of professional software engineering experience

Strong backend experience with Python and Django, including REST API development

Experience working with Wagtail or other content management systems

Solid frontend skills, with a strong eye for layout, usability, and interface structure

Proficiency with component-based UI design

Familiarity with modern JavaScript frameworks or libraries

Ability to collaborate with design and editorial teams to translate ideas into polished, functional web interfaces — even if you're not a visual designer

Experience building and supporting authenticated user experiences, including user account management, access control, and session handling

A creative and adaptable mindset, comfortable working across multiple projects and brands

Enthusiasm for building products that support diverse audiences — from students and educators to news consumers

Experience contributing to shared systems, reusable tools, or multi-site platforms

Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (preferably AWS), DevOps, and CI/CD practices

Solid understanding of version control principles (Git) and modern development workflows

Strong communication skills and a collaborative, user-centered approach to problem solving

Excellent organizational, project planning, and time management skills with careful attention to detail

Ability to take and give constructive criticism around digital projects

Demonstrated ability to successfully perform in an atmosphere of multiple projects while collaborating positively with a hybrid team of program and administrative personnel.

Preferred: EdTech experience

Preferred: Experience with relational databases (ex. AirTable) and automation

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

College Degree in software engineering.

Minimum 5 years professional software engineering experience

Or equivalent combination of education and experience.

LOCATION:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

WETA and its subsidiary NewsHour Productions LLC serve local and national public media audiences by producing and distributing content of intellectual integrity and cultural merit. Through broadcast, digital and community services, the organization offers compelling, diverse programming on five television channels, including primary channel WETA PBS, and on WETA Classical, the exclusive home for classical music in the nation’s capital; produces a portfolio of national television productions, including PBS NewsHour, recognized globally for bringing balanced, in-depth news coverage to all Americans; creates impactful documentaries with longtime production partners Ken Burns and Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.; features a variety of content offerings on weta.org, WETA Passport, the PBS Video App and the WETA Classical App; and serves communities near and far with education and engagement initiatives that contribute to the company’s mission of public service. Benefits WETA

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships. WETA and NewsHour Productions make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.