Lead Systems Engineer (Temporary)

About LEE LEE is a nonpartisan network of leaders at all stages of life and career. We provide 1:1 coaching, meaningful member-to-member connections, and skill-building opportunities to support and inspire members to increase access and opportunity in their communities. (wearelee.org) We are a civic leadership development, membership organization. We equip LEE members with the tools, resources, and industry knowledge they need to take collective action and create change in their communities – whether that's through policymaking, elected leadership, advocacy, or grassroots organizing. LEE believes that effective leaders who are grounded in their values and experiences can make a difference in their communities. LEE is an outcomes-oriented organization that operates in an entrepreneurial environment deeply invested in continuous improvement. LEE is proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work, and to offer generous compensation, a virtual work setting that includes flexible scheduling, and a values-driven benefits package. Position Summary The Lead Systems Engineer (Temporary) is a high-impact role designed for an "architect-builder", a technical expert who excels at both the hands-on work of designing solutions and the management of vendors to ensure high-quality execution of custom-coded solutions. This role requires a seasoned technical leader who can bridge high-level strategy with robust engineering, ensuring our architecture—built in TypeScript, Node.js, React, and federated identity—is scalable, secure, and seamlessly integrated across our AWS and GCP environments. In collaboration with LEE's Technical Project Lead, the Lead Systems Engineer will be the steward of the LEE System Design, leveraging emerging technologies and data modeling. The Lead Systems Engineer will serve as the final escalation point for technical roadblocks and as the lead architect for a portfolio of "Build" initiatives. This role reports to the Vice President, Technology. The ideal candidate will be an expert collaborator with a proven ability to lead through influence and manage streams of work towards high-impact outcomes. This is a full-time, temporary position for up to one year (June 2026-June 2027), with the opportunity to be considered for conversion to a regular, full-time role based on individual performance and organizational strategy. Due to the high volume of applications, the hiring team will prioritize review of completed applications which includes resume submission, the completion of multiple choice questions, and the completion of a short answer question. Position Location: Flexible Travel Requirements: 10% - Occasional travel for in-person team meetings Responsibilities Vendor Management and Staff Support (40%) • Manage AWS, GCP administrators (contractors), and project specific vendors to ensure high performance, SOW compliance, and adherence to the LEE System Design • Manage cloud optimization to ensure monthly spend remains within budget and projects stay on track • Plan, maintain, evaluate, and communicate application roadmaps, backlogs, and release schedules • Coach and develop cross-functional staff to increase technical literacy and ensure effective vendor oversight Engineering Standards & "Build" Leadership (30%) • Act as lead architect for a portfolio of "Build" solutions, ensuring adherence to the LEE System Design regarding code quality and scalability • Direct the development of custom-coded applications and services, leveraging AI-assisted coding and vibe coding • Partner with the Technical Program Lead to ensure seamless integration between custom builds and "Configure/Buy" products • Evaluate emerging technologies (e.g., Agents, Automation tools, Frameworks) for potential "Build" integration • Plan and implement change management for "Build" solutions as needed Infrastructure Governance & System Design (20%) • Establish and govern engineering standards for custom applications and service-oriented architecture • Maintain and update the LEE System Design Document to reflect current architecture • Serve as the Tier-3 escalation point for AWS and GCP infrastructure roadblocks • Ensure multi-cloud alignment and adherence to security perimeters (VPC, IAM, etc.) Special Projects (10%) • Lead or contribute to team-level, org-wide, or cross-team special projects as assigned by manager or designee • Provide short-term coverage during a leave, vacancy, or PTO Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor's degree or commensurate years of relevant professional work experience (If you do not hold a Bachelor's degree an additional 4 years of relevant experience is required. If you hold an Associate's degree an additional 2 years of relevant experience is required.) • 7+ years of relevant work experience in software engineering or systems architecture • Proven experience overseeing custom "Build" projects in a cloud-native environment • Prior experience managing technical teams or hig