Software Engineer Sr

The Getty Digital Interpretive Development Team is the primary steward of Getty.edu and a growing suite of rich media experiences. We are seeking an experienced Senior Software Engineer with a passion for crafting exceptional digital visitor experiences and a genuine interest in the mission of a world-class cultural heritage institution. You will work closely with our team on broader initiatives that shape how visitors discover, explore, and engage with Getty's work — both on-site and online. We are a highly collaborative team where thoughtful communication, co-working sessions, code reviews, and pair programming are everyday practices.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will partner with a team of engineers and architects to drive improvements across the Getty.edu platform and digital initiatives spanning the institution. You will own meaningful parts of the stack — identifying opportunities to reduce technical debt, shaping technical direction, and delivering reliable, scalable features that raise the bar for how visitors experience Getty's work. You'll collaborate closely with UX researchers, designers, and subject matter experts to build experiences that are fast, accessible, and impactful at scale.

Our work integrates deeply with Getty's internal CMS systems, connecting content operations to the public-facing experiences we build. We move fast, hold ourselves to a high engineering bar, and believe that the best digital experiences are built by teams who take end-to-end ownership of what they ship.

The Getty is among the most respected cultural heritage organizations in the world, and a hub for discovery and discourse on the critical issues facing the field — from digital preservation and sustainability to the evolving ways communities engage with art. Scientists, curators, librarians, archivists, and academics are drawn here by a shared dedication to furthering the study of art and advancing the fields of art history, conservation, and cultural heritage preservation. We offer excellent benefits and a genuine commitment to work-life balance, and we believe that the software we build together is part of that larger mission.

This is a three-year limited term position.

This position is a hybrid work environment opportunity; The successful candidate must reside within a commutable distance of Getty, and must work at least one day per week, and more often as needed, on Getty's campus in Los Angeles.

• Design and build deep integrations with Getty's internal CMS APIs, ensuring content workflows connect seamlessly to the experiences visitors see and use
• Architect and develop Backend for Frontend (BFF) that power Getty.edu, optimizing data delivery for performance, flexibility, and developer usability
• Development of performant, scalable front-end applications using modern JavaScript frameworks (Vue.js) with a sharp focus on interactions, load times, and rendering performance to deliver experiences that feel effortless at scale
• Build and maintain application-level services to support real-time events, workflows, and dynamic user experiences.
• Utilize and support established CI/CD pipelines to ensure the consistent, reliable, and frequent deployment of software
• Help streamline the team's day-to-day workflow by identifying bottlenecks in how we write, test, and run code locally
• Partner closely with UX researchers, designers, and product stakeholders to shape and deliver digital experiences that are intuitive, accessible, and impactful across the full visitor journey
• Participate in the team's software development lifecycle, contributing to application design, implementation, testing, and code reviews
• Provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to peer developers and contribute to a culture of engineering excellence

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or a combination of education and relevant experience
• 5-8 years software development experience

• An interest in the work of cultural heritage and/or digital visitor experience
• Experience with ES6 JavaScript and contemporary JavaScript programming practices
• Experience with component-based web development (Vue.js and Vite)
• Experience designing and building APIs
• Experience implementing visual design systems in HTML & CSS
• Experience with accessibility considerations for web software
• A practice of unit testing and end-to-end testing web applications
• Experience with static-site generation tools
• Experience with version control using Git and GitHub
• A working knowledge of server-side application development and coding practices
• Familiarity with CMS platforms and content API integrations
• Intellectual generosity, humility, and curiosity
• Clear written and verbal communication skills

Useful Qualifications:

• Expertise with design systems and software design principles
• Experience building and supporting real-time event-driven workflows and applications
• Experience containerizing applications with Docker and working within AWS deployment environments
• Experience with spec-driven development practices, including defining and working from API specifications and technical contracts prior to implementation

Here are just some examples that Getty offers/provides for full-time employees:

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

To learn more about our comprehensive benefits and long list of perks, go to Getty HR.