Junior Software Developer

About the Opportunity

Want to learn how software goes from an idea to a production system used by real people?

Join SFFMA's small Technology team and help build technology that supports our organization and the Texas fire service. You will write and improve production software, work directly with users, solve real problems, and gain exposure to the full development lifecycle rather than being limited to one narrow part of a large system.

SFFMA is a not-for-profit institution whose primary purpose is the betterment of the Texas fire service. Technology supports that mission through member and training systems, certification, curriculum, data exchange, and new digital services. This role gives you the opportunity to learn and apply technology in direct support of that purpose.

This is a software development position, not a traditional IT help-desk role. You will work with web applications, APIs, databases, integrations, automation, testing, deployment, and production systems while learning how to support the software you help build.

Small Team. Big Exposure.

On a small technology team, there is not a wall between developers and users. You will talk with the people using what you build, hear what is working and what is not, and help turn that feedback into improvements quickly.

You do not need to be an extrovert, but you do need to be comfortable talking with nontechnical people, asking good questions, listening carefully, and translating 'here is what I need' into 'here is what we can build.'

What You'll Do

· Help develop and improve SFFMA's Member Portal and other web applications.

· Build and enhance frontend and backend features.

· Assist with APIs, databases, integrations, automation, and internal tools.

· Support software used for training, curriculum, certification, and testing programs.

· Troubleshoot bugs, test changes, deploy improvements, and help maintain production applications.

· Work directly with staff and users to understand needs and gather feedback.

· Participate in projects from idea and requirements through development, testing, deployment, production support, and iteration.

· Explore and responsibly use new technologies to solve organizational problems.

What We're Really Looking For

We do not expect a junior developer to know everything. Above all, we are looking for someone who learns quickly, contributes, follows through, and is willing to tackle something they have not seen before.

· A foundation in programming and software-development concepts.

· Evidence that you have built something, whether professionally, academically, or personally.

· Curiosity and willingness to learn unfamiliar tools and technologies.

· The ability to break problems down and work through them logically.

· A willingness to ask questions, accept feedback, and continue improving.

· The ability to work independently while knowing when to ask for help.

· Clear communication with both technical and nontechnical people.

· An interest in understanding the people and problems behind the software you build.

We care more about what you can demonstrate than how you learned it. A degree is welcome but not required. College coursework, technical programs, internships, professional work, open-source contributions, and personal projects can all demonstrate your ability.

If you have built something you are proud of, we would like to hear about it.

Helpful, but Not Required

· Experience with web development, databases, APIs, source control, or related technologies.

· Experience using AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar tools for development, research, troubleshooting, documentation, or productivity.

· Experience supporting users or troubleshooting production software.

Fire service experience is not required. We will help you learn SFFMA, our members, and the problems we are working to solve. Bring the willingness to learn it.

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

· You have built a side project because you wanted to see whether you could make an idea work.

· You enjoy the moment when two systems finally communicate through an API or integration.

· When you do not know something, your instinct is to start figuring it out.

· You want to understand why you are building something, not just receive a ticket telling you what to code.

· You can explain technical ideas without making the other person feel nontechnical.

· You want broad exposure to how real software is designed, built, deployed, supported, and improved.

What You Can Learn Here

You will gain practical exposure to requirements, application design, coding, databases, APIs, testing, deployment, production support, user feedback, and iteration. As your skills grow, you will have opportunities to take ownership of increasingly complex features and projects while using technology in service of the Texas fire service.

Pay: $50,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Dependent health insurance coverage
• Free parking
• Health insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person