What are the responsibilities and job description for the Software Engineer Sr position at J. Paul Getty Trust, The?
Job Summary
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.
Major Job Responsibilities
- Design and build deep integrations with Getty's internal CMS APIs, ensuring content workflows connect seamlessly to the experiences visitors see and use
- Implement and maintain a scalable design token system in close collaboration with UX/UI designers to ensure visual consistency and streamlined UI updates across our digital experiences
- Own the development of performant, accessible frontend applications using Vue.js, with a sharp focus on reusable component design, smooth interactive experiences, and rendering performance
- Utilize and support our CI/CD pipelines to ensure the consistent and reliable delivery of frontend and backend code
- Promote frontend testing and development best practices, helping to streamline the team's local development and UI packaging workflows
- 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 full software development lifecycle including technical design, implementation, testing, and code review
- Provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to peer developers and contribute to a culture of engineering excellence
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in a related field or a combination of education and relevant experience
- 5-8 years software development experience
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- 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 implementing visual design systems, including working with design token systems
- 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 rendering (SSR) patterns and server-side JavaScript/Node.js
- Familiarity with CMS platforms and content API integrations
- Intellectual generosity, humility, and curiosity
- Clear written and verbal communication skills
Nice to Have
- Expertise with design systems and frontend design principles
- Experience collaborating with designers in Figma to translate layouts and assets into components
- Experience with continuous integration and deployment using Docker and AWS
- Experience with spec-driven development practices, including defining and working from API specifications and technical contracts prior to implementation
Benefits and Perks
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.
Salary : $118,935 - $160,570