Principal Software Developer

Principal Software Developer: Company: Chapter One NFP Target Kickoff Date: Fall 2026 Role: Principal Software Developer — United States (Remote) | $185,000–$210,000 USD DOE Executive Summary Chapter One is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring every child develops the reading skills required to thrive. For over 30 years, Chapter One has combined high-impact, 1:1 tutoring with purpose-built technology to deliver early literacy instruction to K–5 students across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Technology serves as a multiplier that enhances human connection among tutors, educators, and students. As we launch Student Platform 2.0 (SP 2.0), we are shifting from static instructional games to an AI-driven, interactive partner reading ecosystem. SP 2.0 pairs students with digital avatars, integrates Voice Recognition (VR) speech-evaluation engines in real time, dynamically color-codes phonemes/sight words, and provides adaptive word reinforcement and gamified progress tracking. To architect and execute this mission-critical platform, Chapter One is hiring a Principal Software Developer. This self-directed engineering leader will own the architectural design, AI voice-processing integrations, Ruby on Rails backend, and React/TypeScript frontend for SP 2.0 while maintaining strict US student PII compliance standards. Role & Compensation Structure Role Location Target Base Compensation Strategic Focus Principal Software Developer United States (Remote) $185,000 – $210,000 USD Architectural leadership across SP 2.0, full-stack Rails backend & React/TS frontend execution, real-time Voice Recognition (VR) & AI integration, adaptive literacy engine, and student PII compliance PART 2: Job Description — Principal Software Developer Job Title: Principal Software Developer Company: Chapter One NFP Location: Remote (United States) Compensation: $185,000–$210,000 USD DOE Reports To: Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO) About Chapter One Chapter One is a nonprofit on a mission to make sure every child has the reading skills they need to thrive. For over 30 years, we’ve paired high-impact, 1:1 tutoring with purpose-built technology to deliver early literacy instruction to K–5 students across the US, UK, and Canada. Technology empowers our Early Literacy Instructors (ELIs) and volunteers to connect deeply with students and deliver personalized instruction every time. Role Purpose & Self-Directed Mandate The Principal Software Developer will serve as the primary technical architect and lead hands-on developer for our next-generation Student Platform (SP 2.0). SP 2.0 represents a transformational leap in early childhood reading technology, replacing traditional standalone word games with dynamic, voice-enabled partner reading experiences. In this role, you will design and build an adaptive literacy system that blends a Ruby on Rails backend with modern React/TypeScript client applications and real-time Voice Recognition (VR) processing engines. You will be self-directed, taking high-level pedagogical requirements from executive leadership and translating them into production-ready software architectures. Detailed Responsibilities Core Architecture & Full-Stack Development (30%) Architect and construct scalable backend systems in Ruby on Rails to support high-concurrency student sessions, API isolation layers, and platform telemetry. Build rich, highly responsive client-side React/TypeScript applications featuring animated avatars, dynamic text rendering, and interactive game canvases. Design clean event-driven architectures to seamlessly sync student progress, assessment data, and word mastery metrics between the Student Platform (SP 2.0) and the Instructor Platform (IP). Maintain rapid, test-driven release cycles using pragmatic, iterative development practices. SP 2.0 Literacy Engine & Voice Recognition (70%) Integrate and optimize Voice Recognition (VR) engines to evaluate K–5 student speech in real-time, accurately identifying correct pronunciations, misreads, and reading hesitations. Develop dynamic text formatting logic that color-codes sight words (green) and onset/rime phonemes (red/blue) dynamically during avatar and student reading turns. Implement adaptive branching logic post-reading: automatic progression for accurate reading, targeted echo reading for minor mispronunciations, and avatar re-reads for significant hesitations. Build the Word Reinforcement Engine, which automatically isolates misread or hesitated words and presents interactive segmentation and blending exercises. Establish gamification frameworks, including point accumulators, digital rewards, and progress maps tied to Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) metrics. 30 / 90 / 180 Day Success Criteria 30 Days — System Mastery & Architectural Blueprint: Deeply audit existing Rails backends, React/TS applications, and speech-processing prototypes. Publish the core SP 2.0 architectural specification for VR stream processing and state synchronization. 90 Days — Production Milestone Delivery: Successfully ship the SP 2.0 MVP containing the Pre-Read Sequence, Avatar Partner Reading with dynamic text color-coding, and initial Voice Recognition evaluation pipeline into staging environments. 180 Days — Platform Maturity & AI Innovations: Production launch of SP 2.0 across target school districts with full PII compliance. Begin exploratory work on SP 3.0 initiatives including dynamic AI story generation, ELL support, and adaptive comprehension modules. Benefits: 401k Matching PTO Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance Remote Equal Opportunity Employer Chapter one is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.