Software Engineer - Back End

TwinSpires is the premier online horse racing wagering platform in the United States. TwinSpires is owned and operated by Churchill Downs, Inc., and is the official online betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, bringing you more than 148 years of wagering experience. Players can wager through the TwinSpires desktop, mobile, and app-based advance-deposit wagering platforms as well as at retail locations and race tracks across the country.

JOB SUMMARY

The Software Engineer will work as a part of a larger team to design and develop custom backend-focused, full-stack software solutions that meet the needs of the business and those of our patrons. This role will also participate as a member of an agile team and will therefore be required to participate in mutually deliverable goals and will have to coordinate efforts that maximize the contributions of the group. This engineer will have a strong emphasis on server-side applications (Java, AWS Lambdas, etc.) while maintaining working knowledge of Angular based client applications. Given our significant investment in AI-driven product initiatives, the ideal candidate will also bring applied experience with LLMs and AI-assisted development workflows.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Write and support user-facing, web-based features that further the objectives of the organization
• Write and support backend services and APIs (Java, Spring Boot, AWS Lambdas) that further the objectives of the organization
• Manage and support a code base (repo), including deployment orchestration in a highly secure environment
• Develop reusable, efficient code that lends itself to continual improvement and delivery
• Collaborate with internal and external team members to design and achieve an optimal design solution
• Document and troubleshoot bugs as is required to maintain a successful application platform; 24x7 operation
• Investigate new technologies, techniques, and industry developments.
• Integrate and work alongside AI/LLM-powered features and services; apply AI-assisted coding tools to improve development velocity and code quality
• Improves operations by conducting systems analysis; recommending changes in policies and procedures
• Determines operational feasibility by evaluating analysis, problem definition, requirements, solution development, and proposed solutions
• Develops software solutions by studying information needs; conferring with users; studying systems flow, data usage, and work processes; investigating problem areas; following the software development lifecycle
• Design and participate in the development of one or more web-based, responsive apps, and back-end business services (e.g. web services) for consumer-facing products
• Other duties as assigned by Management

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor of Science in Information Science/Systems, or equivalent experience and industry certifications
• 5+ years of demonstrated career progression
• Strong experience in development against relational database, preferably using MySQL
• Experience developing consumer facing applications in a distributed, scalable environment
• Deep experience in technologies: Angular, CSS, HTML, Java, Java Spring, Spring Boot, Spring MVC, MySQL, GitHub
• Experience developing applications in AWS, including AWS Aurora and Lambda-based serverless architectures
• Experience serving as an Agile Scrum team member
• Authorized to work in the US on full-time basis
• Foundational understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI/ML concepts; familiarity with prompt engineering, API integration (e.g., Anthropic Claude, OpenAI), and responsible AI practices
• Demonstrated experience leveraging AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., Claude, GitHub Copilot, or similar) to accelerate development workflows

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS

The following physical and mental demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. 1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, sometimes for prolonged periods while working at a desk, on the phone, and/or on the computer; type on a computer keyboard; use hands to finger, handle or feel; talk or hear; reach with hands or arms; walk or stand; and perform some repetitive motion activities.
   2. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, color differentiation, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
   3. This position requires the ability to work effectively as part of a team; and concentrate on a variety of details when faced with interruptions and changing work priorities.
   4. The mental demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions, as described above, including but not limited to: demonstrated ability to anticipate and solve practical problems or resolve issues; reason, calculate figures and amounts; collect, interpret, and/or analyze complex data and information, and draw valid conclusions; interpret procedures and policies; and meet schedules in a dynamic and sometimes demanding work environment.
   5. The noise level in this work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job in a typical office environment.
   6. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability.