Software Applications Developer Lead, Digital Technology Solutions

The Ohio Cyber Range Institute, housed at the University of Cincinnati, is a state of Ohio cyber education, workforce, and economic development platform located at the Digital Futures complex, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Digital Technology Solutions at the University of Cincinnati seeks a skilled (full stack) Software Applications Developer to be the lead technical architect and developer responsible for digitizing a card-based cyber tabletop exercise simulation (TTX) into an interactive, embedded application under the supervision and direction of the Ohio Cyber Range Institute. This product is an essential part of a larger cyber training environment run by the OCRI. This role requires competency across the full stack- including core game logic, back-end architecture, and critical integration with OCRI's public employee-serving Ohio-Persistent Cyber Improvement Learning Management System (LMS). The candidate will translate intricate analog rules that have been tested over two years of research and game testing into a robust, engaging, and scalable digital product and then support Downloadable Content (DLC) packets development overtime for enhanced game/exercise play. This full-time position serves as a collaborator working closely with OCRI Faculty, Research Affiliates, Graduate Fellows, and Graphic Designers to create a smooth, intuitive experience for the client. This digitized exercise/game is being developed under the OCRI and will be deployed in a cyber training environment consisting of thousands of public employees across the state of Ohio. The OCRI is located at the UC Digital Futures building, Innovation Campus (3080 Exploration Avenue) and the position requires onsite office work at OCRI.

• Demonstrated competency designing and implementing full-stack, real-time, multi-user web applications, including frontend user experience, backend state management, and secure integrations with enterprise systems.
• Server-Authoritative Game Logic & State Management (such as Partykit)
• Design and implement a server-authoritative rules engine responsible for enforcing game rules, turn order, scoring, and state integrity.
• Translate complex analog game mechanics into deterministic digital logic.
• Implement robust state machine architectures to prevent illegal actions or out-of-sequence play.
• Ensure authoritative game state is synchronized to all connected clients using real-time communication protocols (e.g., WebSockets or equivalent).
• Frontend UI & Animation: Build a responsive, accessible, and intuitive interactive user interface in collaboration with OCRI graphic designers and researchers, Implement complex user interactions such as drag-and-drop mechanics, animated state transitions, and real-time feedback, Design for low-latency, optimistic UI updates while maintaining consistency with server-authoritative state, Work with Team to ensure compliance with UC accessibility standards (WCAG 2.x), Implement complex UI interactions: Drag-and-drop card mechanics, hover states, and smooth transition animations (e.g., cards moving on screen), Manage optimistic UI updates to make the game feel instant, even with network latency.
• Real-Time Audio/Video Collaboration: Integrate real-time audio/video communication to support collaborative gameplay and facilitation, Manage permissions, session lifecycle, and connection stability across various network conditions, Evaluate and implement appropriate WebRTC-based or managed A/V solutions as part of the overall system architecture.
• Data & LMS Integration: Design a PostgreSQL schema to store match history, player stats, and replays, Architect the connection between the new application and our existing Learning Management System to handle single sign-on (SSO), track user progress, and report complex performance data back to the LMS record store, Build a secure webhook system that generates a match report and notifies the parent platform when a game concludes, Handle secure authentication via signed URLs/Tokens passed from the parent application.
• Quality Assurance Testing / Bug fixing: Ensure the game functions exactly as intended, is free of bugs, and that the game logic is sound under all conditions, preventing frustrating user experiences.
• Collaboration: Work with an OCRI designer, researchers, and LMS team to develop a robust gaming experience. The individual must also adhere to the UC accessibility policy.

• Bachelor's Degree in Programming/Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
• Eight (8) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

• Four (4) years relevant technical or business work experience.
• Working knowledge of two or more programming languages.

• Experience with libraries like boardgame.io or React DnD (Drag and Drop).
• Background in digital board game development.
• Experience with deployment pipelines using CI/CDtools (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions).
• Familiarity with containerization technologies, especially Docker.
• Knowledge of defensive coding and web security best practices (e.g., XSS prevention, data encryption).
• Able to analyze and interpret complex problems, identify and understand requirements, and develop alternative solutions.
• Experience in developing, testing, and deploying applications/systems.

Interested and qualified applicants must apply online and include a cover letter of interest and a current CV/Resume. All certifications and other documentation can be uploaded using the Additional Documents section in the application. Applications without a cover letter and CV/Resume will not be considered for the position.

Dependent on the candidate's experience, the competitive salary range is $100,000-$120,000. This is a grant-funded position; the continuation of this full-time position will be based on grant funding.