Senior Engineer, Innovation

The YouVersion Labs Senior Engineer is primarily responsible for rapidly ideating, prototyping, and validating

innovative software that creates new ways to reach people for Christ digitally. This role works within the YouVersion Labs innovation team to take ideas from concept to working prototype, often independently, while also contributing technical expertise to support and challenge teammates’ projects. The Senior Engineer focuses on building early-stage prototypes, gathering user feedback, and rapidly iterating through the Labs’ innovation process to determine which ideas have the potential to become future Bible engagement tools used by millions around the world. This role utilizes their skills to deliver technical outcomes that align with the direction of their team to further Life.Church’s mission and to reach people for Christ.

YouVersion was created by the local church in 2007 and remains a ministry of Life.Church today. At Life.Church, our mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Our team is committed to reaching people worldwide through innovative technology. And YouVersion is one of the ways we get to do that. Life.Church is a multi-site Christian church meeting in the United States and globally at Life.Church Online.

What You'll Do:
Drive Innovation Through Rapid Experimentation and Development

• Rapidly ideate, prototype, and validate new product concepts across web, mobile, and AI/ML, adapting the tech stack to meet the needs of each experiment.

• Conduct user research, run smoke tests and lightweight experiments, and execute innovation sprints from the early concept stage (SPARK) through development (FORGE).

• Develop high-quality software that balances speed-to-learn with production readiness, and stay current on emerging technologies, especially AI and digital ministry tools.

• Collaborate with various teams and team members to determine the technical approach and to organize development plans.

Provide Support to the Innovation Team

• Collaborate with teammates through weekly reviews, code reviews, and presentations to the Innovation Review Board.

• Partner with junior and mid-level engineers to offer training and guidance on best practices.

• Coordinate with the Project Manager on portfolio updates, gate timelines, and project documentation.

Skills Needed to Succeed:
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills to maintain relationships and partnerships.

• Maintain a systematic and organized approach to completing assignments accurately, thoroughly, and timely.

• Clearly explain complicated and detailed processes in a concise and simple way.

• Ability to self-motivate, take initiative, make independent decisions, and solve problems.

• Ability to collaborate in a team environment and work independently.

• Ability to maintain composure during stressful situations.

• Own technical design for projects and understands, and articulates, the tradeoffs in creating high-quality software.

• High School Diploma or GED.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, or a related field.

• 3+ years of related work experience.

Benefits We Offer

• Paid parental leave, including maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.

• Generous employer-paid leave for the use of vacation, sick time, and other qualifying reasons.

• Innovative and comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance that provides team members with useful resources and savings to navigate their holistic health.

• Life insurance policy provided for all staff members at 2x annual salary at no cost. Additional life insurance coverage is available to purchase.

• Short-Term and Long-Term disability is covered at 100% for full-time qualified staff members.

• Comprehensive wellness and mental health benefits allow staff to proactively invest in their physical and emotional health.

• Generous 401(k) retirement plan allowing a team member to have up to 12.5% (including employee contribution, employer match, and employer discretionary contribution) contributed into their account in their first year. It doesn’t stop there—the more years on staff, the greater the investment!

• $160 annually in development dollars for team members to invest in their professional growth.

• Casual dress and work environment.

• And much more!

Our Beliefs, Culture, and Commitment to Diversity

At Life.Church, every staff member, and intern is a minister and is expected to engage in the church's ministry fully. We consider ministry readiness and an individual’s capacity to represent Life.Church’s beliefs as a minister during the selection process for all staff and intern positions. An essential function within every position held by a staff member or intern at Life.Church is to uphold and represent the beliefs of Life.Church. Learn more about what we believe at Life.Church.

While we unite around our mission, we know unity doesn’t mean uniformity. Our calling is too great, and our mission is too important not to be intentional about strengthening our team through diversity. We know that diverse perspectives in race, ethnicity, background, age, and gender are essential to reaching the world for Christ. To learn more about how we strengthen our team through diversity, visit our careers page.

All data collected in our application process, from resume collection to application questions, is used for recruitment purposes only.