Lead development of native Windows desktop applications using WinUI, C#, and XAML. Drive accessibility, performance, and cross-team collaboration. 3+ years of experience required. Remote-friendly.

About the Company

Speechify is a mission-driven company focused on making reading accessible to everyone. Over 50 million people use Speechify's text-to-speech products to convert written content – from PDFs and books to websites and documents – into natural-sounding audio, enabling faster reading, greater comprehension, and improved learning. Named Chrome Extension of the Year by Google and winner of Apple's 2025 Design Award for Inclusivity, Speechify is at the forefront of accessibility technology. The company operates as a fully distributed team of nearly 200 people across the globe, including engineers, AI researchers, and product experts from top companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, as well as leading universities and high-growth startups.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to lead the development of native Windows desktop applications. This is a high-impact role where you will shape the architecture and user experience for millions of users. You will work closely with product designers, UX researchers, and QA to build polished, accessible, and performant Windows applications. As a senior member of the engineering team, you will drive best practices, mentor other engineers, and own features from conception to release. This role is ideal for someone passionate about desktop software, accessibility, and creating inclusive user experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, architecture, and development of native Windows desktop applications using Windows App SDK, WinUI, C#, XAML, and C++ where needed.
• Define and enforce best practices for Windows desktop development including code architecture, performance optimization, memory management, responsive UI design, and cross-version compatibility (Windows 10/11+).
• Drive accessibility efforts by integrating and validating support for APIs like Microsoft UI Automation, ensuring screen-reader support, keyboard navigation, and usability for people with disabilities.
• Collaborate with product designers, UX researchers, QA, and other stakeholders to shape feature planning, UI/UX architecture, and the long-term roadmap for the Windows platform.
• Take full ownership of the feature lifecycle: conception, design, implementation, testing, release, and maintenance. Ensure quality, reliability, and consistency across releases.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve complex bugs, performance bottlenecks, memory leaks, rendering issues, and compatibility problems, proposing robust architectural or design solutions.
• Mentor other engineers, conduct code reviews, and contribute to architecture-level decisions.

Tech Stack

• Languages: C#, XAML, C++ (native Windows code)
• Frameworks/SDKs: Windows App SDK, WinUI, .NET (managed code), Win32/WinRT/COM
• Accessibility: Microsoft UI Automation API
• Platform: Windows 10/11, including high-DPI, responsive UI
• Testing: Unit tests, integration tests, UI automation tests (relevant frameworks)
• Tools: CI/CD pipelines, telemetry, crash reporting, logging, error monitoring
• Other: Multi-threading/async programming, OOP, design patterns, performance optimization, localization/internationalization

Required: 3+ years in Windows desktop application development using Windows App SDK, WinUI (or similar), C#, XAML — and ideally additional experience with native Windows code (C++, Win32/WinRT/COM). Deep understanding of Windows application architecture, including interop between managed code (.NET) and native code. Proven track record of designing, building, and shipping production-quality desktop applications. Strong experience with accessibility APIs on Windows (e.g., Microsoft UI Automation). Excellent software engineering fundamentals: OOP, design patterns, data structures, algorithms, memory management, multi-threading/async. Experience leading technical design, mentoring, code reviews, and architecture-level decisions. Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills. User-centric mindset.

Preferred: Experience with automated UI testing, performance optimization for desktop apps (memory, startup time, high-DPI, responsiveness), localization/globalization, telemetry analytics, CI/CD pipelines for desktop apps, and long-term feature ownership.

A high-impact role: you will define architecture, shape the future of our Windows product, and directly influence what millions of users see and experience. A collaborative, flat-structure engineering culture — you are not just a coder, but a builder and a decision-maker. Opportunities to lead — mentor others, steer technical direction, and grow into broader technical leadership (e.g. Tech Lead, Architect). Flexibility, autonomy, and responsibility: you define how to solve problems, own features end-to-end, and contribute to long-term product vision. A purpose-driven mission: building software that's reliable, accessible, and user-centered — making a real difference for people.