Freelance R&D Software Developer Jobs in Chandler, AZ

PrePass is North America's most trusted weigh station bypass and toll management platform. We're transforming how the transportation industry operates-creating solutions that keep trucks moving safely, efficiently, and compliantly. This means making bold decisions and building systems that support not only fleets but the broader economy. It all starts with enabling commercial vehicles to keep rolling with seamless toll management, weigh station bypass, and safety solutions. It's what we do best, and we do it to meet the demands of the road every day.

That's why people join us: our solutions are implemented in real-time, on highways and interstates across the nation, helping fleets go farther, faster. This work challenges and rewards, presenting complex problems that need ambitious answers. We hire bold thinkers with a heart for impact, a passion for progress, and the optimism to shape the future of transportation.

We're looking for a Senior Software Engineer to design and build working prototypes, proofs of concept (PoCs), and pilot-ready solutions that validate technical feasibility and accelerate decision-making. This is not a traditional enterprise software role - we're seeking someone who enjoys working across software, hardware, diagnostics, cloud platforms, and field testing environments.

In this role, you'll collaborate closely with engineering and cross-functional teams to evaluate emerging technologies and develop prototype solutions that may evolve into future production systems. You'll work hands-on with hardware-integrated systems in both lab and real-world environments, contributing throughout the prototype, testing, and evaluation lifecycle.

This hybrid role is based in our Phoenix, AZ office, with in-office collaboration required at least three days per week to support lab work and field testing activities.

Prototype Development & Technical Innovation

• Design and develop prototype applications and services using C#, modern .NET, SQL Server, and Microsoft Azure.
• Build APIs, integrations, and telemetry systems that connect software platforms with hardware devices and external systems.
• Develop cloud-native prototypes and evaluate deployment patterns using Azure services, Docker, containers, and Kubernetes.
• Explore and implement AI-assisted capabilities within prototypes, including automation, diagnostics, analytics, and decision-support tooling.
• Create rapid PoCs that validate new technologies, workflows, and operational concepts.

Hardware Integration & Field Testing

• Partner with hardware-focused engineers to integrate software with edge devices, sensors, telemetry systems, and connected technologies.
• Support hands-on lab testing and field validation of integrated hardware and software solutions.
• Develop diagnostics, logging, monitoring, and testing tools to support troubleshooting and repeatable evaluations.
• Troubleshoot issues across hardware, networking, firmware, cloud systems, and software applications.
• Participate in field testing activities, deployment preparation, and post-test analysis.

Research, Evaluation & Documentation

• Define prototype goals, hypotheses, success metrics, and evaluation criteria.
• Document architecture decisions, findings, trade-offs, and recommendations to support future production systems.
• Evaluate emerging technologies including IoT, edge computing, augmented reality (AR), spatial computing, and advanced visualization tools.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to engineering and leadership stakeholders.

Engineering Leadership & Collaboration

• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, architecture discussions, and Agile ceremonies.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through technical guidance and collaborative problem-solving.
• Partner with engineering, product, infrastructure, operations, and leadership teams throughout prototype development and evaluation efforts.
• Advocate for engineering best practices while balancing speed, experimentation, and iterative development in an R&D-focused environment.
• Leverage AI-assisted development tools to improve prototyping speed, testing workflows, and documentation quality.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience building production or pilot-ready systems.
• Strong hands-on experience with C# and modern .NET technologies.
• Experience developing applications and integrations on Microsoft Azure.
• Strong experience with relational databases such as SQL Server.
• Experience building prototypes, proofs of concept, or experimental systems.
• Hands-on experience integrating software with hardware devices, telemetry systems, or external systems.
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across distributed and integrated environments.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, DevOps tooling, Git, and automated testing practices.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and technical documentation skills.

• Experience with IoT, edge computing, connected devices, or telemetry platforms.
• Background in robotics, industrial automation, transportation technology, aerospace, defense, or other hardware-integrated environments.
• Familiarity with device communication protocols, diagnostics, or edge systems.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud-native deployment patterns.
• Experience developing test plans and supporting lab or field evaluations.
• Familiarity with event-driven architectures, observability, and distributed systems.

• Comfortable working in fast-moving, ambiguous, and experimental environments.
• Strong problem-solving mindset with the ability to evaluate trade-offs and technical feasibility.
• Highly collaborative with the ability to partner effectively across engineering and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrates initiative, ownership, and accountability throughout the development and testing lifecycle.
• Passionate about emerging technologies and applying them to real-world operational challenges.
• Balances engineering quality with rapid prototyping and iterative experimentation.

Ideal candidates may come from environments such as:

• IoT or edge computing
• Transportation technology
• Robotics or autonomous systems
• Industrial automation
• Connected vehicle platforms
• Aerospace or defense systems
• Applied R&D or prototype engineering teams

You do not need to be a firmware or electrical engineer, but you should be comfortable working closely with hardware systems and solving problems outside of traditional application development.

• Builds prototypes and PoCs that clearly validate or invalidate technical feasibility.
• Creates repeatable testing frameworks and diagnostics tooling that improve lab and field testing efficiency.
• Produces architecture documentation and technical recommendations that help guide future production systems.
• Strengthens engineering quality and team capability within a fast-moving R&D environment.

Benefits

• Robust benefit package that includes medical, dental, and vision that start on date of hire.
• Paid Time Off, to include vacation, sick, holidays, and floating holidays.
• Paid parental leave.
• 401(k) plan with employer match.
• Company-funded "lifestyle account" upon date of hire for you to apply toward your physical and mental well-being (i.e., ski passes, retreats, gym memberships).
• Tuition Reimbursement Program.
• Voluntary benefits, to include, but not limited to Legal and Pet Discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program (available at no cost to you).
• Company-sponsored and funded "Culture Team" that focuses on the Physical, Mental, and Professional well-being of employees.
• Community Give-Back initiatives.
• Culture that focuses on employee development initiatives.
• Company-wide bonus and commission plans.

At PrePass, our mission drives us.

We invest in relationships. We challenge ourselves to innovate and improve. We win together. Simply put, we live our Core Values.

Ready to help move the transportation industry forward? Join us and let's drive progress-together.