Software Engineer Contract Jobs in Columbia, SC (NOW HIRING)

$45 - $65 per hour | West Columbia, SC | On-site | Consulting

We’re a public-sector technology team responsible for modernizing a large, mission-critical application portfolio while building new AI-enabled solutions for the organization’s future. Our environment blends legacy system stewardship with forward-looking engineering - full-stack development, cloud architecture on Microsoft Azure, and AI-assisted workflows using tools like Claude Code. This is hands-on, high-impact work with real technical ownership, not a purely architectural or management seat.

• Direct, hands-on ownership of application design, architecture, and delivery - not just oversight
• Work across ~40 applications spanning legacy modernization and greenfield AI-enabled builds
• Early, practical exposure to AI-assisted engineering tools (Claude Code, Claude CI) as part of daily workflow
• Competitive hourly contract rate ($45-65/hr)
• Meaningful public-sector impact with long-term project stability

What We Are Looking For:

This Lead Full Stack Software Engineer role is a senior, hands-on technical contributor and technical leader on a modern application development team. The role splits between modernizing a portfolio of roughly 40 existing applications - assessing each for the right future-state architecture, technology stack, migration approach, and Azure hosting model - and designing and building new applications, features, and AI-enabled solutions supporting future initiatives. The ideal candidate has deep hands-on development experience with React, Python, SQL, and Azure, is comfortable evaluating legacy systems and recommending modernization paths, and is actively contributing to delivery, not operating purely at the architecture or management level. This role is 100% on-site at 849 Learning Lane, West Columbia, SC.

What You Will Do:

• Design, build, test, deploy, and maintain production applications using React/React Native, Python, SQL/Azure SQL, and Microsoft Azure.
• Own solutions end-to-end: from requirements through implementation, deployment, and support.
• Lead modernization of ~40 legacy and existing applications, recommending refactor, re-platform, rebuild, consolidate, or retire paths, including migrations off ColdFusion.
• Lead architecture and technical design for new builds, modernization efforts, and major enhancements using Azure Container Apps, App Service, Azure SQL, Entra ID, and related services.
• Implement Infrastructure as Code using Bicep where appropriate.
• Contribute to AI-enabled applications and proof-of-concept work; apply Claude Code and Claude CI for code generation, refactoring, testing, and code review.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines (GitLab, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps).
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship through design reviews, pairing, and code reviews while remaining an active hands-on contributor.

What We Provide:

• Hourly contract rate, $45-65/hr DOE
• Full-time contract engagement
• Public-sector, mission-driven work environment

What We Require:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, IT, or related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• 5+ years of professional full-stack development experience, including recent senior/lead-level hands-on work
• Strong experience with React, Python, SQL, and modern web application development
• Experience designing, deploying, and supporting applications in Microsoft Azure
• Proven ability to make architecture and technology decisions across the full SDLC
• Preferred: React Native, TypeScript, C#, Azure SQL, Bicep/IaC, GitLab/GitHub Actions/Azure DevOps, experience migrating off ColdFusion, and hands-on experience with AI-assisted engineering tools (Claude Code, Claude CI).

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