• C++ Software Developer with Mud Blasting Experience
• Boulder, CO

We are mid-size software development group that has 30+ years of legacy software, and are poised on the brink of transforming an industry.  We need to incrementally address 30+ years of legacy code - while still adding vast amounts of new functionality and UI clients, on a very aggressive time frame.

Our options are to (a) implement new features as quickly as possible and meet the aggressive time frame, ignoring the impact on our code base; (b) ignore the time frame and implement fully refactored and elegant solutions, damn the marketing and sales; (c) strike the proper balance, be mindful of the long term and refactor on a case-by-case basis as needed, and incrementally reduce the Big Ball of Mud.

We’ve chosen option c, which may be the most painful and most demanding, but if we can pull it off will also be the most responsible and most satisfying.   Do you want to make a difference?

The team players in our programming group will be the ones who can simultaneously pull off the following:

-                      Turn out new functionality in the time frame required by our clients
-                      Do so while not adding to – and in fact reducing – the Big Ball of Mud

In our experience the successful programmer is one who can demonstrate:

-                      Strong competency with C++( C++ 0x, STL, Boost) and C#/.NET development, WPF, and object-oriented concepts.
-                      Experience in software design using Design Pattern
-                      Any background in math, engineering, geometry or the construction industry would be a plus.
-                      Database knowledge would be a plus
-                      Any experience at providing software as service would be plus.
-                      A ‘can-do’ attitude toward technical problems
-                      A  proven track record solving ill-defined problems, both small and large
-                      A fantastic work ethic, a willingness on occasion to do whatever it takes to complete the job on time
-                      A burning desire to keep learning and growing (‘burning’ seems like such a glib word, but it’s absolutely accurate)
-                      Strong respect for peers, and for sharing and learning from each other’s experiences
-                      Ability to debate and to compromise, and being respectful/empathetic of the person with whom you are debating
-                      An ability to laugh at your own mistakes, first to admit them and then to learn from them
-                      A good and positive sense of humor, enjoying the experience of working on challenging projects in pressurized circumstances
-                      All of this while building relationships with other like-minded, intelligent, hard-working, focused professional people                       

Still interested?  Do you want a piece of the action?  Check out this article from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois:  http://www.laputan.org/pub/foote/mud.pdf

To apply, respond to this ad with your resume and cover letter.  In addition, write up your views on the Big Ball of Mud, your experience and why specifically you’ve got what it takes to be a Mud-Blasting hero.