Applications software developer Jobs in Cincinnati, OH

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu .

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service.  We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.

Job Overview

The Ohio Cyber Range Institute, housed at the University of Cincinnati, is a state of Ohio cyber education, workforce, and economic development platform located at the Digital Futures complex, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Digital Technology Solutions at the University of Cincinnati seeks a skilled (full stack) Software Applications Developer to be the lead technical architect and developer responsible for digitizing a card-based cyber tabletop exercise simulation (TTX) into an interactive, embedded application under the supervision and direction of the Ohio Cyber Range Institute. This product is an essential part of a larger cyber training environment run by the OCRI. This role requires competency across the full stack- including core game logic, back-end architecture, and critical integration with OCRI's public employee-serving Ohio-Persistent Cyber Improvement Learning Management System (LMS). The candidate will translate intricate analog rules that have been tested over two years of research and game testing into a robust, engaging, and scalable digital product and then support Downloadable Content (DLC) packets development overtime for enhanced game / exercise play. This full-time position serves as a collaborator working closely with OCRI Faculty, Research Affiliates, Graduate Fellows, and Graphic Designers to create a smooth, intuitive experience for the client. This digitized exercise / game is being developed under the OCRI and will be deployed in a cyber training environment consisting of thousands of public employees across the state of Ohio. The OCRI is located at the UC Digital Futures building, Innovation Campus (3080 Exploration Avenue) and the position requires onsite office work at OCRI.

Essential Functions

• Demonstrated competency designing and implementing full-stack, real-time, multi-user web applications, including frontend user experience, backend state management, and secure integrations with enterprise systems.
• Server-Authoritative Game Logic & State Management (such as Partykit)
• Design and implement a server-authoritative rules engine responsible for enforcing game rules, turn order, scoring, and state integrity.
• Translate complex analog game mechanics into deterministic digital logic.
• Implement robust state machine architectures to prevent illegal actions or out-of-sequence play.
• Ensure authoritative game state is synchronized to all connected clients using real-time communication protocols (e.g., WebSockets or equivalent).
• Frontend UI & Animation : Build a responsive, accessible, and intuitive interactive user interface in collaboration with OCRI graphic designers and researchers, Implement complex user interactions such as drag-and-drop mechanics, animated state transitions, and real-time feedback, Design for low-latency, optimistic UI updates while maintaining consistency with server-authoritative state, Work with Team to ensure compliance with UC accessibility standards (WCAG 2.x), Implement complex UI interactions : Drag-and-drop card mechanics, hover states, and smooth transition animations (e.g., cards moving on screen), Manage optimistic UI updates to make the game feel instant, even with network latency.
• Real-Time Audio / Video Collaboration : Integrate real-time audio / video communication to support collaborative gameplay and facilitation, Manage permissions, session lifecycle, and connection stability across various network conditions, Evaluate and implement appropriate WebRTC-based or managed A / V solutions as part of the overall system architecture.
• Data & LMS Integration : Design a PostgreSQL schema to store match history, player stats, and replays, Architect the connection between the new application and our existing Learning Management System to handle single sign-on (SSO), track user progress, and report complex performance data back to the LMS record store, Build a secure webhook system that generates a match report and notifies the parent platform when a game concludes, Handle secure authentication via signed URLs / Tokens passed from the parent application.
• Quality Assurance Testing / Bug fixing : Ensure the game functions exactly as intended, is free of bugs, and that the game logic is sound under all conditions, preventing frustrating user experiences.
• Collaboration : Work with an OCRI designer, researchers, and LMS team to develop a robust gaming experience. The individual must also adhere to the UC accessibility policy.

Required Education

Required Experience

Additional Qualifications Considered

Application Information

Interested and qualified applicants must apply online and include a cover letter of interest and a current CV / Resume. All certifications and other documentation can be uploaded using the Additional Documents section in the application. Applications without a cover letter and CV / Resume will not be considered for the position.

Compensation Information

Dependent on the candidate’s experience, the competitive salary range is $100,000-$120,000. This is a grant-funded position; the continuation of this full-time position will be based on grant funding.

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. ( UC Benefits Link ) Highlights include :

Salary / Hourly Pay Rate Information :

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including :

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include :

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our careers page at  https : / / www.uc.edu / careers.html

UC is an E-Verify employer.  If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. A list of acceptable documents can be seen here :   https : / / www.uscis.gov / i-9-central / form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Important : To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal.  We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites.   For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact Human Resources at  jobs@uc.edu .

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