Lead Software Engineer

About the job

Who We Are

McMaster-Carr is a leading e-commerce company that industrial customers have trusted for over 120 years. Our products help them get manufacturing lines back up quickly, keep operations running smoothly, and prototype the next generation of innovative solutions. We earn and keep that trust by offering the right products, making them easy to find, and delivering them fast, so our customers can solve problems with greater speed, precision, and ease.

Our industry-leading e-commerce experience, indispensable product selection, and world-class service bring hundreds of thousands of customers to our site each day. But we’re never standing still. Our curious, exceptional people are at the heart of our evolution. They turn new challenges and disruptive technologies into opportunities to refine our operations, expand our offering, and deliver a better experience for every customer.

How You'll Make An Impact

Our technology team builds the software that powers our e-commerce experience and our world-class operations. From customer-facing web features to distribution center automation, we design and scale critical systems that enable McMaster-Carr to deliver same-day or next-day orders reliably and efficiently.

As a Lead Software Engineer, you’ll work on projects like:

• Building modern web experiences using React, Storybook, and experimentation frameworks to improve how customers find what they need and solve problems.


• Optimizing front-end and back-end code and infrastructure to make performance a competitive advantage.


• Designing scalable automation systems that integrate with third-party technologies and streamline distribution center operations.


• Creating custom software and algorithms that improve speed, accuracy, and quality across fulfillment and shipping.


• Exploring the integration of GenAI tools to improve customer support and internal workflows

What You’ll Do

As a Lead Software Engineer, you’ll play a key tech leadership role on high-impact projects. You will:

• Own the full lifecycle of projects—from research and design to development, deployment, and iteration.


• Write high-quality, maintainable, and scalable code using object-oriented design and SOLID principles.


• Improve system architecture, testing, and monitoring to ensure reliability and performance.


• Mentor other engineers through code reviews, technical guidance, and knowledge sharing.


• Collaborate cross-functionally with operations, product, and UX teams to ensure business value and user impact.


• Contribute to long-term technical strategy while remaining close to the details of execution.

This role is a pathway to senior technical leadership or people management—your growth is determined by your impact, not by tenure.

Cash Compensation

• Total cash compensation is generally around $235,000 to $310,000 and includes a profit sharing based on company profitability.


• You will also receive a relocation stipend and signing bonus.

Benefits

Growth & Learning

• 100% tuition reimbursement


• Informal and formal mentorship


• Employee resource groups

Health & Wellbeing

• Medical, dental, pharmacy, and vision plans with no monthly premiums


• Inclusive, all-gender benefits

Family & Future

• Paid parental leave for all new parents


• Adoption and surrogacy assistance


• First-time home buyer assistance


• Industry-leading company-funded retirement accounts

Time Off

• Paid vacation and personal time

Who You Are

We’re looking for curious, driven engineers who thrive in collaborative environments and love solving hard problems. Ideal candidates will have:

• Experience designing and delivering large-scale, service-oriented systems.


• Strong proficiency in compiled languages such as C#, Java, C++, or Rust.


• A thoughtful, analytical approach to problem-solving and software design.


• Clear, confident communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.


• Interest in mentoring, coaching, and growing as a leader.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees a workplace with reasonable accommodations and free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. At McMaster-Carr, we do not make employment decisions based on age, ethnicity, citizenship status, military status, gender identity and expression, race, religion, disability status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected group.

This position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship by McMaster-Carr.

Data We Collect

We may collect professional, education and employment-related data, and any assessments made throughout the recruiting process, to evaluate candidacy for employment. To communicate with job applicants, we may collect applicant names, contact information, and other personal identifiers, including those outlined in the California customer records statute. Through voluntary disclosure, we may also collect protected classifications under federal or California law (e.g., race, gender, etc.). For additional details about the personal information we collect and its uses, please click here .