Senior Engineer

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the role: 

As a Senior Engineer, you will be responsible for developing and implementing secure, end-to-end cluster and application lifecycles in cloud environments. You will collaborate with clients and internal teams to design and implement containerization solutions using Kubernetes or Docker. A key aspect of your role will involve building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, ensuring a smooth, secure software update process. Additionally, you will apply GitOps principles for software delivery automation, ensuring that systems are both efficient and secure. Your work will support the organization's goals of enhancing security, scalability, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and implement secure, end-to-end Kubernetes or Docker-based cluster and application lifecycles.
• Collaborate with clients and internal teams to architect containerized solutions and cloud-native applications.
• Build, maintain, and optimize CI/CD pipelines to ensure secure and seamless software delivery.
• Apply GitOps principles for automated and reliable deployment processes.
• Implement DevSecOps best practices, ensuring security is integrated at every stage of the development lifecycle.
• Ensure effective log management and use analytics tools for system monitoring and optimization.
• Leverage AWS cloud services and other cloud platforms to ensure system reliability, scalability, and security.
• Contribute to the development of secure network configurations and cloud-based security architecture.
• Maintain strong familiarity with Agile, DevOps, and DevSecOps methodologies to enhance operational efficiency.
• Assist in implementing Service Mesh solutions (e.g., Istio) to support secure and efficient service-to-service communications.
• Collaborate with teams using version control systems like GitLab, and work with automation tools like Ansible, Maven, and Gradle.
• Participate in software development using CI/CD pipelines, with a focus on security and automation.
• Stay current with cloud technologies, industry best practices, and evolving security threats to recommend innovative solutions.
• Maintain infrastructure using IaC/CaC

What we are looking for:

• 3-4 years experience with Kubernetes or Docker
• Develop and implement end-to-end cluster and application lifecycles
• Experience with AWS and cloud technologies
• Good grasp of Agile, DevOps, and DevSecOps methodologies
• Networking experience
• Experience or knowledge of Service-Mesh, such as Istio
• Experience in software systems development using CI/CD pipelines
• Passionate about automation, system efficiency, and security
• Experience with Log Management and Analytics tools
• Proficient in tools like AWS Cloud Services, Gitlab, Ansible, Maven, Gradle
• Familiarity with Infrastructure as Code and Unit/Integration Testing
• Experience preparing architectural diagrams for ATO packages
• Experience enforcing RBAC and ABAC policies at the data level
• Knowledge of baseline RKE2, Apache, Kafka, HDFS, and other applications
• Experience designing, engineering, and implementing security solutions
• Experience performing regular penetration testing on various systems to ensure security

Highly preferred:

• Experience with writing custom Helm Charts
• Basic experience with Big Data
• Multilingual programming abilities
• Knowledge in automation languages like Python or GoLang

Clearance Requirements:

• Candidates must have an active clearance or higher

Salary Range: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00

Work Type:

• Remote

What we will offer you: 

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Generous Referral Bonuses
• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.