Job Title: Software Engineer (Kubernetes)

Job Description

This role focuses on designing, developing, and sustaining a Kubernetes-based Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution that supports a state-of-the-art digital ground station for mission-critical communications. You will contribute throughout an initial 12‑month prototyping phase and continue into implementation, maintenance, sustainment, and system upgrades in subsequent years. Working closely with cross‑functional teams, you will ensure seamless integration of microservices, strong system performance, and high reliability while leveraging modern open source technologies and cloud-native practices.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, from concept and design through implementation, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
• Design, develop, and maintain Kubernetes-based microservices using languages such as Python, Go, JavaScript, and related technologies.
• Contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of a React-based JavaScript frontend that interfaces with backend microservices.
• Utilize open source technologies to support continuous deployment, event-driven automation, and efficient infrastructure management.
• Build, configure, and maintain CI/CD pipelines to automate application build, test, and deployment processes.
• Write clean, well-structured, and well-documented code, and uphold code quality through code reviews and adherence to best practices.
• Optimize software components for maximum performance, scalability, reliability, and user experience in a distributed environment.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve issues related to Kubernetes clusters, containerized applications, and supporting infrastructure.
• Develop and maintain Kubernetes Operators and Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) to extend and automate cluster functionality.
• Ensure that all software components adhere to relevant security and compliance standards and support secure operation in a defense environment.
• Stay current with industry best practices and emerging trends in software engineering, Linux, Kubernetes, containers, and modern programming languages.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including architects and other engineers, to integrate new capabilities into the overall system.
• Contribute to architectures that support signal processing, digital signal processing (DSP), satellite, and RF-related capabilities when applicable.
• Participate in technical discussions, design reviews, and problem-solving sessions to refine system architecture and implementation approaches.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• 4+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes and containerization technologies, including building and supporting PaaS solutions.
• Proficiency in at least one of the following programming languages: Python, C++, Go, or JavaScript, with a preference for Python, C++, and Go.
• Experience with modern software development practices, including CI/CD pipelines and microservices architecture.
• Strong familiarity with Linux environments and container-based workflows.
• Ability to write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code and to participate effectively in code reviews.
• Experience troubleshooting and resolving issues in Kubernetes clusters and containerized applications.
• Active Secret security clearance with eligibility for TS/SCI.
• Ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams and contribute throughout the full software development lifecycle.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience developing software architectures that enable and support signal processing capabilities, including DSP, satellite, and RF-related systems.
• Hands-on experience deploying and managing applications in Kubernetes, including writing and customizing Kubernetes manifests, Helm charts, and ArgoCD configurations.
• Practical experience with major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, or GCP, with particular value placed on AWS experience.
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform.
• Experience building and managing CI/CD pipelines using open source tooling and modern DevOps practices.
• Ability and willingness to clearly communicate technical concepts, requirements, and system designs to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experience participating in customer meetings, technical deep‑dives, architecture discussions, and design reviews.
• Experience creating technical documenta