Principal Platform Engineer

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional small business 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.

We’re looking for an experienced Principal Platform Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers.

About the role:

As Principal Platform Engineer, you will collaborate across departments to guide and implement enterprise strategies for our customer. As a key technical advisor, you’ll lead the cloud strategy execution by leveraging your expertise and business insights. Additionally, you’ll tackle complex issues through critical thinking and hands-on coding, while working closely with various teams to foster strategic solution initiatives.

What we are looking for: 

• Minimum 7 years of relevant hands-on experience
• Experience developing production software leveraging modern languages (including: Java, Python, Go, NodeJS, etc.)
• Experience developing containerized services deployed in production on orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes, Mesos, Swarm, etc.
• In-depth experience with agile and lean software development philosophies
• Demonstrated experience with modern version control systems such as Git, Subversion, Mercurial, etc.
• Experience building developer platform services and APIs that scale in production
• Experience building production services using Cloud Infrastructure Providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud
• Experience in Identity and Access Lifecycle Management Operations and Controls
• Resume demonstrates deep understanding of modern microservices architectures, design patterns, resiliency techniques, and optimizations
• Manage, report, and facilitate certification of access for all in-scope resources (including SaaS, AWS, Azure, CSS managed applications, tools, and systems)
• Bachelor Degree in computer science, Mathematics, or equivalent technical degree; or equivalent industry experience
• Ability to obtain a Security+ within the first 90 days of employment with Raft

Highly preferred:

• Knowledge and experience with GovCloud or AWS networking
• Proficiency in Hashicorp Vault and Immutable Infrastructure concepts
• Experience with Gitlab, its CI/CD pipelines, and familiarity with the CI/CD system landscape
• Background in enhancing and managing brownfield environments
• A strong advocate for and experienced in Test Driven Development (TDD) practices
• Advanced qualifications include a Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, IT, or a related field with extensive experience (10+ years for engineering, 15+ years for IT fields), including 5+ years of guiding junior team members and 4+ years in a leadership role on technical projects

Clearance Requirements:

• Active Secret security clearance

Work Type: 

• Langley AFB, VA
  • Primary hours will be night shift (2nd and 3rd shift), to include weekends and federal holidays
• May require up to 10% travel

Salary Range:

• $140,000 - $225,000
• The determination of compensation is predicated upon a candidate's comprehensive experience, demonstrated skill, and proven abilities

What we will offer you:

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company