Staff Software 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 Reston, 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 Staff Software Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers.

About the role:

As a Staff Software Engineer, you are a beacon of knowledge and a go-to person for complex challenges. You will not only write code but also be involved in design discussions and code reviews as part of a multi-vendor team. Your role is pivotal in decision-making processes, high-level architecture designs, and setting the course for technical excellence within teams. You are expected to think critically, solve intricate problems, and mentor Senior and below Engineers.

What we are looking for:

• Expertise in several Big Data/Cloud/Enterprise Frameworks 
• Strong experience with Kafka, Kafka Streams, or similar streaming data technologies 
• In-depth understanding of web-socket and RESTFul APIs 
• Adept in SW design and architecture patterns 
• 5+ years of deep hands-on software engineering experience, with an emphasis on backend engineering
• Capable of guiding and mentoring other engineers
• Expertise in several Big Data/Cloud/Enterprise Frameworks
• Mastery of cloud technologies such as AWS and Azure
• Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes, and Helm
• Strong experience with Kafka, Kafka Streams, or similar streaming data technologies
• In-depth understanding of web-socket and RESTFul APIs
• Strong hands-on experience with time-series data in PostgreSQL or similar SQL databases
• Expertise with NoSQL databases
• Ability to obtain Security+ certification within the first 90 days of employment
• Bachelors in Computer Science / Engineering / Physics / Mathematics

Highly preferred:

• Hands-on experience with the US Public Sector
• Developed and implemented ontologies
• Proficiency with graph databases such as Neo4J or Nebula
• Experience with unmanned systems technologies, such as UAVs, UGVs, autonomous drones, or robotics

Clearance Requirements:

• Active TS/SCI Clearance

Work Type: 

• 2-3 Days a week on customer site
• May require up to 25% travel

Salary Range:

• $130,000 - $210,000 
• 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 match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs
• Monthly box of yummy snacks to eat while doing meaningful work
• Remote, hybrid, and flexible work options
• Team off-site in fun places!
• 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 accessibl