[Hiring] Platform Engineer @Defense Unicorns

Role Description

We are seeking a talented and experienced Platform Engineer to join our team. Possessing strong proficiency with Kubernetes, the ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers.

As a Platform Engineer within our organization, you will join a team of dedicated unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams work on various different technical baselines depending on specific engagements. We focus our Products on the Platform layer, but to deliver for our Heroes, we also work IaC automation, security, and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Help automate and build a runtime Production Environment.
• Serve as a link between the Applications (custom development, COTS, or OSS) and that environment.
• Advocate best practices and facilitate communication between the application teams and platform teams.
• Ensure that solutions and implementations align with the outlined tasks and business requirements.
• Conduct thorough validations to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the platform.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve business problems independently.
• Develop small components to address specific challenges without relying on explicit architecture diagrams.
• Comprehend how medium-level tasks contribute to the achievement of overall goals.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate various components into a cohesive and functional platform.
• Provide accurate time and effort estimates for medium-sized tasks.
• Assist in project planning and resource allocation based on estimated timelines.
• Possess familiarity with at least one programming language.
• Exhibit a basic understanding of when to use a programming language versus a shell for efficient task execution.
• Own the bridge between the Application Development team(s) and the Production Environment.

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Clearance & Travel Requirements

• Active Secret clearance highly preferred.
• Travel Expectations: 10%–25%.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Docker.
• Familiarity with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Ansible) and a basic understanding of shell scripting.
• Proficient with YAML.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Comfort with debugging systems and reading/writing code.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a clearance.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance or higher.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment.
• Experience with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security.
• Familiar with architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment.
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO’d) system.

Benefits

• Health: Medical/Dental/Vision - Premiums are 100% Company Paid.
• Health Savings Account.
• Life Insurance.
• Disability Insurance.
• Financial: 401k Retirement Plan.
• Company Stock Options.
• Home Office Budget.
• Leave: Flexible Time Off (FTO) plus all Federal Holidays, one week for Thanksgiving, and two weeks for Christmas and New Year’s.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Learning: Reimbursement for approved trainings/subscriptions and conferences (travel, lodging, and fees).