[Hiring] Senior Software Engineer @Five Forty

Role Description

540 is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to support the DoD in building a next-generation Air Force aircraft maintenance platform. This application leverages Java/Spring Boot microservices, Angular front-end applications, and cloud-native infrastructure (Kubernetes, Google Cloud, Apigee). Engineers on this team build and scale full-stack features across user interfaces, backend services, and data layers that power critical maintenance operations.

The platform will modernize how Air Force maintainers plan and execute maintenance operations and is a key part of the Air Force’s technology strategy for the coming decade.

• Location: Remote within the continental United States
• Citizenship & Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain a DoD Secret clearance
• Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related engineering field (preferred)

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software development experience
• Strong experience with Java and Spring Boot for building production-grade services
• Experience developing microservices in containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience with asynchronous messaging systems (Kafka)
• Proficiency with build tools such as Gradle or Maven
• Experience with JavaScript/TypeScript and modern frameworks (Angular preferred)
• Strong experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs
• Experience working with relational databases (Postgres or MySQL)
• Ability to produce technical design documentation (system diagrams, architecture artifacts)
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to navigate ambiguity
• Excellent communication skills, including working directly with stakeholders or clients
• Demonstrated ownership and ability to drive work from concept to production
• Ability to design with future scalability and platform evolution in mind

Requirements

• Design and develop full-stack features across Angular front-end applications and Java/Spring Boot microservices
• Build and operate scalable services in containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Own the design and evolution of core services and APIs, ensuring scalability, reliability, and maintainability
• Design and integrate RESTful APIs to enable secure communication across systems
• Implement asynchronous messaging patterns (Kafka) for distributed environments
• Design and optimize data models and persistence layers (Postgres or MySQL)
• Collaborate with engineers, architects, and stakeholders to translate mission needs into technical solutions
• Contribute to technical design documentation and system architecture artifacts
• Lead or participate in code reviews, testing, and troubleshooting to ensure high-quality software
• Drive features and services end-to-end, from design through production delivery
• Help define service design patterns, API standards, and engineering best practices
• Improve system performance, scalability, and reliability as the platform evolves

Benefits

• Flexible PTO + all Federal holidays off
• Health, dental and vision insurance plans
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401k with employer match
• Company-sponsored life insurance, short- and long-term disability
• Professional development (training, certifications, conferences)
• Paid cloud developer accounts
• Referral bonuses
• HQ office perks (parking / metro reimbursement, nitro coffee & lunches)
• Annual social events (540 Week, hackathon, charity golf tournament, etc.)
• Access to 540’s Washington Capitals & Nationals tickets