Sr DevOps Engineer

We are hiring a Senior DevOps Engineer to architect and operate mission-critical data platforms aligned to Intelligence Community modernization efforts, including NGA Core–style environments and federated data ecosystems.

This role is not infrastructure maintenance. This is platform ownership at scale, driving a zero-copy, API-first, DevSecOps-enabled data environment that supports real-time access to distributed commercial and government data.

You will be directly contributing to systems similar to the ICDC model, where:
- Data is accessed in-place, not copied
- Systems operate in unclassified, high-scale cloud environments
- DevSecOps pipelines drive continuous delivery every 120 days or faster
- Observability, API standardization, and automation are non-negotiable design principles

What You’ll Own (Mission Responsibilities)
Platform Engineering & DevSecOps
- Build and operate Kubernetes-based platforms across AWS GovCloud or hybrid IC environments
- Implement CI/CD pipelines aligned to government-hosted repos and secure pipelines
- Drive infrastructure-as-code (IaC) using Terraform, Pulumi, or equivalent
- Enable automated rebuild cycles and continuous delivery (ICDC standard cadence)

NGA Core / IC Data Environment Alignment
Engineer solutions compatible with NGA Core architecture patterns, including:
- Data mesh / federated data access
- Secure API mediation layers
- Multi-domain / multi-tenant environments
Support API-first architectures using OpenAPI standards (OAS 3.1.1 alignment)
Integrate with data catalogs, object stores, and distributed vendor APIs

Zero-Copy Data Infrastructure
Design systems that:
- Query data at origin (vendor or external systems)
- Minimize replication and storage overhead
- Support on-demand compute and caching layers only when necessary
Build scalable API gateways and proxy layers for federated access

Observability & Performance Engineering
Implement full-stack observability:
- Metrics (Prometheus / CloudWatch)
- Logs (ELK / OpenSearch)
- Tracing (OpenTelemetry)
Deliver real-time performance visibility aligned to IC expectations for:
- API latency
- Usage metrics
- Vendor/system health

Security & Zero Trust Enforcement
Implement Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) controls:
- RBAC / ABAC enforcement
- Policy-as-code (OPA, Kyverno)
Support privacy overlays and compliance controls (CNSSI 1253 alignment)
Harden pipelines and runtime environments for IC-level compliance

Data Platform Integration
Support:
- API ingestion pipelines
- Bulk data workflows (object storage, streaming)
- Metadata indexing and harmonization
Enable developer and analyst access layers (API + UI + automation)

Required Qualifications (Non-Negotiables)
8+ years in DevOps / Platform Engineering / SRE
Deep experience with:
- Kubernetes (EKS or on-prem clusters)
- CI/CD (GitLab CI)
- Infrastructure as Code
Experience in IC / DoD environments or equivalent regulated systems
Strong understanding of:
- API architectures
- Distributed systems
- Cloud-native patterns

Highly Desired (This is where you differentiate)
Direct experience supporting NGA Core or GEOINT systems
Experience with:
- Federated data architectures / data mesh
- API gateways (Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway)
- Event-driven systems (Kafka, Kinesis)
Familiarity with:
- Zero-copy / query-in-place architectures
- Large-scale data platforms (petabyte-scale or multi-vendor ecosystems)
Experience implementing:
- OpenAPI standards
- Developer portals / API catalogs
Exposure to AI/ML pipelines or platforms (Bedrock, Morpheus, etc.)