Principal 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. 

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, 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.

Our product suite, [R]DP (Raft Data Platform), [R]AIMS (Raft AI Mission System), and [R]AP (Raft Application Platform), is being fielded across the U.S. Army and joint force to power data fusion, AI/ML, and mission applications at the tactical and operational edge. We are looking for an experienced Principal Software Engineer to be embedded with our Army customers at Aberdeen Proving Ground, serving as Raft’s senior technical presence on the ground: someone who can write production code in the morning, troubleshoot a Kubernetes deployment in a SCIF in the afternoon, and brief a program office on fielding status before end of day.

As Principal  Engineer you are Raft’s embedded technical lead at Aberdeen Proving Ground. You will work directly with Army customers, program offices, and partner integrators to deploy, integrate, and operationalize [R]DP, [R]AIMS, and [R]AP in their environments. You are a software engineer first. The field engineering context means your work has immediate operational impact, but between integration cycles you are writing code, building tooling, and contributing features back to the core product.

This is not a testing role or a pure DevOps role. You are expected to understand the software you are deploying at a deep enough level to diagnose it, improve it, and in some cases extend it. You will operate at the intersection of software development, DevSecOps, Kubernetes-native infrastructure, and Army data integration, with the autonomy to make calls in the field and the discipline to pull in the broader Raft team when the situation demands it.

You will partner closely with Raft’s product, platform, and delivery teams to ensure our products are fielded well: installed cleanly, integrated with Army data sources and mission systems, observable in production, and easy for operators and downstream developers to use.

• Serve as Raft’s embedded senior technical lead at Aberdeen Proving Ground, working with Army customers, program offices, and partner integrators to install, integrate, and operate [R]DP, [R]AIMS, and [R]AP in their environments
• Own end-to-end product deployment and fielding at APG and the Army units we support, including environment preparation, installation, configuration, integration with Army data sources and mission systems, validation, and sustainment
• Write and contribute production-quality code in Go, Java, or Rust, turning field-driven gaps and fixes into durable product features between integration cycles rather than waiting for the core team to catch up
• Build, improve, and maintain installation, integration, and troubleshooting playbooks that any Raft engineer or qualified customer administrator can confidently execute in connected, disconnected, and degraded environments
• Apply DevSecOps practices end to end: CI/CD pipelines, container builds, infrastructure as code, secrets management, and RMF-relevant security controls that keep fielded deployments secure, reproducible, and auditable
• Deploy and debug Kubernetes workloads in customer environments, including Helm charts and manifests, pod and networking troubleshooting, storage, ingress, and operator management on clusters where Raft products run
• Integrate Raft products with Army data sources, mission systems, and partner platforms, applying a working understanding of how data and decisions flow across Army echelons
• Champion Raft products on site by running hands-on enablement with operators and developers, answering hard technical questions, and building lasting trust through credibility and follow-through
• Capture lessons learned, customer feedback, and unmet needs from the field and translate them into actionable input for Raft’s product, engineering, and growth teams
• Know when to reach back. Identify problems that need the broader Raft team, frame them clearly, and pull in the right help quickly rather than grinding alone in the field

• 5+ years of hands-on software engineering experience with demonstrated ability to write, debug, and ship production code in complex enterprise or government environments
• Active Secret clearance required; U.S. citizenship required
• Hands-on production coding experience in at least one backend language such as Go, Java, or Rust; this is a development role, not just a deployment role
• Strong DevSecOps experience: CI/CD, container builds, infrastructure as code, secrets management, and applying security controls in production deployments
• Working proficiency with Kubernetes sufficient to confidently deploy, configure, and debug containerized products in customer environments, including Helm, manifests, operators, pod and networking troubleshooting, storage, and ingress
• Strong scripting skills in Bash and Python for automation, integration tooling, and operational playbooks
• Demonstrated ability to build runbooks and reproducible procedures that other engineers and customer administrators can follow without hand-holding
• Working understanding of the U.S. Army’s mission, organizational structure, and common Army data sources such as C2, intelligence, logistics, and sensor data
• Strong customer-facing skills; able to represent Raft credibly with senior Army stakeholders, partner integrators, and operators and translate clearly between mission users and engineering teams
• Self-directed in the field; able to make pragmatic decisions under ambiguity and incomplete information while maintaining the judgment to escalate when needed
• Ability to obtain Security+ certification within the first 90 days of employment
• Must be willing to commute to or relocate within reasonable distance of Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

• Prior experience working at Aberdeen Proving Ground or supporting APG-based Army programs such as C5ISR Center, PEO C3T, PEO IEW&S, or DEVCOM
• Direct experience supporting Army programs such as NGC2, IBCS, or other tactical and operational C2, data, or AI/ML efforts
• Experience integrating with Army data standards, message formats, and mission systems such as MIL-STD-2525, Link 16, VMF, OMS/UCI, or TAK
• Experience deploying and operating Kubernetes-based platforms in DDIL (Disconnected, Disrupted, Intermittent, Limited) or tactical edge environments
• Experience with IL4 through IL6 environments, RMF/ATO processes, and DoD compliance frameworks
• Experience with data platforms, streaming systems, or AI/ML deployment such as Kafka, Iceberg, vector stores, model serving, or agentic workflows
• Prior military service or significant experience working alongside uniformed operators and Army units
• Active Top Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance strongly preferred

• Active Secret clearance required to begin
• Must be eligible for and willing to obtain a Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility

• The determination of compensation is predicated upon a candidate’s comprehensive experience, demonstrated skill, and proven abilities.

• Onsite at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; candidates must live within commuting distance of APG or be willing to relocate
• Up to 30% travel to other Army units, Raft sites, and customer locations

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
• 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 accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm.  

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.  

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.