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 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.
About the Role:
As a Senior Engineer at Raft, you’ll build the code and automation that powers secure, mission-critical platforms in Department of Defense environments. This is a development-focused role. You won’t be responsible for maintaining day-to-day infrastructure. Instead, you’ll write the code that builds, configures, secures, and deploys it.You’ll collaborate with developers, platform engineers, and integration teams to create reusable infrastructure components that can be reliably deployed across customer environments, including disconnected and air-gapped systems.
What You'll Do"
- Collaborate with other developers to produce:
- Puppet modules that enforce secure configurations and compliance
- Helm charts for Kubernetes-based deployments
- CI/CD pipelines using GitLab
- Automation scripts in Bash and Python
- Work closely with platform and integration engineers to support handoff and implementation of your codebase
- Contribute to reusable, modular infrastructure code libraries
- Align all code with DoD security requirements and STIG compliance
- Support customer success by occasionally joining on-site meetings or integration efforts
What We Are Looking For:
- Active TS/SCI clearance is required
- 5+ years of experience in infrastructure/platform development
- Hands-on expertise in:
- Kubernetes (RKE2 preferred)
- Helm chart development
- CI/CD pipeline creation in GitLab
- Puppet module and Hiera development
- Bash and Python scripting
- Ansible
- Strong understanding of RHEL Linux environments
- Ability to write clean, modular code intended for handoff
Preferred Skills:
- Masters Degree in related field preferred
- 10+ years of experience in infrastructure/platform development
- Experience with container tools and registries (Harbor, Trivy, Skopeo)
- Familiarity with LDAP, Keycloak, or centralized auth systems
- Previous experience supporting DoD/IC environments
- Experience developing for disconnected or air-gapped systems
- Contributions to open-source infrastructure automation projects
Clearance Requirements:
- Active Top Secret with ability to obtain and maintain SCI
Work Type:
- Onsite/Hybrid in San Diego, Ca
- Must Reside in or commutable distance to San Diego, Ca
- May require up to 15% travel
Salary Range:
- $170,000 - $200,000
- 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) with company match
- Take as you need PTO + 14 paid holidays
- 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.
Your Rights: California residents have the right to request information about personal data collected and to request deletion, subject to certain exceptions. Note that employment-related information is subject to specific exemptions under CCPA. Contact Us: For questions about this notice or to exercise your privacy rights, contact: [email protected] or (703)570-4820.
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.
Skills Required
- U.S. citizenship
- Residence in or commutable distance to San Diego, California
- Active TS/SCI clearance, or active Top Secret clearance with ability to obtain and maintain SCI
- 5+ years of experience in infrastructure or platform development
- Hands-on Kubernetes experience; RKE2 preferred
- Helm chart development
- GitLab CI/CD pipeline creation
- Puppet module and Hiera development
- Bash and Python scripting
- Ansible experience
- Strong understanding of RHEL Linux environments
- Ability to write clean, modular code intended for handoff
- Master's degree in a related field
- 10+ years of experience in infrastructure or platform development
- Experience with Harbor, Trivy, or Skopeo
- Familiarity with LDAP, Keycloak, or centralized authentication systems
- Previous experience supporting Department of Defense or Intelligence Community environments
- Experience developing for disconnected or air-gapped systems
- Contributions to open-source infrastructure automation projects
What We Do
Raft is a digital consulting firm with niche expertise in the rapid delivery of modern, user-first, scalable, and data-intensive digital solutions. We accelerate the missions of our federal partners through human-centered design (HCD) and agile development practices, bringing deep technical expertise in DevSecOps, Kubernetes management, cloud-native microservice architectures, and secure, open source delivery. We put our people and our culture first. We work with some of the smartest, hardest working experts in their field. We owe it to them to make sure our team is free of meaningless restrictions and internal politics so they can focus on what they love, finding innovative solutions. We build off the Open-Source and resist vendor lock in. That way you’re not paying us to reinvent the wheel, our solutions play nice with others and are always adaptable. We know digital innovation doesn’t always operate during bank hours, so neither do we. (It's also why we don’t dress like bankers.) We aren’t afraid to go the extra mile or put in the extra time to find a solution. We get it right the first time; we won’t waste our time (and your money) trying to fix something that’s fundamentally broken. It’s kind of like making an exceptional cup of coffee, if the beans are roasted wrong, it doesn’t matter how much pumpkin spice you dump in your cup, it’s still not going to taste great. And above all else we’re up for a challenge; it’s in our DNA. Ask us about something that’s never been done, or better yet something that can’t be done, and we’ll find a way to do it. It’s just who we are. If you need a partner that’s looking toward the future and not the past, don’t go traditional, go Raft.
Why Work With Us
Raft partners with public agencies to solve hard complex problems that impact the lives of millions of Americans. We work hard to make it easy for humans to connect with data.
Gallery
