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 small business 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:
In your role as a Software Engineer, you will lead the design and development of scalable, data-intensive backend systems that power Raft's flagship products. You'll help architect and implement robust solutions using Golang and/or Java while ensuring security, performance, and reliability across mission-critical applications. As a hands-on technical leader, you'll mentor junior and mid-level engineers while spending significant time writing code and solving complex technical challenges. You'll work closely with customers at deployment sites, gathering feedback and implementing improvements to enhance the real-world performance of Raft's products in operational environments.
We are hiring multiple engineers at multiple levels.
What we are looking for:
- Minimum of 3+ years of experience in backend software engineering with expertise in Golang and/or Java
- Proven experience building and scaling data-intensive systems and distributed architectures
- Deep understanding of DevSecOps principles and practices, including ICAM (Identity, Credential, and Access Management)
- Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, including creating and managing Helm charts and Kubernetes operators
- Strong experience with cloud-native architectures and microservices design patterns
- Experience with data processing frameworks, streaming technologies, and high-throughput systems
- Knowledge of security best practices for enterprise and government systems
- Proven track record of mentoring and developing engineering talent
- Passion for staying current with emerging technologies and evaluating their potential impact
- Experience designing modular, extensible systems that enable technology evolution and component replacement based on user needs
- Proficiency with Agentic AI coding tools (such as Claude Code) with understanding of their capabilities, limitations, and when to leverage them for accelerated development.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to architect solutions for complex technical challenges
- Strong communication skills with ability to work effectively with both technical teams and customers
- Fast learner, analytical thinker, creative, hands-on approach to technical leadership
- Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments and manage multiple technical priorities
Highly preferred:
- Experience with highly regulated industries (defense, aerospace, finance, healthcare) or environments requiring stringent security and compliance standards
- Familiarity with classification levels and secure development practices
- Experience with edge computing and tactical deployment considerations
- Knowledge of AI/ML infrastructure and data pipeline architectures
- Experience with container orchestration in air-gapped or disconnected environments
- Background in distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and real-time data processing
- Experience working directly with customers in operational environments
- Contributions to open-source projects or technical publications
Clearance Requirements:
- Ability to obtain and maintain an active TS SCI security clearance.
- Preference for candidates with an active clearance.
Work Type:
- Onsite at Hanscom AFB, MA
- Foreign and domestic travel up to 25% to customer sites and deployment 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
- 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.
Top Skills
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.
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