Principal Software Engineer

Job Description

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 ( 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 Reston, 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.

We're looking for an experienced Principal Software Engineer to support our customers and join our passionate team of high-impact problem solvers.

About the role:

As a Principal Software Engineer at our organization, you play a pivotal role in shaping the foundation of our software infrastructure. Your responsibilities extend beyond mere coding; you're a navigator, leading multiple software teams through the complex labyrinth of production at an enormous scale.

With your profound knowledge, you anticipate challenges, spotting pitfalls long before they become obstacles. Our teams will rely on your foresight, expecting you to provide durable plans and robust mitigation strategies. This role is not just about guidance; it's also about execution. You will be deeply involved in writing plugins, applications, webhooks, and modules that cater to the unique needs of multiple teams in our vast enterprise environment.

What we are looking for:

6+ years of experience as a hands-on software engineer

Experience in one or more Big Data/Cloud/Enterprise Frameworks, such as Play, Spring Boot and/or Quarkus

Experience with Kafka and Kafka Streams and/or similar streaming data technologies

Experience creating web-socket and RESTFul APIs

Experience with SW design and architecture patterns

Experience with cloud-related software technologies such as AWS, Azure, and Kubernetes

Works well within a highly experienced team and is able to make decisions that align to the teams' north stars

Able to guide and mentor more junior members of the team

Interested in solving hard problems in the Big Data space with complex data domains such as time series and geospatial data

Bachelors in Computer Science / Engineering / Physics / Mathematics background

Ability to obtain a Security+ certification within 30 days of employment at Raft

Highly preferred:

Hands-on experience with managing time-series data using PostgreSQL or similar SQL databases

Knowledge and experience with Kubernetes, Docker, and the Open Container Initiative

Familiarity with Cloud Native Computing Foundation projects

Proficiency in at least two programming languages: Python, Java, C#, JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, or Go

Experience with Continuous Delivery and Deployment Automation

Expertise in testing methodologies, including unit, integration, and end-to-end testing

Understanding of Microservice Architectures, Cloud Computing, and the NIST Risk Management Framework

General knowledge of technologies supporting development and delivery of containerized applications, such as DoD DevSecOps Reference Architecture, RKE2, Git/GitLab/GitOps, and more

Additional Qualifications:

Certified Kubernetes Administrator, Kubernetes or Cloud Native Security Associate

Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist within 90 days of employment with Raft

Clearance Requirements:

Active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility

Work Type:

Hybrid - San Antonio, TX

May require up to 10% travel

Salary Range:

$160,000 - $240,000

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) and company match

Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays

Education & training benefits

Annual budget for your tech/gadgets needs

Monthly box of yummy snacks to eat while doing meaningful work

Remote, hybrid, and flexible work options

Team off-site in fun places!

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.