Principal Software Engineer (Remote) - 31139

Enlighten is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to design, build, and scale critical backend infrastructure supporting large-scale data ingestion and high-volume queries for the Department of Defense. The role focuses on backend systems, APIs, distributed data platforms, identity federation, and deployment automation.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain complex, scalable, and critical backend systems and services capable of handling massive data volumes and high query loads
• Take full ownership of challenging technical projects, driving them from initial concept through to production and ongoing iteration
• Engage with a variety of technical domains, including:
• Building and evolving RESTful APIs and backend services
• Modifying, extending, and optimizing complex open-source software (e.g., Trino)
• Implementing and managing sophisticated identity federation solutions (e.g., Keycloak)
• Developing and operating large-scale data ingestion pipelines (e.g., using Airflow)
• Enhancing and automating deployment processes (CI/CD) using technologies like Kubernetes
• Collaborate effectively within a team of experienced engineers, contributing to a culture of shared knowledge and mutual respect
• Apply strong problem-solving skills to diagnose, debug, and resolve complex technical issues, ensuring system reliability and performance
• Champion pragmatic and robust solutions, adapting quickly to new technologies and evolving business needs
• Operate with a high degree of independence in a low-process environment, taking initiative and driving results
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• Must obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance, but not required on day one; U.S. Citizenship required. Can also consider candidates with a current Secret or TS level clearance
• 15+ years of experience as a software engineer, designing, developing, and deploying complex backend systems and a Bachelors in related field or 13 years experience with Masters; or High School Diploma and 19 years experience
• Proficiency in one or more of our primary backend languages: Java, Python, Go
• Experience working with or modifying Trino (or similar distributed SQL query engines)
• Experience with containerization and orchestration, particularly Kubernetes
• Familiarity with PostgreSQL or similar relational databases
• A drive for pragmatic solutions with a strong bias for action and a "get stuff done" mentality
• Possess a low-ego and collaborative approach to teamwork and technical discussions
• Self-motivated and thrive in a low-process, high-autonomy environment, working effectively with minimal supervision
• Highly adaptable and a quick learner, comfortable context-switching and rapidly mastering new technologies and diverse technical domains such as API development, complex open-source modification, identity federation protocols, large-scale data ingest, and deployment automation
• Significant experience building and maintaining API endpoints and backend services
• Comfortable and experienced in modifying and extending complex open-source projects
• Possess a solid understanding and practical experience with identity federation protocols
• Proficient in deployment automation and CI/CD practices and tools
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to systematically debug and resolve intricate issues
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and can articulate technical concepts clearly
• Hands-on experience with Keycloak for identity and access management
• Experience with workflow management tools like Airflow
• Knowledge of monitoring and observability tools such as Prometheus
• Experience with AWS cloud services (e.g., S3, EC2, KMS, Bedrock)
• Exposure to or interest in learning other cloud platforms like GCP or Azure