Backend Engineer (Secret Cleared)

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a skilled Backend Engineer to assist with

building modern, cloud-native mission operations software for our partner based out of Denver, CO; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; OR Washington, D.C.

As a Backend Engineer, you'll build ground satellite operations software using Python and AWS, and integrate with services like EC2, S3, RDS, Fargate, and EKS-with a focus on scalability, security, cost, and performance. You'll design and implement APIs, automate processes, and troubleshoot issues across a modern, containerized stack.

While the primary focus is backend development, the ideal candidate can also contribute to generative AI integrations, DevSecOps/CI/CD tooling, and software architecture.

What You'll Do

• Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs (GraphQL/REST) in Python.
• Integrate and optimize workloads across AWS (Lambda, ECS/EKS/Fargate, EC2, RDS, S3, CloudWatch, EFS/EBS).
• Containerize services with Docker and deploy to EKS/ECS; manage IaC via Terraform (or equivalent).
• Collaborate cross-functionally to refine requirements, ship new features, and resolve production issues.
• Implement observability (logging, metrics, tracing), performance tuning, and cost controls.
• AI Platform Integration:
  • Call and manage APIs for OpenAI, Anthropic, AskSage or similar LLM platforms.
  • Handle rate limits, retries, timeouts, and failure modes with guardrails and backoff strategies.
  • Manage prompt templating/versioning, secure key management, and typed/structured outputs.
  • Build AI features into production systems with human-in-the-loop and safety measures.

Core Technical Skills

• Python for production-grade backend services (FastAPI/Flask/Django), including async/await and testing (pytest).
• APIs: GraphQL (schemas, resolvers, pagination, security) and/or REST; API performance troubleshooting.
• Containers: Docker (Dockerfiles, multi-stage builds, env/secrets, networking basics).
• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform (modules, remote state, IAM/VPC, ECS/EKS, RDS, S3).
• AWS: Lambda, ECS/EKS/Fargate, EC2, S3, RDS, CloudWatch, EFS/EBS-service selection, reliability, cost/perf tradeoffs, and basic IAM security.
• Kubernetes (EKS): Pods, services, deployments, YAML, debugging failed deployments.
• Git & Collaboration: Clean commit history, solid PRs, constructive reviews, CI pipelines.

AI Integration (Preferred)

• Production experience with OpenAI/Anthropic/AskSage or similar LLM APIs.
• Secure key management (e.g., AWS Secrets Manager/SSM), rate limiting, retries/backoff, timeout control.
• Prompt templating/versioning, token budgeting, observability, and cost dashboards.
• Guardrails: confidence thresholds, schema validation (e.g., JSON), human-in-the-loop, staged rollouts, and feature flags.

Soft Skills

• Exceptional communication with frontend, backend, and product partners.
• Deep technical analysis and troubleshooting.
• Independent self-starter who ships features end-to-end.
• High standards for maintainability, reliability, and performance.
• Entrepreneurial/startup mindset and willingness to flex outside strict role boundaries.

Salary

$120,000 - $180,000 base + Equity

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Computer Science (or related); or equivalent hands-on experience
• 3+ years in backend or full stack engineering
• Secret Clearance; Ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Benefits

• Healthy work-life balance: required 15 days off, unlimited PTO, and most U.S. federal holidays.
• Quarterly health & wellness benefits; comprehensive health insurance with 100% coverage for employees.
• 401(k) with 4% match.

#LI-AD1

#LI-Onsite

Python backend engineer, AI backend engineer, LLM integration, OpenAI engineer, Anthropic API engineer, AskSage developer, generative AI developer, AI integrations, AI orchestration, Python microservices, GraphQL backend, FastAPI developer, cloud-native backend, AWS backend engineer, AWS Lambda developer, ECS engineer, EKS engineer, Kubernetes backend, Docker backend engineer, Terraform engineer, Infrastructure as Code, RDS engineer, satellite operations software engineer, mission operations backend, cloud automation engineer, scalable backend systems, distributed systems engineer, API developer, API scalability, resilient backend services, cloud DevSecOps, CI/CD backend pipelines, Python async developer, AI workflow automation, AI-powered backend features, AI reliability engineering, AI production systems, secure key management, AI rate limit handling, AI prompt engineering pipelines, backend observability, CloudWatch engineer, AI cost optimization, backend performance tuning, containerized application engineer, backend data pipelines, cloud infrastructure engineer, Arvada software engineer, San Francisco backend engineer, Washington DC backend engineer, Seattle backend engineer, Los Angeles backend engineer