Backend Engineer (CLEARED) - 160036

Job Location: Denver, ColoradoSecurity Clearance: SecretBusiness Unit: Zachary PiperPosition Owner: Reese EelkemaZachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Backend Engineer to support a next‐generation federal mission‐software program focused on modernizing cloud‐native operations. This position is based in a hybrid environment with locations including Washington, DC, Arlington, VA, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver. The Backend Engineer will design, build, and maintain backend services, APIs, and cloud‐integrated capabilities that directly support mission‐critical federal operations. This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who wants to work with modern technologies, contribute to high‐impact systems, and grow within a fast‐moving, mission‐driven environment. ACTIVE SECRET SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED Primary Responsibilities: Develop backend services and APIs using Python in a production environmentIntegrate AWS services including EC2, Lambda, ECS/EKS, S3, RDS, CloudWatch, and FargateBuild and maintain GraphQL or REST interfaces for mission‐critical applicationsSupport AI/LLM integrations with platforms such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and AskSageImplement scalable, secure, and cost‐efficient cloud architecturesTroubleshoot backend issues, optimize performance, and improve system reliabilityCollaborate with frontend engineers, AI engineers, and product teams in an Agile environmentContribute to CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps tooling, and infrastructure automation using Terraform or similar IaC toolsRequiredQualifications: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field (or equivalent hands‐on experience)3+ years of professional backend or full‐stack engineering experienceStrong proficiency in Python and API development (REST or GraphQL) Experience with AWS services (Lambda, ECS/EKS, EC2, S3, RDS, CloudWatch) Hands‐on experience with Docker and containerized applicationsFamiliarity with Kubernetes deployments (EKS preferred) Experience with Terraform or other Infrastructure‐as‐Code toolsStrong Git workflow experience (GitHub/GitLab)U.S. Person status and ability to obtain a U.S. Security ClearancePreferred Experience (Not Required):Experience integrating AI/LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, AskSage) Background in cloud‐native distributed systemsExperience in startup or fast‐paced engineering environmentsStrong troubleshooting, debugging, and performance optimization skillsCompensation &Benefits: Competitive salary range: $120,000 – $180,000 (depending on experience) Equity opportunities depending on programComprehensive benefits package including PTO, paid holidays, medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and sick leaveHybrid work flexibility depending on locationKeywords: Keywords:backend engineer, software engineer, python developer, python, graphql, rest api, api development, cloud engineer, aws engineer, amazon web services, lambda, ecs, eks, ec2, s3, rds, cloudwatch, fargate, kubernetes, docker, containers, containerization, terraform, infrastructure as code, iac, devsecops, ci/cd, git, github, gitlab, microservices, distributed systems, cloud native, ai integration, llm, openai, anthropic, asksage, generative ai, llm api, machine learning integration, startup, mission software, federal, government, clearance, us person, security clearance, secret clearance eligible, hybrid, washington dc, arlington va, seattle, san francisco, los angeles, denver, backend, software development, scalable systems, cloud architecture, high availability, performance optimization, python backend, cloud ops, platform engineering, tech startup, space tech, defense tech, modern stack, fastapi, flask, django, async python, asyncio, devops, sre, observability, logging, monitoring, cloud security, iam, vpc, networking, api gateway, serverless, mission critical systems#LI-Onsite#LI-RE1