Back-End Developer, Mission Systems & Infrastructure

Shadow Strategies, LLC; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave

Flexible leave

401(k)

Disability insurance

Health stipend

Job summary

Shadow Strategies, LLC in Columbia, MD, is seeking multiple back-end software engineers to design, build, and maintain data pipelines and services powering mission software. You will contribute to secure, real-time, cloud-native infrastructure across legacy and modern systems.

The role emphasizes dependable operation, performance, and maintainability under strict security requirements. Required TS/SCI with Polygraph; competitive salary with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience minimum; or 9 years without a degree.
• Degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Experience with backend services, data pipelines, and mission software environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop back-end logic, services, and data pipelines that support mission software operations.
• Design and implement reliable, secure software systems for mission-critical capabilities.
• Modernize existing tools and back-end infrastructure to improve long-term utility and maintainability.
• Integrate components across programming languages, data formats, and operating environments.
• Evaluate and optimize systems for performance, resilience, and real-time operational needs.

Skills

Back-end development

Service and data pipelines

Secure software design

System modernization

Cross-language integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

This is a multi-level ongoing pipeline position.

Location: Columbia, MD

Telework: TBD, subject to manager approval and tasking

Clearance Required: TS/SCI with Polygraph

Salary Range: $110,000 to $260,000

At Shadow Strategies, you will join a culture defined by innovation, purpose, and meaningful impact. We seek multiple levels who build and maintain the back-end logic, services, and data pipelines that enable mission software to operate reliably, securely, and efficiently, while supporting modernization, performance, and long-term maintainability. If you are inspired by complexity, motivated by clarity, and committed to excellence, we invite you to become part of something exceptional.

This role supports mission software by developing and improving the underlying infrastructure, including modernizing existing tools, designing data-intensive platforms, and optimizing workflows for real-time, performance-sensitive, and security-focused environments. You will serve as a back-end software engineer (SWE0-SWE3) responsible for designing, developing, integrating, and maintaining core system logic, services, and pipelines across legacy and cloud-native environments that support mission software teams and engineers. This capability enables dependable, secure, and mission-critical software that supports reliable system operation and long-term performance.

What You’ll Do

• Develop back-end logic, services, and data pipelines that support mission software operations
• Design and implement reliable, secure software systems for mission-critical capabilities
• Modernize existing tools and back-end infrastructure to improve long-term utility and maintainability
• Integrate components across programming languages, data formats, and operating environments
• Evaluate and optimize systems for performance, resilience, and real-time operational needs

Who This Might Be a Fit For

• You have experience working through complex technical challenges with limited documentation or context
• You are comfortable owning technical decisions within mission and operational constraints
• You understand how performance, reliability, security, and maintainability affect mission outcomes
• You know how to connect systems across technical boundaries and environments
• You prefer durable solutions and thoughtful engineering tradeoffs over short-term fixes

Required Skills

• Back-end software engineering fundamentals
• Back-end service and data pipeline development
• Reliable and secure software system design
• Software and infrastructure modernization
• Cross-system integration across languages, formats, and environments

Helpful Experience Areas

• Mission software modernization efforts
• Data-intensive platform development
• Performance optimization in real-time environments
• Security-focused software environments
• Cloud-native platform development

Years of Experience and Degree Requirements

Requirements will depend on what level you are being considered for, but at minimum we require a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field and 5 years of experience

OR 9 years of experience without a degree

Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Work Environment

Based in Columbia, MD primarily in the officein Columbia, MD Multidisciplinary teams supporting mission systems in classified environments Ownership and leadership expectations depend on level. Junior contributors are trusted to work independently while drawing on available mentorship and resources. Senior individual contributors are trusted to shape technical direction and connect evidence to execution.

What Comes With It

You will have what you need to do your best work:

• Fully covered health insurance for medical, dental, and vision
• Paid parental leave: 16 weeks if you give birth, 4 weeks if your partner does
• Flexible leave: 36 days total each year, including 25 days of PTO and 11 paid holidays
• 401(k) for your future

• Short-term and long-term disability
• Annual health stipend if you opt out of our insurance

The Extras?

They’re Built In.

No points systems. No bean bags. Just clarity, autonomy, and a mission that matters.

Shadow invests in exceptional people because demanding work requires more than a paycheck. Our benefits are designed to provide meaningful support inside and outside the mission.

See our benefit plan at: https://www.shadowstrategies.io/benefits

Shadow Strategies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a workplace that values diversity and fosters inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements.