Backend Developer

West 4th Strategy; Bethesda (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

West 4th Strategy seeks an Application Developer II for the Naval Dosimetry Center in Bethesda, MD to architect and sustain the backend engine powering mission-critical systems, building and maintaining Java Spring Boot microservices, enabling secure REST API communication, and ensuring FedRAMP IL4 and Zero Trust in a DevSecOps CI/CD pipeline.

You will work on backend data access with Aurora PostgreSQL, participate in security controls, and contribute to high availability, disaster recovery, and

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of backend development with Java and Spring Boot.
• Experience with SQL, Hibernate/JPA and microservices architectures.
• Security-focused DevSecOps practices including SAST/DAST and secrets management.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation for Government review.
• Willing to support testing, security gates, and release activities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Java Spring Boot microservices per government requirements.
• Expose REST API endpoints with versioning, documentation, and controls.
• Provide backend data access with Aurora PostgreSQL schemas.
• Support database schema design and data migration documentation.
• Ensure Zero Trust and FedRAMP/IL4 alignment in backend.
• Support high availability, disaster recovery, and multi-AZ readiness.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

SQL

Hibernate/JPA

Microservices

DevSecOps

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree

AWS Developer certification

Tools

Aurora PostgreSQL

API Gateway

Cognito

SQS

Lambda

EKS

Job description

Application Developer II

We need an experienced Back End Application Developer at the Naval Dosimetry Center (NDC) in Bethesda, Maryland. NDC serves as the Navy's ionizing radiation dosimetry center of excellence, providing naval commands worldwide with radiation dosimetry processing, consultation services, and comprehensive exposure recordkeeping in support of force health protection and regulatory compliance. In this role, you will architect and sustain the backend engine powering NDC's mission-critical systems, building and maintaining Java Spring Boot microservices, enabling secure REST API communication, managing data access and persistence in Aurora PostgreSQL, and ensuring every line of code meets Zero Trust and FedRAMP/IL4 standards within a DevSecOps CI/CD pipeline. This is a full-time opportunity. We can offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Implement and maintain Java Spring Boot microservices aligned to Government-approved requirements and interface definitions
• Expose and maintain REST API endpoints including versioning, documentation, and rate and usage controls via Government-approved gateway patterns
• Provide backend services that support mission workflows including reporting and data export functions, and ensure service behaviors and configuration parameters are documented for Government review and operational use
• Provide backend data access and persistence capabilities aligned to Government-defined Aurora PostgreSQL schemas and data domain requirements
• Support design and evolution of database schemas and entity models for core data domains including organizational hierarchy, demographics, dosimeter lifecycle, reporting, and auditing; maintain database documentation including field-level metadata
• Support Government data migration objectives by providing source-to-target mapping documentation, transformation and integration rule documentation, and backend logic enabling migration, conflict detection, and legacy system integration
• Deliver backend services that enable secure dosimeter and device data ingestion including ingestion pathways, validation logic, secure communications, and APIs supporting device provisioning and configuration management
• Ensure backend services align with Government-approved security architectures including Zero Trust principles, FedRAMP Moderate baseline requirements, DoD IL4 Overlay requirements, and FIPS-validated encryption in transit and at rest
• Support service continuity and operational readiness through backend design inputs that enable high availability and disaster recovery objectives including multi-availability-zone readiness and backup and recovery support
• Provide performance and scalability improvements by optimizing database interactions, query behavior, caching strategies, and service resource utilization; provide monitoring and tuning observations and recommendations for Government decision-making
• Coordinate with technical stakeholders to support integrated delivery and interoperable service operations
• Provide backend architecture inputs and best practices for Government consideration; note that architecture decisions are Government-led -- this role supports and documents them, and does not hold independent architecture authority
• Support Government-led UAT and compliance testing readiness in staging environments and provide inputs and artifacts required for Government change management and release readiness decisions

REQUIRED EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field – required
• AWS Developer certification or equivalent cloud development certification – preferred

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE / SKILLS

• A minimum of five (5) years of backend development experience with Java, Spring Boot, SQL, Hibernate/JPA, and microservices architectures
• Strong backend engineering competencies in secure microservice development, API enablement, and relational data access patterns
• Experience implementing security controls in DevSecOps pipelines including SAST/DAST, dependency scanning, and secrets management
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and informational briefings to support Government review
• Ability to maintain artifacts supporting testing, security gates, and release activities
• Strong attention to detail and critical thinking skills

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE / SKILLS

• Experience supporting DoD or U.S. Navy web applications in AWS GovCloud or similar IL4/FedRAMP Moderate environments
• Familiarity with CUI handling procedures
• Experience with AWS services relevant to NAVREMS including EKS, API Gateway, Cognito, Aurora PostgreSQL, SQS, SES, and Lambda
• Experience with Aurora PostgreSQL development and optimization, secure database connectivity and encryption, and SQL performance optimization
• Familiarity with IoT data processing and MQTT protocols
• Experience with DevSecOps CI/CD integrations and three-tier application architectures

LOCATION

• Bethesda, MD 20889

CLEARANCE

• U.S. Citizenship required
• Active secret clearance required

CLIENT

• Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command (NMCFHPC), Naval Dosimetry Center (NDC)

TRAVEL

• No travel required

WORK HOURS

• 40 hours per week
• 8 hours per working day

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION

• Employment Classification Eligibility — W2

COMPENSATION

• Salary Range: $110,000 - $115,000
• Benefits: Benefits package includes options for health, dental, and vision insurance coverage; 401k contribution options

West 4th Strategy is an Equal Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, age, marital status, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, pregnancy, political affiliation, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.

Other Considerations

applicants will be subject to a background investigation. Individual’s primary workstation is located in an office area. The noise level in this environment is low to moderate. Regularly required to sit for extended periods up to 80% of the time; frequently required to move about to access file cabinets and use office equipment such as PC, copier, fax, telephone, cell phone, etc. Occasionally required to reach overhead, bend, and lift objects of up to 10 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the use of computer monitor screens up to 80% of the time.