Backend / Integration Engineer

Innodata; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 103,320 - 110,208; Full time

Job summary

Innodata's Federal Practice seeks a Backend/Integration Engineer to build the data services storefront backend, stand up ingest pipelines, and enable reliable write-back into the data lakehouse in a secure IL4 environment. You will collaborate with the Solution Architect to ensure architecture translates into scalable plumbing across systems.

Owned integrations and async job lifecycle management will be key as you deliver secure, high-volume data services for federal workloads, with attention to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience in CS/SE.
• 6+ years total experience, 4+ years backend or API integration engineering.
• REST API integration with async job lifecycles (submission, polling, retry, webhook handling).
• Databricks REST API or Spark/Databricks familiarity; JSON and metadata handling.

Responsibilities

• Implement Databricks REST API write-back for outputs and provenance records.
• Build and manage backend integration for the DataCard storefront and ingestion pipelines.
• Implement ServiceNow REST integration for intake routing.
• Develop API layer between frontend and platform components; ensure secure, scalable integration.
• Design async job queue management and retry logic across surfaces.

Skills

Backend API development

REST API integration

Databricks REST API

Spark/Databricks familiarity

JSON schema design

TS/SCI eligibility clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

ServiceNow REST API

Job description

Company Overview

Innodata (Nasdaq: INOD) is a global data engineering company. We believe that data and artificial intelligence (AI) are inextricably linked. Our mission is to enable the responsible advancement of artificial intelligence by providing the data, evaluation frameworks, and human expertise required to build AI systems that can be trusted at scale. We provide a range of transferable solutions, platforms, and services for Generative AI / AI builders and adopters. In every relationship, we honor our 36+ year legacy delivering the highest quality data and outstanding outcomes for our customers.

About the Program

Innodata's Federal Practice builds the trusted data layer for critical infrastructure Trust & Safety work. Partnering with a leading systems integrator, we're delivering a modern, governed data services platform in a secure federal (IL4) environment. Over an intensive 20-week phase, you'll help stand up a data services storefront, a DataCard governance framework, synthetic data integration, and Databricks write-back capabilities.

About this Role

As the Backend/Integration Engineer, you'll build the connective tissue of the platform. You'll develop the data services storefront's backend, stand up ingest pipelines, and implement reliable write-back into our data lakehouse so results flow cleanly across systems. Working alongside the Solution Architect, you'll make sure the platform's components integrate securely and perform under real workloads in a federal (IL4) environment. It's a strong fit for a backend engineer who likes owning integrations and turning architecture into working plumbing.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement Databricks REST API write-back for labeled outputs, DataCard provenance records, and synthetic content outputs
• Build and validate the Duality back-end integration: catalog intake form configuration, parameter translation to Duality generation API, async job lifecycle management (submission, tracking, retry, completion), output handling
• Implement ServiceNow REST integration for white-glove routing intake path
• Build and maintain storefront backend services (API layer between frontend UI and platform components)
• Implement DataCard write-back path in coordination with Solution Architect
• Design and maintain async job queue management and retry logic across all integration surfaces
• Structure output metadata for DataCard provenance records per DoD distribution statement requirements

Must-Have Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field required. Equivalent experience may substitute for degree on a 2-for-1 basis.
• 6+ years total professional experience, 4+ years backend or API integration engineering
• REST API integration with async job lifecycle patterns (submission, polling, retry, webhook handling)
• Databricks REST API or strong Spark/Databricks platform familiarity
• JSON schema design and structured metadata handling
• Active Secret clearance with TS/SCI eligibility

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• ServiceNow REST API integration experience
• Federal program API integration background
• ZenML or ML orchestration pipeline familiarity
• React or modern frontend experience for storefront skeleton support

Salary Range

The expected hourly salary range for this position is $75 to $80 per hour, based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Note to Candidates

The Databricks write-back and Duality integration are the two highest-complexity tasks in Phase B. Candidates should be prepared to discuss async API integration patterns and their approach to retry logic and error handling in federal-data environments during the interview.

Please be aware of recruitment scams involving individuals or organizations falsely claiming to represent employers. Innodata will never ask for payment, banking details, or sensitive personal information during the application process. To learn more about how to recognize job scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s guide at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams.

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