DevOps Engineer

Alex-alternative Experts, Inc; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 175,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Benefits

Equal Opportunity Employment

Reasonable Accommodations

Job summary

Alex-alternative Experts, Inc in Fort Meade, Maryland is looking for a DevOps Engineer (Development Lead) to manage AWS infrastructure and oversee CI/CD pipelines. This senior role requires expertise in Agile methodologies and a strong technical foundation in AWS and Kubernetes.

The ideal candidate will have a solid track record in infrastructure management, the ability to collaborate with teams, and experience in driving cost optimization initiatives. A rewarding salary package is offered for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• Must have an active DoD 8140 certificate.
• Extensive experience with AWS infrastructure using Terraform.
• Strong background in Kubernetes and Docker.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage AWS infrastructure and CI/CD pipeline.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure system uptime and performance.
• Drive Agile sprint planning and task management.

Skills

AWS Infrastructure Architecture

Terraform

Kubernetes

CI/CD Pipelines

Agile Methodologies

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related discipline

Master's degree and 10 years of experience

Tools

GitLab

Docker

Ansible

Job description

Description

The DevOps Engineer (Development Lead) provides a reliable, highly available platform that orchestrates the microservices of a modernized operational system using cutting‑edge technologies. The contractor leads sprint planning and team tasking, drives infrastructure technical direction, and owns CI/CD pipeline management and cloud infrastructure cost optimization.

This is a senior individual‑contributor and team‑lead role requiring strong Agile execution discipline, AWS architecture depth, and the ability to communicate and collaborate across engineering and program stakeholder communities.

Requirements

AWS Infrastructure Architecture & IaC

• Architect, build, and maintain AWS infrastructure including EC2, Lambda, S3, SNS, SQS, EventBridge, Athena, and Step Functions using Terraform with auto‑scaling
• Develop Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and scripting to automate tasks, provision managed services, and build internal tooling using Python, Ansible, and Terraform
• Apply AWS networking principles including VPCs, NAT gateways, and IP gateways to design secure, segmented environments
• Evaluate infrastructure costs iteratively; recommend and implement cost‑savings measures to reduce AWS service spend and maintenance burden

Containerization & Orchestration

• Install, configure, performance‑tune, and operate Kubernetes environments with focus on EKS, ECS, and/or Fargate
• Manage containerized workloads using Docker and Docker Compose across the microservices architecture
• Troubleshoot infrastructure issues and ensure system uptime and availability for mission‑critical operational systems
• Collaborate with development teams to optimize application performance and reliability in containerized environments

CI/CD Pipeline Management

• Develop and manage GitLab CI/CD pipelines to automate build, test, and deployment processes
• Implement and maintain Argo CD for GitOps‑based continuous delivery workflows
• Track ticket execution and drive technical direction of infrastructure to align with program and product needs
• Perform high‑level functional systems analysis, design, integration, documentation, cost analysis, and complex issue resolution

Agile Team Leadership & Sprint Execution

• Decompose sprint priorities and generate tickets aligned with internal team priorities and program objectives
• Manage team tasking and sprint workloads; keep the team on task and executing in an orchestrated manner
• Participate in all Agile ceremonies: sprint planning, stand‑ups, refinement, reviews, and retrospectives
• Communicate and collaborate with engineers, product owners, and program stakeholders across the program

Required Qualifications

• Current DoD 8140 (CWIP) certificate — must be active prior to start
• Extensive experience architecting and managing AWS infrastructure using Terraform and IaC practices
• Strong background in containerization and orchestration: Kubernetes (EKS, ECS, Fargate), Docker, Docker Compose
• Experience developing and managing GitLab CI/CD pipelines and Argo CD GitOps workflows
• Proficiency in DevOps scripting languages: Python, Ansible, Terraform
• Experience performing high‑level systems analysis, design, integration, documentation, and cost analysis
• Experience managing sprint workloads and driving team technical direction in an Agile environment
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with engineers, product owners, and program stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

Two or more of the following:

• AWS services depth: EC2, Lambda, S3, SNS, SQS, EventBridge, Athena, Step Functions with auto‑scaling
• AWS networking: VPCs, NAT gateways, IP gateways, and network segmentation design
• GitLab CI/CD pipeline design and deployment automation
• Application performance and reliability optimization in collaboration with development teams
• Infrastructure troubleshooting and system uptime management for mission‑critical environments
• Kubernetes advanced operations with EKS, ECS, and/or Fargate focus
• Cloud infrastructure cost optimization and AWS spend reduction strategies

Education and Clearance Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college in a related discipline
• OR Master's degree and 10 years of professional experience
• OR equivalent combined education and experience (12 or more years of professional experience)
• Active TS/SCI clearance with Full Scope Polygraph (FSP) — must be active prior to start
• CI Polygraph within the last 7 years — must be active prior to start

About Us.

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Marshall, VA, ALEX - Alternative Experts, LLC (ALEX) is an ISO 9001:2015‑certified Women Owned Small Business that's changing the way government does business by delivering a powerful, industry‑leading array of core services to help its clients achieve mission‑critical objectives. ALEX provides a variety of benefits designed to help meet the needs of our employees. See a summary of ALEX's Employee Benefits for more information.

ALEX is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. Applicants must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.

In order to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, we reasonably believe the pay range for this position is between $175,000 - $195,000. Multiple factors are taken into account with any offer of employment by ALEX, including experience, education, and skills.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to allow employees to meet the essential functions of the job unless those accommodations cause undue hardships to the employer. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Human Resources Department at [e-mail].