DevOps Engineer-IV (Expert-Level)

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Rapid Strategy seeks a DevOps Engineer-IV to architect and oversee advanced DevOps strategies with a focus on security integration across the software lifecycle. The role demands autonomy, leadership, and expert-level DevSecOps capabilities in a scalable environment.

The position supports active TS/SCI clearance and can be performed in multiple U.S. locations including Washington DC. Candidates with strong cloud and infrastructure-as-code experience are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI Clearance with CI poly.
• 10+ years in DevSecOps or similar.
• Expert experience with CI/CD pipelines and automation tools.
• Experience building DevSecOps at scale (IL5+).
• Strong AWS experience; familiarity with Azure/GCP.

Responsibilities

• Integrate security into the SDLC with dev, operations, and security teams.
• Design, implement, and maintain secure CI/CD pipelines with automated testing and compliance checks.
• Develop and maintain IaC templates; enforce security on cloud resources.
• Conduct security assessments, code reviews, and periodic pentests.
• Monitor logs and respond to security incidents; manage IAM configurations.
• Guide secure coding practices and help remediate findings.
• Participate in incident response and documentation of security policies.

Skills

CI/CD security integration

Security in SDLC

Cloud platforms

IaC automation

Scripting (Python/Bash)

TS/SCI clearance

Tools

Jenkins

GitLab CI/CD

Artifactory

SonarQube

Terraform

CloudFormation

Ansible

Python

Bash

Prisma Cloud

Fortify

Acunetix

Job description

About Us:

Rapid Strategy, an award-winning African-American-owned small business, specializes in providing cutting-edge cybersecurity services to both private and public sectors. Based in Charlotte, NC, we support clients nationwide, delivering innovative solutions to protect against evolving cyber threats. Learn more about us at www.RapidStrategy.io.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a DevOps Engineer-IV to architect and oversee advanced DevOps strategies and frameworks. This expert-level role requires a proven ability to design scalable infrastructure, provide technical leadership, and align DevOps solutions with business goals. The candidate must demonstrate autonomy and expertise in modern DevOps practices. This role requires an active TS/SCI. This role can be performed in Colorado Springs, Maryland, Reston, or Washington DC.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with development, operations, and security teams to integrate security practices into the software development lifecycle.
• Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines that incorporate automated security testing, vulnerability scanning, and compliance checks.
• Develop and maintain infrastructure as code (IaC) templates and configurations, ensuring security best practices are applied to cloud resources and infrastructure components.
• Perform regular security assessments, code reviews, and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities and weaknesses in applications, code, and infrastructure.
• Monitor and analyze system and application logs to detect and respond to security incidents.
• Implement and manage identity and access management (IAM) solutions, ensuring appropriate authentication and authorization mechanisms are in place.
• Collaborate with software engineers to provide guidance on secure coding practices and assist in remediation of security findings.
• Participate in incident response activities, helping to investigate and mitigate security incidents in a timely manner.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of security policies, procedures, and documentation.

Basic Qualifications:

• Active TS/SCI Clearance with CI poly.
• At least 10 years of experience as a DevSecOps Engineer or similar role, with a focus on integrating security into the software development lifecycle.
• Expert experience with DevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and automation tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Artifactory, SonarQube, Selenium, Fortify, Acunetix, and Prisma Cloud).
• Expert experience building DevSecOps solutions at scale across IL5 to IL6+ classification domains
• Expert understanding of AWS and familiarity with other cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, GCP) and securing cloud-based applications and services.
• Strong experience with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or Ansible.
• Strong experience in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) for automation and tool integration.
• Hands-on experience with security tools for static code analysis, dynamic application security testing (DAST), and vulnerability scanning, using tools such as Fortify, Acunetix, and Prisma Cloud
• Knowledge of security best practices, common vulnerabilities, and exposure to security frameworks (e.g., OWASP, NIST).

At Rapid Strategy, we believe that building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic team is key to driving innovation and success. Studies show that women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community may hesitate to apply for roles unless they meet every qualification listed. We want to change that. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every single qualification, we still encourage you to apply. You might be the perfect fit for this position—or another opportunity with us. The Rapid Team looks forward to hearing from you!