Kong Platform and Migration Engineer Washington, District of Columbia, United States

eTelligent Group; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

eTelligent Group in Washington, DC, is seeking a senior API gateway engineer to build out Kong on the IRS platform and migrate APIs with a migration factory approach. You will work under two-week sprints with an experienced platform engineer guiding the migration, ensuring no disruption to calling systems.

The role emphasizes secure API design, automated templates, and governance through IRS change control. A federal/customer environment experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in API gateway, integration or middleware engineering.
• Hands-on configuration of Kong, or comparable gateway (webMethods/API Gateway, Apigee, MuleSoft, AWS).
• Working knowledge of REST, HTTP, TLS/mTLS, OAuth2, OIDC, and JWT.
• Experience with Kubernetes/OpenShift and declarative Git configuration.

Responsibilities

• Configure Kong Gateway Enterprise control and data planes, Workspaces, RBAC, services, routes and plugins on OpenShift and cloud.
• Convert webMethods API definitions to Kong configuration using decK templates in Git.
• Migrate simple and medium APIs with appropriate security and provider grouping.
• Run functional equivalency tests comparing webMethods and Kong versions.
• Support dual run cutovers with gradual traffic shifts and rollback planning.
• Apply security patterns (mTLS, OAuth2, JWT, ACL, IP rate limiting) with IRS approval.
• Follow IRS change control: impact assessments, lower env testing, CAB approvals.

Skills

Kong configuration

Gateway tooling (webMethods/API/AWS)

Kubernetes/OpenShift

Linux scripting (Bash, Python/Go)

REST/HTTP/TLS/OAuth2/OIDC/JWT

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical field

Tools

Git

decK templates

Job description

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Company Overview:

Over the past 15 years, eTel has delivered essential solutions for the federal government by securing and managing data, providing scalable identity access, modernizing legacy systems, and building high-performance platforms. By integrating new technologies and ensuring reliable operations we help agencies stay prepared for future challenges As a premier technology solutions and services company to the US federal government, eTel possesses longstanding relationships across the federal civilian marketplace. Other customers include the broader Treasury Department, Commerce Department, and State Department.

eTel offers integrated CMMI Level 3 processes, tools, and techniques with innovative, cost-efficient, and secure solutions to address complex challenges. eTel also holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 certifications, and offers dedicated subject matter experts (SMEs) and thought leaders that possess a deep understanding of customers’ environments and challenges.

Place of Performance: Hybrid – Washington, DC Metro Area (IRS facilities and approved remote work locations)

Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain and maintain an IRS Moderate Background Investigation (MBI)/Public Trust.

About the role:

You will build out Kong on the IRS platform and move APIs onto it in planned waves, without breaking the systems that call them. You will work in a migration factory with clear IRS approval gates, two week sprints, and a lead platform engineer who has run this environment for years.

What you will do:

• Configure Kong Gateway Enterprise control and data planes, Workspaces, RBAC, services, routes and plugins on Red Hat OpenShift and cloud.
• Convert webMethods API definitions to Kong configuration using decK templates, kept in Git.
• Migrate simple APIs (routing, OAuth2 or OIDC, mTLS) by template, and medium APIs with consumer, ACL and certificate setup grouped by provider.
• Help redesign the few complex APIs that use custom webMethods policies, using standard Kong plugins first.
• Run functional equivalency tests: send identical requests to the webMethods and Kong versions, then compare status, headers, payload, auth and latency.
• Support dual run cutovers with gradual traffic shifts, and rehearse rollback every wave.
• Apply security patterns for mTLS, OAuth2 client credentials, JWT, ACL, IP restriction and rate limiting, each approved by IRS.
• Follow IRS change control: impact assessment, lower environment testing, written rollback, Change Advisory Board (CAB) approval.
• Write runbooks and migration records so others can support what you built.

What you bring:

• 4+ years in API gateway, integration or middleware engineering.
• Hands on configuration of Kong, or a comparable gateway such as webMethods API Gateway, Apigee, MuleSoft or AWS API Gateway.
• Working knowledge of REST, HTTP, TLS and mTLS, OAuth2, OIDC and JWT.
• Experience with Kubernetes or OpenShift and declarative configuration in Git.
• Comfort with Linux, shell scripting and at least one of Python or Go.
• Bachelor's degree in a technical field, or equivalent experience.
• Ability to obtain and keep an IRS Moderate Background Investigation (MBI); you must meet IRS suitability and residency requirements.

Nice to have:

• Kong certification, CKA, or a cloud certification.
• IBM webMethods experience, especially API migration.
• An active IRS MBI or prior IRS work.
• Custom Kong plugin work in Lua or Go.

Commitment to Diversity -
eTelligent Group provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, nations origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, status as a covered veteran, and any other characteristic provided in accordance with applicable, federal, state and local laws.

As set forth in eTelligent Group LLC’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.