Mid-Level Software Engineer – Python, AWS, and Modeling

Core4ce; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

Training and certifications

Tuition assistance

Parental leave and generous PTO

Core4ce The Forge innovation program

Job summary

Core4ce is seeking a backend-focused Software Engineer to build a modeling and decision-support application for the Defense Health Agency. You will design backend services, data pipelines, and cloud workflows, primarily focused on Python, FastAPI, and data processing.

The role involves full lifecycle development, collaboration with SMEs, and delivering production-ready features in a secure, scalable cloud environment. Candidates should have 3–5 years of experience and maintain a Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of professional software engineering experience or equivalent.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Strong experience developing production software in Python.
• Experience designing backend services, APIs, data-processing systems, or other complex software.
• Working knowledge of relational databases and SQL.
• Experience with automated testing, source control, code review, and modern software engineering practices.

Responsibilities

• Own software features from design through deployment and improvement.
• Design and build Python services, APIs, data-processing workflows, and simulation capabilities.
• Develop modeling logic and integrate into production application.
• Build and maintain cloud-native workflows using AWS services (Lambda, Step Functions, SQS, S3).
• Work with PostgreSQL, SQLAlchemy, and Alembic to design schemas and manage DB changes.
• Contribute to backend and platform development, with some frontend involvement as needed.

Skills

Python

Backend design

SQL

Testing

Version control

Security clearance

Tools

AWS

Docker

GitLab CI/CD

GitHub Actions

PostgreSQL

SQLAlchemy/Alembic

FastAPI

Job description

We are seeking a backend-focused Software Engineer to help build a modeling and decision-support application for the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The platform enables planners to explore complex healthcare-system scenarios through data integration, simulation, and interactive analysis. This is a hands-on software engineering position for someone who enjoys working across the full software development lifecycle.

The Software Engineer will design backend services, build data and simulation pipelines, contribute to cloud architecture, and carry features from initial requirements through deployment and demonstration. The application includes a web-based user experience, but the role’s current emphasis is backend engineering, cloud infrastructure, data processing, and complex systems design.

Responsibilities

• Own software features from initial design through implementation, testing, deployment, and ongoing improvement.
• Design and build Python services, APIs, data-processing workflows, and simulation capabilities.
• Develop modeling logic in collaboration with subject-matter experts and integrate that logic into a production application.
• Build and maintain cloud-native workflows using AWS services such as Lambda, Step Functions, SQS, and S3.
• Work with different compute and deployment models based on performance, scalability, and security needs.
• Design and maintain data pipelines that ingest, validate, transform, enrich, and publish source data.
• Develop APIs and backend application functionality using Python and FastAPI.
• Work with PostgreSQL, SQLAlchemy, and Alembic to design schemas and manage database changes.
• Contribute to a Next.js frontend when needed, while primarily focusing on backend and platform development.
• Build and maintain automated delivery workflows using GitLab CI/CD and GitHub Actions.
• Package and deploy applications using Docker.
• Apply DevSecOps practices such as automated testing, code review, dependency management, security scanning, observability, and infrastructure as code.
• Participate in architectural and technical design decisions.
• Demonstrate completed capabilities to users and incorporate their feedback into future development.
• Diagnose challenging technical problems across application code, data, infrastructure, and deployment environments.

This position is designed to be flexible, with responsibilities evolving to meet business needs and enable individual growth.

Requirements

• Approximately 3-5 years of professional software engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated ability.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Strong professional experience developing production software in Python.
• Experience designing backend services, APIs, data-processing systems, or other complex software.
• Working knowledge of relational databases and SQL.
• Experience with automated testing, source control, code review, and modern software engineering practices.
• Ability to independently own features while collaborating effectively with engineers, users, and subject-matter experts.
• Ability to communicate technical decisions and demonstrate working software to users.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AWS, particularly Lambda, Step Functions, SQS, S3, or comparable cloud services.
• Experience building cloud-based data pipelines.
• Experience with FastAPI or a similar Python web framework.
• Experience with PostgreSQL, SQLAlchemy, and Alembic.
• Experience designing distributed, asynchronous, or event-driven systems.
• Experience with Docker and containerized application development.
• Experience creating CI/CD pipelines with GitLab CI/CD or GitHub Actions.
• Familiarity with infrastructure as code, application observability, and automated security scanning.
• Experience with TypeScript, React, or Next.js.
• Experience working directly with users to refine requirements and demonstrate software.
• Experience translating domain-expert knowledge into maintainable software logic.
• Experience with discrete-event simulation, SimPy, mathematical modeling, operations research, or other analytical modeling techniques.
• Familiarity with Kubernetes or another container-orchestration platform.

Why Work for Us?

Core4ce is a team of innovators, self-starters, and critical thinkers—driven by a shared mission to strengthen national security and advance warfighting outcomes.

We offer:

• 401(k) with 100% company match on the first 6% deferred, with immediate vesting
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage—employee portion paid 100% by Core4ce
• Unlimited access to training and certifications, with no pre-set cap on eligible professional development
• Tuition assistance for job-related degrees and courses
• Paid parental leave, PTO that grows with tenure, and generous holiday schedules
• Got a big idea? At Core4ce, The Forge gives every employee the chance to propose bold innovations and help bring them to life with internal backing.

Join us to build a career that matters—supported by a company that invests in you.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, veteran status, age, genetic information, or other legally protected status.

*Core4ce provides the listed pay range for this position as a general guideline only and not as a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final offers may take into account a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, job responsibilities, education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, market data alignment, any applicable collective bargaining agreement, and other legal requirements.