Mission-Critical Backend Engineer (Secret Clearance)

ZP Group; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunities

Comprehensive benefits — PTO, holidays

Hybrid work flexibility

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Backend Engineer to support a federal mission-software program focused on modernizing cloud-native operations. This hybrid role includes locations in Denver and other major cities.

You will design, build, and maintain backend services, APIs, and cloud-integrated capabilities for mission‑critical operations. Active SECRET security clearance is required while you collaborate with cross-functional teams in an Agile setting and contribute to CI/CD pipelines and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field (or equivalent hands‑on experience).
• 3+ years of professional backend or full‑stack engineering experience.
• Strong proficiency in Python and API development (REST or GraphQL).
• Experience with AWS services (Lambda, ECS/EKS, EC2, S3, RDS, CloudWatch).
• Hands‑on experience with Docker and containerized applications.
• Familiarity with Kubernetes deployments (EKS preferred).
• Experience with Terraform or other Infrastructure‑as‑Code tools.
• Strong Git workflow experience (GitHub/GitLab).
• U.S. Person status and ability to obtain a U.S. Security Clearance

Responsibilities

• Develop backend services and APIs using Python in a production environment.
• Integrate AWS services including EC2, Lambda, ECS/EKS, S3, RDS, CloudWatch, and Fargate.
• Build and maintain GraphQL or REST interfaces for mission‑critical applications.
• Support AI/LLM integrations with platforms such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and AskSage.
• Implement scalable, secure, and cost‑efficient cloud architectures.
• Troubleshoot backend issues, optimize performance, and improve system reliability.
• Collaborate with frontend engineers, AI engineers, and product teams in an Agile environment.
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, DevSecOps tooling, and infrastructure automation using Terraform or similar IaC tools

Skills

Python

REST API

GraphQL

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Git workflows

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Git/GitHub/GitLab

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Backend Engineer to support a federal mission-software program focused on modernizing cloud-native operations. This hybrid role includes locations in Denver and other major cities.

You will design, build, and maintain backend services, APIs, and cloud-integrated capabilities for mission‑critical operations. Active SECRET security clearance is required while you collaborate with cross-functional teams in an Agile setting and contribute to CI/CD pipelines and