Principal Platform Engineer Columbia, MD

Clarity Innovations, LLC; Jessup (MD); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a skilled platform engineer to build and maintain operational platforms. This role involves deploying OS images, managing Kubernetes clusters, and ensuring high-quality platform delivery. The ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative environment, demonstrating expertise in containerization and Linux systems. Join a forward-thinking company committed to innovation in national security, where your contributions will make a significant impact on critical missions. If you are passionate about technology and eager to tackle complex challenges, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Must obtain TS/SCI clearance; Bachelor's in Computer Engineering or related field.
• 2+ years experience in deploying and maintaining Kubernetes clusters.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and architecture of back-end systems.
• Deploy and maintain a robust platform focused on user requirements.

Skills

Kubernetes

Linux OS

Docker

System architecture

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering

Tools

RKE2

Podman

Job description

Clarity Innovations is a trusted national security partner, dedicated to safeguarding our nation’s interests and delivering innovative solutions that empower the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) to transform data into actionable intelligence, ensuring mission success in an evolving world.

Our mission-first software and data engineering platform modernizes data operations, utilizing advanced workflows, CI/CD, and secure DevSecOps practices. We focus on challenges in Information Warfare, Cyber Operations, Operational Security, and Data Structuring, enabling end-to-end solutions that drive operational impact.

We are committed to delivering cutting-edge tools and capabilities that address the most complex national security challenges, empowering our partners to stay ahead of emerging threats and ensuring the success of their critical missions. At Clarity, we are people-focused and set on being a destination employer for top talent, offering an environment where innovation thrives, careers grow, and individuals are valued. Join us as we continue to lead innovation and tackle the most pressing challenges in national security.

Role

This position is for a platform engineer that enjoys building hardware-based operational platforms using internal and external products to include Linux OS images, Kubernetes cluster deployment, and logging systems. As a platform engineer, you will be responsible for deploying OS images to hardware, deploying an RKE2 multi-node Kubernetes cluster, deploying additional containers, network policies, and other Kubernetes Custom Resource Definitions to the cluster, and initial monitoring and maintenance of the cluster. As the platform engineer, 2-3 days a week of on-site support is expected.

Responsibilities

1. Participate and lead design and architecture of back-end systems
2. Deploy and maintain a robust and high-quality platform, putting the user’s requirements first and always driving towards a working product on-time
3. Limit and resource test the platform
4. Facilitate delivery and deployment of the platform

Required Qualifications

1. Must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance (note, only US Citizens are eligible for security clearances)
2. Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Degree requirement can be met with four years of hands-on experience in a software engineer or similar full-time position
3. Must be able to demonstrate the ability to deploy, maintain, and monitor hardware, docker containers, and Kubernetes clusters with limited supervision - this is typically achieved after a minimum of 2 years of full-time industry experience and a bachelor's degree
4. Proficient in containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Podman)
5. Proficient with container orchestration using Kubernetes
6. Comfortable and proficient in Linux-based development environments
7. Ability to collaborate as a team but execute independently
8. Comfortable in a high-trust, adaptable, team environment
9. Proficient in system architecture and design

Preferred Qualifications (in addition to the required qualifications)

1. Current US TS/SCI security clearance
2. More than 5 years of industry experience in a platform engineering, DevOps or similar role in the Cyber Operation Domain
3. Experience communicating with customers and end-users

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.