Principal Platform Engineer New Herndon, VA

Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company dedicated to national security, where you will be at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for cyber network operations. This role offers the opportunity to architect scalable systems and implement GitOps workflows, enhancing productivity and reliability in diverse environments. You will collaborate with a dynamic team, mentor junior engineers, and engage with customers to ensure the success of critical missions. If you are passionate about technology and eager to tackle complex challenges, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Flexible Work Hours

Professional Development Opportunities

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in relevant technical discipline or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of Kubernetes-based GitOps deployments.
• Implement pipelines and ensure OCI hardening of container images.

Skills

Team Collaboration

Independent Execution

Networking Ingress and Egress

Kubernetes Management

CI/CD Pipeline Deployment

DevOps Practices

Troubleshooting Network Issues

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker

Terraform

GitLab

Azure

AWS

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.

Position Overview

This position is part of a dynamic team at the forefront of prototyping infrastructure designs to support the next generation of cyber network operations. In this role, you will contribute to developing a platform that simplifies complex infrastructure management across cloud-native and on-premises environments. Your work will involve architecting scalable systems, implementing GitOps workflows for version-controlled and automated operations, and designing declarative interfaces. The goal is to create tools and processes that bridge the gap between development and operations, enhancing productivity and reliability in diverse infrastructure settings. The role presents unique opportunities, such as regular customer interaction to iterate, streamline, and multiply platform capabilities to meet customer objectives of broad deployment and exceptional flexibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in architectural discussions and lead design of Kubernetes-based GitOps deployments
• Lead the designing and implementation of pipelines with Break-Build SATS and DAST
• Ensure OCI hardening of container images lifecycle
• Manage the chain of custody of Container signature lifecycle provenance
• Communicate through thoughtful and thorough design documents for new initiatives.
• Design and implement robust, scalable, and secure infrastructure cloud solutions aligned with overall product vision
• Build and integrate automated testing into the product’s codebase
• Facilitate delivery and deployment of operational capabilities
• Foster a collaborative team environment, mentoring junior engineers and coordinating efforts across cross-functional teams to ensure project success

Qualifications

• Be able to obtain and maintain a TS security clearance (note, only US Citizens are eligible for security clearances)
• 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 Engineering or similar full-time position.)
• Ability to collaborate as a team but execute independently
• Thrives in a high-trust, adaptable team environment
• Proficient in CNCF container networking ingress and egress
• Proficient with CI/CD Pipeline-based GitOps deployments
• Proficient with Kubernetes cluster lifecycle (deployment, troubleshooting, scaling)
• Proficient with container orchestration using Kubernetes (K8s)
• Proficient deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters on major cloud platforms, particularly Azure and AWS
• Proficient in containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Podman)
• Proficient with Infrastructure as Code Utilities (e.g., Crossplane, Pulumi, Terraform)
• Proficient in Linux-based development environments (e.g., Ubuntu, RedHat Enterprise Linux, or derivatives)
• Experience implementing modern DevOps practices and tools (e.g., CI/CD, IaC, GitOps) in production deployment workflows
• Experience providing daily guidance and oversight to other engineers
• Experience contributing to or leading the design of new capabilities
• Experience leading communications with customers and end-users
• Experience troubleshooting network connectivity issues
• Experience with a version control code repositories, such as GitLab

Preferred Qualifications

• Current Top Secret security clearance SCI eligibility
• Familiarity with the Cyber Operations Domain
• Experience designing and implementing solutions on Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Familiarity with Scaled Agile Framework
• Experience writing Automated Tests (e.g., unit tests, acceptance tests, system/integration tests)
• Expertise in Cluster API and multi K8s cluster management using Liqo.io
• Experience using crossplane.io for Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI)
• Proficient in Open Policy Agent (OPA) policy management
• Proficient in Security Controls as Code (OSCAL etc.)
• Proficient in Software bill of materials (SBOM)
• Proficient in Software Supply Management to ensure attestation of code lifecycle
• Experience writing code in a general-purpose language such as Python, Go or Rust

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.