Senior Platform Engineer (OpAI)

The Marlin Alliance, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A defense technology company is seeking a Senior Platform Engineer to operationalize AI for naval systems within secure cloud environments. The candidate will collaborate closely with teams while ensuring compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards. Key responsibilities include building infrastructure and managing container environments. Required qualifications include experience in cloud engineering and knowledge of scripting, while a relevant degree and certifications are preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience as a cloud engineer, platform engineer, or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of cloud platforms and containerization technologies.
• Proficiency in scripting for automation tasks.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain secure cloud infrastructure within AWS.
• Configure container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes.
• Implement Infrastructure as Code solutions using Terraform.

Skills

Cloud engineering

Container orchestration

Scripting languages

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication

Cybersecurity principles

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS

Kubernetes

Terraform

Linux

Job description

The Marlin Alliance, Inc. is seeking a Senior Platform Engineer (OpAI) supporting Naval Operational Architecture. The successful candidate will play a critical role in operationalizing AI for next-generation naval platforms and systems. Focus is on building and managing secure, scalable cloud-based environments to support advanced analytics, AI/ML workloads, and autonomous systems. This position involves hands‑on engineering with cutting‑edge technologies, close collaboration with cross‑functional teams, and direct support of mission‑critical DoD capabilities. Your work will directly enhance the warfighter’s ability to execute distributed maritime operations and maintain tactical superiority.

Established in 2002, The Marlin Alliance is seeking to hire highly skilled individuals to support mission‑critical projects within the Navy. We are looking for motivated individuals to lead and support digital transformation, data science and analytics, and automation projects for a variety of Navy clients. Individuals must be able to function in a fast‑paced work environment and adapt quickly to rapidly changing requirements and technologies. Using your comprehensive knowledge of various technologies, you will design, develop, and implement solutions to support Navy mission owners in their digital transformation journey.

Citizenship And Clearance Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required
• No dual citizenship
• Active TS security clearance required
• Active TS SCI security clearance preferred

Location - ON-Site near one of the following locations

• 1st Space Brigade - Fort Carson, CO
• Air Force TENCAP - Colorado Springs, CO
• NIWC LANT - Charleston, SC
• Buckley Space Force Base - Denver, CO
• NAVWAR - San Diego, CA

Travel

• 15%

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain secure cloud infrastructure within AWS GovCloud environments.
• Configure and manage container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes and OpenShift.
• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Ansible, Terraform, or CloudFormation.
• Support secure data flow across multiple systems, ensuring compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards and STIG requirements.
• Collaborate with DevSecOps teams to streamline deployment pipelines and container management.
• Optimize cloud resources for performance, scalability, and cost‑effectiveness.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues within cloud, networking, and containerized environments.
• Partner with AI/ML engineers and software developers to deploy and integrate advanced analytics platforms and tools.
• Maintain detailed technical documentation to support system operations and compliance.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and team members.

Required Skills And Experience

• Experience working as a cloud engineer, cloud administrator, cloud architecture, DevOps engineer, IT Specialist, platform engineer, site reliability engineer, release engineer, systems administrator, systems engineer, or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of either cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) or containerization technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Some proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) for automation tasks.
• Some experience with Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible) for configuration management.
• Some proficiency with Linux system administration.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate in a team environment.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity principles and best practices for platform security.
• Ability to transport/move heavy equipment (50lbs) on planes and ships.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Knowledge of advanced networking topics, e.g., VPCs, TCP/IP, TLS, etc.
• Knowledge of DevOps practices and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, e.g., GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins.
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools for platform health and performance, e.g., CloudWatch, Grafana, or Elasticsearch.
• OpenShift or Kubernetes
• Airflow
• Kafka
• RabbitMQ
• Apache
• Kibana
• Adapting open‑source products to work with GovCloud
• Domino Data Labs
• Tobias
• Fiddler
• Experience with monitoring/logging tools such as CloudWatch or Grafana
• Experience supporting government or military organizations

Education And Certification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related STEM field (Master’s preferred) OR Equivalent years of relevant experience in lieu of degree
• Relevant certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect, Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), or Security+ strongly preferred

Job Classification

Associate II

$110,000 - $180,000

Disclaimer

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job‑related instructions and to perform any other job‑related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at‑will” relationship.

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities