Senior Principal Platform Engineer

Clarity Innovations; Jessup (MD); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Clarity Innovations in Jessup, MD is seeking a Platform Engineering Architect to operationalize and secure AI capabilities. The role involves building a scalable AI run stack and integrating various AI models and services to enhance national security solutions.

Ideal candidates will have 7+ years of experience in DevSecOps and deep expertise in Kubernetes and Docker. Join a mission-driven team focused on innovation and impact in national security.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in administration and development of Kubernetes clusters.
• Advanced knowledge of Docker or equivalent container build tools.
• Experience with Azure or AWS architecture and Infrastructure as Code.

Responsibilities

• Focus on operationalizing AI capabilities by building and maintaining AI infrastructure.
• Contribute to the K8s‑based AI access platform.
• Manage deployment of core AI services.

Skills

DevSecOps

Platform Engineering

Kubernetes

Docker

Python

AI/ML frameworks

Education

7+ years experience in relevant fields

Tools

GitLab

Terraform

ArgoCD

Helm

Job description

Jessup, MD

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.

As a Platform Engineering Architect you will focus on operationalizing, securing, and maturing artificial intelligence capabilities by building and maintaining the AI "path‑to‑prod" and a scalable AI run stack—the AI “plumbing.” Your work centers on providing a unified interface for AI model access, integrating foundational and reasoning models, AI agents, and generative AI. Key responsibilities include contributing to the K8s‑based AI access platform, managing deployment of core AI services, integrating frontier models (e.g., Claude, GPT) and local inference engines (e.g., vLLM) along with designing MLOps pipelines. The role also requires providing expert recommendations for enterprise AI adoption, specifically in agentic orchestration and spec‑driven development.

Core Requirements

• 7+ years of combined experience in DevSecOps, Platform Engineering, or SRE.
• Deep expertise in administration and development of Kubernetes clusters.
• Advanced knowledge of Docker or equivalent container build tools.
• Experience with Azure or AWS architecture and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/Crossplane).
• Proficiency in at least one backend or scripting language—ideally Python, Go, or Bash—to drive systems automation.
• Solid understanding of OSI Layer 4–7, including VPC/VNET configuration, DNS, Load Balancing, and SSL/TLS management.
• Practical experience with modern AI/ML frameworks and tooling such as PyTorch, Hugging Face, LangChain, vLLM, Ray, MLflow, or equivalent open‑source ecosystems.
• Hands‑on experience deploying, scaling, and securing AI/ML workloads on Kubernetes, including GPU‑enabled clusters, model‑serving platforms, and distributed inference/training systems.
• Experience building internal AI platforms or developer enablement tooling that supports model lifecycle management, experimentation, inference endpoints, and reproducible AI workflows.
• Familiarity with MLOps concepts and tooling, including automated model deployment, versioning, evaluation, observability, rollback strategies, and CI/CD integration for AI systems.
• Working knowledge of vector databases, embedding pipelines, retrieval‑augmented generation (RAG), and semantic search architectures.
• Understanding of AI security concerns including model isolation, data handling controls, prompt injection risks, supply‑chain security, and governance requirements for sensitive or regulated environments.

Primary Technical Focus

• Heavy emphasis is placed on the GitLab ecosystem and GitOps workflows.
• Mastery of GitLab CI/CD (including Runners, Templates, and Security Scanners).
• Hands‑on experience with ArgoCD or equivalent declarative CD tools.
• Proficiency with Helm for templating and deploying Kubernetes applications.

Preferred Skills & Certifications

• Possession of DoD 8570 certifications (e.g., Security+ or CASP+/SecurityX).
• Experience with Service Mesh technologies (e.g., Istio, Cilium) and CNI plugins.
• Configuration and management of Keycloak or OIDC/SAML providers.
• Experience with the Grafana / Prometheus stack or similar.
• Functional knowledge of PostgreSQL and MySQL.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience maintaining data pipelines or high‑throughput data infrastructure.
• Background in threat modeling, vulnerability management, or SOC operations.
• Experience designing or maintaining RESTful or RPC APIs.

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.