Senior Backend/API Engineer

ECS Tech Inc•Fairfax, VA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Everforth ECS is seeking a Senior Backend/API Engineer to work in the National Capital Region covering the Pentagon, Falls Church, and Fairfax. Please Note: This position is contingent upon contract award. The War Data Platform (WDP) is a key initiative within the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) AI-First strategy introduced in early 2026. The WDP focuses on operational warfighting data and aims to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) on the battlefield. The WDP extends to Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret environments, and supports collaboration between Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, Senior Executive Service leaders, and operational analysts. This role architects and advances backend services and application programming interfaces supporting AI/ML model serving across NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS mission environments, delivering high-assurance, Zero Trust-aligned API access to production AI/ML models that enable joint operational decision-making across all WDP classification enclaves.

Requirements

Current Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
IAT II‑level security certification (CompTIA Security+ CE, CompTIA CySA+, CompTIA Cloud+, Cisco CCNA Security, GIAC GSEC, GIAC GCED, or ISC² SSCP).
Minimum 10 years of experience designing, building, and maintaining enterprise API services and architectures within classified or federal multi‑enclave environments.
Experience implementing backend APIs specifically optimized for AI/ML workloads, including exposure to high-throughput data streaming, large payload serialization (e.g., embeddings, tensors), and integrating with model inference endpoints.
Demonstrated hands‑on expertise with API engineering tools and frameworks—including NGINX, Envoy, FastAPI, and Flask—alongside container orchestration platforms and API gateway technologies, with proven ability to harden and optimize API and proxy patterns for multi‑enclave AI/ML model‑serving workloads.
Demonstrated hands-on experience building and consuming diverse API architectures, including REST and SOAP (via WSDL/XML); deep understanding of API lifecycle management, payload optimization, data serialization formats (JSON, XML), and interface contract definition.
Proven experience implementing Zero Trust‑aligned identity, authentication, and authorization mechanisms—including token validation, ABAC/RBAC controls, and cross‑domain access enforcement—using enterprise IAM services and policy‑driven gateway frameworks.
Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making capabilities, with a proven ability to weigh the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and identify the most appropriate solution.
Track record of producing high‑quality interface specifications, access‑control integration diagrams, and hardened configuration baselines that support continuous authorization, POA&M adjudication, and enclave‑parity release operations at enterprise scale.
Highly developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, with the ability to effectively and professionally interact with a diverse set of stakeholders (from peers to end‑users to executive management).

Responsibilities

Architects and advances backend services and application programming interfaces supporting AI/ML model serving across NIPR, SIPR, and JWICS mission environments.
Hardens enclave-specific API and proxy patterns through configuration tuning, secure routing enforcement, and integration of identity, authentication, and authorization mechanisms aligned with War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration Zero Trust objectives.
Implements backend security modules, token validation workflows, cross-domain attribute checks, and policy-driven access controls using enterprise Identity and Access Management services, gateway filtering, and proxy enforcement frameworks.
Optimizes endpoint performance in higher-classification domains by tuning request throughput, connection handling, caching behaviors, and load-balancing rules within constrained compute environments.
Maintains two to five promoted endpoint changes per month while sustaining elevated-security interfaces supporting advanced model workloads.
Engineers backend service components using NGINX, Envoy, FastAPI, Flask, container orchestration platforms, API gateways, and enclave-approved cryptographic standards to strengthen reliability, resiliency, and mission readiness for model-serving operations.
Conducts deep analysis of authentication failures, proxy bottlenecks, and latency indicators using observability stacks, logging pipelines, and distributed tracing.
Produces interface specifications, access-control integration diagrams, enclave tuning guides, and hardened configuration baselines that advance operational continuity across enterprise security domains.
Coordinates with cyber engineering, model-serving engineering, and platform operations teams to align API behavior with enclave constraints, cross-domain workflows, and mission system dependencies.
Strengthens War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration program value by delivering high-assurance, multi-enclave API access to production AI/ML models supporting joint operational decision-making.
Performs other duties as assigned.