Software Engineer 3 - Linux/Python/Docker/Kubernetes/LLM/CI/CD/Grafana

Captivation Software • Annapolis Junction, MD

1d

About The Position

Captivation Software is seeking a senior-level software engineer to design, develop, deploy, and support solutions in a high-performance computing (HPC) Linux environment. The role focuses on building scalable, production-ready solutions for secure, mission-critical environments, including containerized applications and systems using generative AI technologies. The engineer will work with Large Language Models (LLMs), LLM orchestration frameworks, knowledge retrieval systems, embedding models, and Kubernetes-based services. This is a direct-hire position; candidates from third-party staffing or recruiting firms will not be considered.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens and currently hold a Top Secret/SCI U.S. Government security clearance with a favorable Polygraph. Minimum experience qualifications can be met through a qualifying master's degree and five years of relevant software engineering experience, a qualifying bachelor's degree and seven years, or nine years of relevant experience without the specified degree.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen and currently hold a Top Secret/SCI U.S. Government security clearance with a favorable Polygraph.
• Meet one of the stated experience pathways: a master's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline plus five years of relevant SWE experience; a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related discipline plus seven years of relevant SWE experience; or nine years of relevant SWE experience. Experience must be in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity.
• Proven experience working in Linux environments, including advanced Linux command-line use for development, troubleshooting, and system administration.
• Recent hands-on software development experience using Python and a strong understanding of modern software engineering practices and frameworks.
• Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker and Podman for application packaging, deployment, and lifecycle management.
• Experience designing, authoring, and deploying Helm charts to manage Kubernetes-based applications and services.
• Experience developing, testing, deploying, and supporting containerized applications in production environments.
• Experience creating, configuring, and managing Kubernetes resources, including Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Secrets, Ingresses, and Operators.
• Working knowledge of generative AI technologies, including LLMs, RAG architectures, embedding models, and vector databases.
• Experience implementing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines using tools such as GitLab CI/CD, Flux CD, GitLab Runners, or similar tools.
• Experience with observability, metrics, logging, and monitoring solutions, including Prometheus and Grafana.
• Proficiency with Git-based source control workflows, including branching strategies, code reviews, pull/merge requests, and collaborative development.
• Understanding of SDLC best practices, including automated testing, security scanning, code quality analysis, and DevSecOps principles.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with developing, deploying, troubleshooting, and sustaining mission applications in an AWS Cloud environment.
• Experience with Atlassian tools, including Confluence and Jira.
• Experience working with and debugging GPU-enabled applications.
• Experience using a machine-learning framework such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience with ML pipelines or frameworks such as KubeFlow, NeMo, or PyTorch Lightning.
• Experience with SQL, Elasticsearch, and vector databases.
• Knowledge of AI inferencing solutions such as Nvidia NIM/TRITON, vLLM, and direct deployment (e.g., Ray).

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, deploy, and support solutions in an HPC Linux environment.
• Develop, test, deploy, and support containerized applications in production environments.
• Create, configure, and manage Kubernetes resources and services.
• Design, author, and deploy Helm charts for Kubernetes-based applications and services.
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines.
• Use observability, metrics, logging, and monitoring solutions to support applications.
• Apply secure software development and DevSecOps practices in mission-critical environments.

Benefits

• Annual salary of $130,000–$270,000, depending on years of experience.
• Up to 20% 401(k) contribution; no matching required and vested from day one.
• Above-market hourly rates.
• $3,600 HSA contribution.
• Six weeks of paid time off.
• Company-paid employee medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and AD&D coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior