Senior/Staff DevOps Engineer (U.S. Air Force)

Description

The company is a digital consultancy that uses design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services, and it is growing its team of public interest technologists.

DevOps engineers here work alongside developers across the software development life cycle so that code can be released reliably, repeatedly, and on demand at a high quality level. The role combines software development and operations, and draws on networking, security, test automation, and continuous integration and deployment.

The company is partnering with a U.S. Air Force program office that manages a set of civil engineering systems. Users include civil engineering, security forces, and services staff, such as readiness managers, range personnel, and fire and emergency services teams.

Releases are slow right now. Regression testing is done by hand, security review comes after development ends, and moving code from code freeze to production can take a month or longer. The program is shifting to an outcome-driven model that builds test automation and security into the pipeline, beginning with moving the first application onto a DoD software factory. Leadership hopes this office becomes the example other Air Force offices follow.

Your first 30 days will be spent working with the company's team and government staff, learning how changes reach users today, and finding where testing and security add delay. This replaces a traditional support model, so you will also coach government partners so these practices continue after the company leaves. You will work with government engineers and other contractors, and the tools and processes may change as the work progresses.

This role depends on the company winning the underlying contract. If the contract is not awarded, you will be told promptly and the two sides will discuss other suitable openings.

Responsibilities

• Build and operate CI/CD pipelines that include security scans, SBOM generation, and automated tests from the outset
• Help move the first application onto a DoD software factory and evaluate pipeline options for the rest of the portfolio
• Promote and follow lean-agile engineering habits, such as simple design and automated testing
• Apply security and privacy practices that protect sensitive data
• Work with security engineers to generate the evidence required for continuous authorization
• Pair with and coach government engineers and incoming military developers so the new practices last after the company leaves

Requirements

• Basic qualifications
• Understand the core concepts of modern software development and work closely with software engineers
• Work comfortably in a cloud-based environment, managing many interconnected systems while keeping them available, reliable, and resilient
• Enable teams to deliver value to users and the business on a continuous basis through CI/CD pipelines that include integrated security scanning
• Build secure, compliant applications and guard against common vulnerabilities
• Work with software engineers to instrument applications and set up infrastructure for monitoring, metrics, alerting, logging, auditability, and compliance
• Create and maintain infrastructure as code and standardize deployment processes
• Have experience in a government or regulated environment that required formal security authorization (ATO)
• Have experience on cross-functional teams (product, design, engineering, operations) doing iterative delivery
• Have a record of staying aligned and accountable while working remotely
• Share a mindset and work approach that match the company's core values
• Nice-to-haves
• Experience with a DoD software factory such as Cloud One, MDaaS, or Platform One, or a similar one, including moving applications onto it
• Experience running on-premises systems, or migrating on-prem systems to the cloud
• Experience with GitLab CI, Checkmarx or other static code scanning, and SBOM generation
• Experience with continuous ATO, RMF, eMASS, and inherited controls
• Experience delivering technology in government, regulated industries, or other public-benefit settings

Conditions

This is a full-time, exempt position that is fully remote.

Occasional travel is included, to Montgomery, AL and other U.S. Air Force bases.

The target start date is November 30, 2026, pending contract award.

Pay is set after interviews, based on the seniority level that fits you. Current salary ranges for DevOps engineers are: Associate DevOps Engineer $90,000 to $125,000; DevOps Engineer I $120,000 to $140,000; DevOps Engineer II $135,000 to $160,000; Senior DevOps Engineer $150,000 to $185,000; Staff DevOps Engineer $170,000 to $203,000; Principal DevOps Engineer $180,000 to $230,000.

Some federal contract roles accept an additional degree or additional years of experience in place of a listed requirement.

All work must be performed within the U.S., not including U.S. territories.

U.S. citizenship is required for employment on this contract.

You must be able to obtain a Common Access Card (CAC) and any special access the contract requires.

Candidates from varied backgrounds and experience levels are considered, so apply even if you do not meet every qualification but believe you can do the job.

Reasonable accommodations can be requested during the application or interview process.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Dependent care FSA, healthcare FSA, and a health savings account
• 401(k) with a dollar-for-dollar match up to 10% of salary, vested immediately
• Flexible paid time off, generally about 25 days a year, plus 11 paid federal holidays
• Up to 12 weeks of paid time off for eligible new birth, adoption, or foster parents
• Performance rewards: annual salary increase, annual performance bonus, spot bonuses, and stock options
• Business development and sales bonuses
• Referral bonuses
• Annual $2,000 professional development allowance
• Annual $750 allowance for tech-related purchases
• Annual $100 swag budget for company merchandise such as hoodies and hats
• Flexible, remote-friendly work setup
• A supportive team environment focused on public good
• Interview process: a preliminary screen, a skills interview, a behavioral interview, and a reverse interview where you meet your potential team, usually four conversations over two to three weeks. The join page explains the process, the Career Pathways framework describes roles and skills, and the case studies show the company's work.