Senior Software Engineer (Contract) - Elixir/Erlang

DockYard is looking for a Senior Software Engineer with deep backend expertise in Elixir, Erlang, and OTP to embed with a client team building mission-critical software. You will work across distributed real-time systems that process high-frequency data at scale, support complex planning and simulation workflows, and help manage a large asset tracking platform with hundreds of entity types.

This is a fully embedded engagement. You will join the client's engineering team directly, with their tools, badges, and workflows, operating as a core contributor rather than an outside advisor. The work is backend-heavy, centered on Elixir's strengths in concurrency, fault tolerance, and real-time data processing. The client's systems handle high-throughput monitoring across thousands of connected endpoints, coordinate across a large and varied asset inventory, and integrate with multiple external data sources that require bespoke parsing and reliable ingestion.

The ideal candidate is self-driven, passionate about building systems that operate reliably at scale, and stays current with Elixir and OTP best practices. They are collaborative but also comfortable working independently, and should feel empowered to thrive in environments with open direction and loosely defined requirements. They bring a strong product and consulting mindset to any team.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain backend systems in Elixir/OTP that process real-time monitoring and health data from thousands of connected endpoints.
• Design and implement distributed data pipelines that ingest, normalize, and route data from multiple heterogeneous external sources.
• Contribute to planning and simulation tools that support complex operational workflows.
• Work on asset management systems that track and coordinate hundreds of entity types across diverse operational contexts.
• Embed within the client's engineering team and collaborate closely with product, design, and business stakeholders to understand goals, analyze requirements, and deliver solutions.
• Collaborate with the team to translate product needs into a development roadmap and assist with scoping, sizing, and project planning.
• Evaluate existing codebases, recommend improvements, mentor other engineers, and contribute as a highly productive independent contributor.
• Interface directly with clients, leaning on your deep industry experience and proven knowledge of Elixir and Erlang, but always maintaining an inquisitive and consultative approach.
• Support integration work with bespoke external systems and data formats that require careful parsing and reliable data handling.
• Continually look for opportunities to document and share your knowledge with others.
• You may be asked to travel on occasion, including periodic onsite work., Our process includes an introductory conversation with Employee Experience, an interview with the Hiring Manager, a technical screen with one of our Elixir engineers, and sometimes a final round with the client team.

Candidates must successfully complete a background check prior to engagement. Before the engagement begins, we verify government-issued ID and confirm the legal name and address on file. The candidate who interviews is the person we expect to do the work. Substitutions or undisclosed subcontracting aren't permitted.

Work is performed from your verified location on approved equipment, and payment is issued only to an account in your legal name.

Even if you don't feel you're a 100% fit, we'd still love to hear from you!

• 5+ years of backend-focused engineering experience, with strong depth in Elixir, Erlang, and OTP
• Proven experience building distributed, fault-tolerant systems that handle real-time data at scale
• Production experience designing and maintaining data ingestion pipelines from multiple heterogeneous sources
• Familiarity with concurrent programming patterns, process supervision trees, and GenServer-based architectures in Elixir/OTP
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams using Agile methodologies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work onsite in Colorado Springs periodically as required by project regulations
• You are highly collaborative and value authenticity, equity, and empathy

Nice To Haves

• Experience in defense-adjacent industries
• Familiarity with high-throughput monitoring or telemetry-style architectures
• Background in asset management or logistics platforms with complex domain models
• Experience integrating with government or regulated data systems
• Familiarity with React (some frontend components exist alongside the Elixir backend)
• Experience working in a remote environment with periodic onsite requirements
• Prior client services, consulting, or freelancing experience

DockYard is a remote-first, digital product consultancy. Forward-thinking teams come to us to build digital products that scale with their users, features, and complexity. Using a candid approach to partnerships, we help to upskill teams along the way. The result? More flexibility in how our clients take products from idea to impact. We don't just use innovative approaches to product development - we lead them. That's why visionary companies have trusted us to overcome complex product challenges. We're honored to have been included in guides ranging from The Startup Weekly's Exceptional Workplace Award (2021), The BBJ's Fast 50 (2021, 2020), Inc. 5000 (2020, 2019), and Fast Company's Best Places to Work for Innovators (2020), among others.