Software Engineer

This announcement is for a Software Engineer supporting an active government contract focused on the automation, configuration, and secure deployment of edge-based systems. The Software Engineer Skill Level 3 will serve as the technical lead for one or more development teams, selecting the software development process in coordination with the customer and systems engineering, and taking ownership of complex, modular Ansible codebases from initial design through production deployment. This role works extensively in Linux (RHEL-based) environments, directs the design and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines for build and deployment, and provides technical direction on virtualization and OCI-compliant containers. A key part of this role involves recommending new technologies and processes to solve the unique challenges of deploying software and resources to edge and air-gapped environments.

Responsible for:

• Serve as the technical lead for one or more development teams, selecting the software development process in coordination with the customer and systems engineering.

• Design, develop, and maintain complex Ansible codebases using modular, reusable role and collection structures, and author internal, reusable collections for use across projects.

• Direct the integration of external Ansible collections into existing automation.

• Direct and troubleshoot automation and configuration across Linux systems end-to-end, with a focus on RHEL-like distributions.

• Ensure quality control of all developed and modified software, and delegate programming and testing responsibilities to one or more teams while monitoring their performance.

• Recommend new technologies and processes to solve edge-deployment challenges, including delivering software, packages, and updates into air-gapped or otherwise disconnected environments.

• Direct the design and maintenance of CI/CD pipelines supporting build and deployment workflows.

• Provide technical direction on virtualized infrastructure (VMs) supporting development, testing, and production systems.

• Provide technical direction on deploying, operating, and troubleshooting containerized workloads on Kubernetes, including the underlying OCI-compliant container images that run on it.

• Document architecture decisions, automation design, and operational procedures, and collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to align automation and deployment practices with broader system requirements.

• U.S. Citizenship required.

• Demonstrated experience serving as the technical lead of multiple software development teams.

• Experience selecting and recommending the software development process in coordination with customers and systems engineering.

• Experience recommending new technologies and processes for complex, edge-based or air-gapped software deployments.

• Extensive hands-on experience developing and maintaining complex Ansible codebases using modular, reusable role and collection structures, including authoring internal, reusable collections for use across projects.

• Strong Linux CLI experience, particularly with RHEL-like distributions (RHEL, Rocky, CentOS, etc.).

• Experience ensuring quality control of all developed and modified software across one or more teams.

• Experience delegating programming and testing responsibilities to one or more teams and monitoring their performance.

• Experience designing, building, and maintaining CI/CD pipelines supporting build and deployment workflows.

• Extensive experience building, running, and debugging OCI-compliant containers, including deploying and troubleshooting containerized workloads on Kubernetes.

• Experience with virtualized infrastructure supporting development, testing, and production systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with edge server deployment, including solving problems related to bringing resources or updates into air-gapped environments.

• Experience with libvirt-based virtualization (KVM/libvirt).

• Experience with Podman and/or Docker in production environments.

• Scripting experience in Python and/or Bash to support automation tooling.

• Experience working in Defense, Intelligence Community, or other government environments with similar mission or infrastructure requirements.

• Ability to mentor engineers and establish software development process standards across multiple project teams.

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related discipline is required; an additional four (4) years of relevant experience may be substituted for a Bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Twenty (20) or more years of experience in software development is required.

Job Types: Full-Time, Columbia, MD - Hybrid

Salary: $195,000 - $210,000

Schedule: Monday-Friday

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching

• Dental insurance

• Health insurance

• Paid time off

• Professional development assistance

• Vision insurance

STEELGATE LLC is a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that prides itself in hiring top-level Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) proven to exceed deliverable expectations. STEELGATE LLC is focused on solving the hard problems facing our government and commercial clients. Our success lies in blending together relevant domain/functional knowledge with deep expertise in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Defensive Cyber Operations, cloud-based DevSecOps, Data Analytics & AI, Acquisition and Acquisition Management, and more. STEELGATE LLC has a positive, inclusive workplace environment where all team members and partners work towards mutual success. We have established a reliable reach-back program whereas all SMEs are available to support, advise and directly complete mission deliverables when necessary. STEELGATE LLC has a worldwide reputation as a valued and trustworthy partner. Our can-do attitude and willingness to support any mission requirement sets us apart from other small business organizations. Find out more about STEELGATE LLC @ www.steelgatellc.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.