Backend/API Engineer

Backend/API Engineer Everforth ECS is seeking a Backend/API Engineer to work in the National Capital Region covering the Pentagon, Falls Church, and Fairfax. This position is contingent upon contract award. The War Data Platform (WDP) is a key initiative within the U.S. Department of War’s AI-First strategy introduced in early 2026. The WDP separates business and financial data from operational warfighting data to accelerate AI deployment on the battlefield. It extends to Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret environments, supporting collaboration between Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, Senior Executive Service leaders, and operational analysts. Responsibilities Design, build, and maintain backend services and APIs that operationalize AI and ML model access across WDP core integration mission environments. Implement automated workflows for configuring API endpoints, proxy layers, routing patterns, and service registration logic, ensuring consistent and secure access to production model artifacts within Unclassified networks. Develop scalable serving frameworks using Kubernetes, API gateways, service meshes, containerized runtimes, and model-hosting orchestration patterns to support multiple new endpoints or services per Program Increment while sustaining many active production models. Implement configuration pipelines that bind model artifacts to endpoint specifications, integrate with cross-domain promotion workflows, and align deployment logic with WDP core integration security architecture. Develop reusable backend components, authentication modules, logging interfaces, and monitoring instrumentation using Flask, FastAPI, NGINX, Envoy, Prometheus, and distributed tracing platforms. Coordinate with model-serving engineering, cyber engineering, and platform operations teams to establish routing rules, proxy behaviors, and security controls supporting mission assurance standards across the DoW. Conduct performance tuning, scalability analysis, and defect remediation to maintain responsiveness and fault tolerance across enterprise workloads. Produce service specifications, interface definitions, architecture diagrams, runbooks, and operational metrics that advance WDP core integration program value by increasing model accessibility, deployment velocity, and integration consistency. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Skills Current Secret security clearance. Minimum of 3 years of experience in backend software engineering, API development, or a closely related discipline within a federal, defense, or enterprise technology environment. Active IAT Level II certification (CompTIA Security+ CE, CompTIA CySA+, CompTIA Cloud+, Cisco CCNA Security, GIAC GSEC, GIAC GCED, or ISC² SSCP). Hands‑on experience with REST and SOAP APIs, including WSDL/XML, payload optimization, and API lifecycle management. Strong communication skills for interacting with diverse stakeholders. Desired Skills Experience with container orchestration and service mesh technologies (Kubernetes, Envoy, NGINX) in AI/ML model serving at scale. Experience implementing APIs optimized for AI/ML workloads, high‑throughput streaming, and large payload serialization. Proficiency with Python frameworks such as Flask or FastAPI and experience with authentication modules, logging, and observability instrumentation. Experience implementing resilient, fail‑safe integration strategies for low‑bandwidth, disconnected, or limited‑latency tactical environments. Experience with MLOps pipeline design, model lifecycle management, and CI/CD pipelines aligned to government security requirements. Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture principles and IdAM standards for backend API security design. ECS Federal LLC is an equal‑opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local jurisdiction law. #J-18808-Ljbffr ECS