Software Engineer 3 - Go/Python/Kubernetes/Kafka/Ansible

Software Engineer 3 - Go/Python/Kubernetes/Kafka/Ansible

Annapolis Junction, MD

Build to something to be proud of.

Captivation has built a reputation on providing customers exactly what is needed in a timely manner. Our team of engineers take pride in what they develop and constantly innovate to provide the best solution. Captivation is looking for software developers who can get stuff done while making a difference in support of the mission to protect our country.

Captivation Software is looking for a senior level software developer who can design, implement, and improve distributed application orchestration logic, mentor peers, and contribute to the architectural direction of the system.

Responsibilities:

• Design scalable workflows for deploying and managing Kubernetes-native applications
• Lead the development of reusable Helm charts, GitOps templates, and deployment strategies
• Build system-aware controllers or agents that automate app lifecycle tasks
• Contribute to platform-wide architecture decisions (e.g., deployment strategy, multi-cluster config, observability)
• Mentor junior engineers and review code for reliability, clarity, and best practices
• Collaborate with DevOps and platform teams to ensure secure and compliant deployments

Requirements:

Security Clearance:

• Must currently hold a Top Secret/SCI U.S. Government security clearance with a favorable Polygraph, therefore all candidates must be a U.S. citizen

Minimum Qualifications:

• Twenty (20) years of experience as a SWE is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science from an accredited college or university is required

Required Skills:

• Deep experience with Go or Python in cloud-native contexts
• Strong Kubernetes experience: CRDs, Helm, GitOps, multi-tenant app deployments
• Experience with event-driven or agent-based systems (e.g., Kafka, controller patterns)
• Familiar with infrastructure automation (Terraform, cloud-init, Ansible)
• Comfortable balancing automation and operator oversight in complex environments
• Owns end-to-end delivery of system components
• Helps shape internal standards and shared tooling
• Guides team through design decisions and tradeoffs
• Thinks in systems, not just services

This position is open for direct hires only. We will not consider candidates from third party staffing/recruiting firms.

Benefits:

• Annual Salary: $130,000 - $270,000 (Depends on the Years of Experience)
• Up to 20% 401k contribution (No Matching Required and Vested from Day 1)
• Above Market Hourly Rates
• $3,600 HSA Contribution
• 6 Weeks Paid Time Off
• Company Paid Employee Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance/Life Insurance/Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D