Senior Platform Engineer

About the role

Senior Platform Engineer, National Security Technology

Position Overview

Clarity Innovations recruits a Senior Platform Engineer to own the full lifecycle of U.S. Government national security platforms. This role demands an experienced engineer who will intake mission requirements, design critical infrastructure, review technical outputs, and ship secure, scalable solutions. You will operate at the forefront of U.S. cyber operations, architecting and maintaining the distributed infrastructure that enables decisive operational advantage. This is a mission-focused opportunity for individuals committed to building the tools that shape the national security landscape. You will be entrusted with the design and delivery of foundational systems that directly support national security objectives, requiring a high level of ownership and technical judgment. The position involves close collaboration with government stakeholders to translate operational needs into robust technical platforms. Success in this role is defined by your ability to deliver reliable infrastructure that empowers mission success under demanding conditions. You will be a key technical leader responsible for ensuring that the platforms you build are secure, performant, and aligned with the highest standards of government engineering.

Location and Engagement

This position is based in Herndon, VA, with flexibility for Fairfax, Reston, Dulles, Columbia MD, CONUS, and OCONUS work. The engagement centers on U.S. Government cyber operations and national security missions. The compensation range is $126,000 to $345,000.

Core Responsibilities

You will architect and support the infrastructure that powers national security missions. This involves designing intake pipelines that normalize disparate data sources for high-fidelity analysis. You will automate infrastructure orchestration, integrating hardware, secure configurations, and bespoke operational tools. A core function will be implementing network routing and security protocols, including BGP, OSPF, and VPNs, to ensure robust and reliable connectivity. You will build and maintain Infrastructure as Code using Terraform, Crossplane, and Pulumi, containerizing services via Docker and Podman. All work will follow GitOps and CI/CD workflows, with a strict emphasis on secure deployment into SAPF and SCIF environments. You will continuously validate platform reliability, performance, and compliance against rigorous mission standards. Travel across CONUS and OCONUS locations may be required to support government partners. You will troubleshoot complex infrastructure issues, performing deep analysis to resolve problems that impact mission-critical systems. You will collaborate with security teams to implement and monitor controls that protect sensitive government data. You will contribute to the development of standards and best practices for platform engineering within the organization. You will mentor junior engineers, sharing your expertise in infrastructure design and secure deployment methodologies.

Required Qualifications

To qualify, you must hold an active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph eligibility. You must bring five or more years of enterprise infrastructure or cybersecurity experience, with a demonstrated foundation in Linux administration for Ubuntu and RHEL. A current CCNA certification is required, or the ability to obtain it within 90 days of hire. You must possess expert knowledge of secure routing, network integration, and configuration management using Ansible, PowerShell, or Bash. A strong foundation in enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity, or a related technical degree is expected. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense security clearance. You must have a proven track record of managing infrastructure in secure and high-stakes environments. You must be capable of reading and interpreting technical requirements for national security applications. You must have the ability to work independently and as part of a focused engineering team. You must be able to pass a government background investigation. You must be eligible for deployment to government facilities as required.

Desired Qualifications

Candidates with experience in Software-Defined Networking, network virtualization, and automation within classified environments are strongly preferred. Exposure to DoD cybersecurity frameworks, such as RMF and NIST 800-53, is highly valuable. Familiarity with the Cyber Operations Domain and advanced threat detection methodologies is an asset. Experience writing automated tests for infrastructure components demonstrates a commitment to quality and reliability. Proficiency in Azure and relevant federal cloud certifications is beneficial for success in this environment.

Tools and Skills

Mastery of the following tools is essential: Linux, Windows, Ansible, PowerShell, Bash, Terraform, Crossplane, Pulumi, Docker, Podman, GitOps, CI/CD pipelines, SAPF, and SCIF environments.

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About the company

Clarity Innovations delivers software, data, and cyber solutions for Department of Defense and federal missions. Teams design, build, and deploy systems that operate in secure, scalable environments. Work focuses on clear requirements, modular architectures, and measurable outcomes. The culture values disciplined engineering, candid communication, and steady delivery that keeps projects moving at operational speed.

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Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires ownership of the full lifecycle of platforms.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires operation in a mission-focused environment.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires collaboration with government partners.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires the use of configuration management tools.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires expertise in Linux administration.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires active contribution to platform standards.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires mentoring of junior engineers.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires continuous validation of platform compliance.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires implementation of network routing and security protocols.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires utilization of GitOps practices.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires management of containerized services.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires integration of hardware and secure configurations.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires design of critical infrastructure.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires review of technical outputs.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires intake of mission requirements.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires shipping secure, scalable solutions.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires architecture of distributed infrastructure.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires operation at the forefront of U.S. cyber operations.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires building tools that shape the national security landscape.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires a commitment to national security objectives.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires a high level of ownership and technical judgment.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires close collaboration with government stakeholders.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires translation of operational needs into technical platforms.

Apply on the official posting to confirm if the role requires delivery of reliable infrastructure that empowers mission success.