Modernization Engineer

About the role

We are seeking a skilled Modernization Engineer to design, build, and modernize the next generation of combat systems for the U.S. Navy. In this role, you will own the end to end modernization of critical software and infrastructure components that directly support warfighting capabilities. You will partner closely with hardware engineers, data scientists, and operational stakeholders to ensure that legacy systems are transformed into robust, maintainable, and high performance solutions. Your work will involve deep technical investigation, prototyping, and delivery of secure and scalable services in a fast paced environment. You will be responsible for driving architectural improvements that enable long term agility and reliability for deployed defense systems. Ultimately, you will play a key role in ensuring that our systems meet stringent operational requirements and perform reliably in contested environments.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Translate C and C++ legacy functionality into memory safe Rust implementations that meet strict reliability standards.
• Enforce rigorous code quality by formatting, linting, and testing all contributions to ensure comprehensive code coverage.
• Containerize legacy applications and components using Docker and orchestrate them within Kubernetes clusters for scalable deployment.
• Replace outdated messaging infrastructure with Redpanda and Protobuf to improve throughput, reliability, and interoperability.
• Define and implement Infrastructure as Code patterns to provision and manage cloud and on premise services consistently.
• Introduce modern development tooling to streamline local workflows, debugging, and performance analysis.
• Design, build, and maintain CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions to automate testing, validation, and deployment.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to integrate sensor data pipelines with the sonobuoys we manufacture in the field.
• Support data collection and processing workflows that enable real time analysis of underwater acoustic signatures.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of observability, monitoring, and alerting for deployed services.

Requirements

• You hold U.S. citizenship and are able to obtain the necessary security clearance for defense related work.
• You possess a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• You have demonstrable experience writing, testing, and maintaining production grade software.
• You are proficient in C and C++ and understand low level memory management, concurrency, and performance constraints.
• You have advanced expertise in Rust, including ownership, lifetimes, and async programming patterns.
• You are experienced with Kafka or compatible messaging systems such as Redpanda and have built services that integrate with them.
• You are skilled in containerization using Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes, including Helm charts and deployments.
• You have used Infrastructure as Code tools such as Terraform or Pulumi to manage cloud resources.
• You are comfortable working in a command line environment and using version control systems such as Git.
• You have a strong understanding of networking, protocols, and distributed system concepts.
• You are able to pass background checks and meet the security requirements for handling classified defense information.
• You are detail oriented and can manage multiple tasks in a high priority environment without sacrificing quality.
• You communicate clearly and effectively both in writing and during technical discussions.
• You are legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship at this time.

Nice to have

• Prior experience with IoT devices, sensors, or embedded systems that interface with data acquisition systems.
• Hands on experience with digital signal processing techniques and waveform analysis.
• Experience performing geospatial analysis and working with GIS data formats and tools.
• Familiarity with monorepo development workflows and tooling for managing large scale codebases.
• Knowledge of sonar processing concepts and underwater acoustics principles.
• Experience with classified or government contracting environments and associated compliance requirements.
• Background in real time data streaming and high performance messaging architectures.
• Familiarity with simulation and modeling tools used for testing defense systems.

Practical notes

This position is based in Manassas, Virginia and requires on site presence at the office. The role is full time and involves standard business hours with flexibility for critical deployment and testing windows. Some travel may be required to support integration activities with hardware partners or test facilities. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship at this time. This role may involve exposure to defense related projects that require U.S. citizenship and appropriate security clearance.