Backend API Developer

Clearance Level

None

Category

Data Science and Data Engineering

Location

Arlington, Virginia

(Onsite Workplace)

Key Skills For Success

Back-End Development

Building Operations

Cloud Delivery

Design Development

Network Gateway

REQ#: RQ226622

Public Trust: NACI (T1)

Requisition Type: Regular

Your Impact

Own your opportunity to serve as a critical component of our nation’s safety and security. Make an impact by using your expertise to protect our country from threats.

Job Description

Position Summary

The Backend API Developer builds and operates the service layer behind an operator application in a cyber command center supporting national cyber defense across Critical Infrastructure and government partners. Responsibilities focus on low‑latency service delivery, correctness under load, and strict entitlement enforcement.

Key Responsibilities

Service Design & Development

Build and operate independently deployable services behind the application.

Maintain interface contracts, versioning, and backward compatibility.

Implement consistent request handling, validation, errors, authentication, and authorization.

Create automated tests for service behavior and contract compliance.

Upstream Integration & View State

Integrate with upstream services via REST and streaming interfaces.

Maintain accurate, consistent view state and ensure clients connecting mid‑stream receive a complete picture.

Coordinate payload and interface changes with upstream service owners.

Real-Time Delivery

Deliver updates using server-sent events and WebSocket streams.

Manage connection lifecycle, authentication, backpressure, reconnection, and catch‑up.

Sustain large numbers of concurrent long‑lived connections without degradation.

Authorization & Content Filtering

Enforce role and attribute-based authorization server‑side.

Implement content filtering so users receive only authorized data.

Test entitlement enforcement and maintain audit logs of all deliveries.

Event-Triggered Services

Integrate with managed messaging services.

Ensure triggered actions are idempotent, observable, and safely retried.

Performance, Reliability & Operations

Design and validate services for low-latency, high-throughput use.

Instrument services for monitoring, diagnosis, and production incident response.

Deploy through established pipelines into containerized environments.

Maintain required training and certifications; report certification status monthly.

Collaboration

Collaborate with front-end engineers on service contracts.

Work with platform teams on configuration, scaling, secrets, and deployment.

Participate in sprint planning, demos, and reviews.

Required Qualifications

Experience building and operating production service interfaces at scale.

Experience integrating with upstream services and maintaining derived state.

Knowledge of push/streaming delivery, connection lifecycle, and backpressure.

Experience with server-side authorization models.

Experience with containerized deployment and cloud environments.

Experience instrumenting services and supporting production incidents.

BS in computer science or engineering and 8+ years relevant experience (or equivalent).

Public Trust eligibility and U.S. citizenship.

On-site work in the Washington, D.C. metro area (not remote or hybrid).

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with streaming platforms (Kafka, MSK, Event Hubs).

Experience with API gateways or service meshes.

Experience with serverless functions (Lambda, Azure Functions).

Experience supporting latency‑sensitive operational systems.

Experience delivering software in regulated environments.

Current cloud developer/associate certification.

GDIT Is Your Place

At GDIT, the mission is our purpose, and our people are at the center of everything we do.

Growth: AI-powered career tool that identifies career steps and learning opportunities

Support: An internal mobility team focused on helping you achieve your career goals

Rewards: Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, and competitive pay and paid time off

Community: Award-winning culture of innovation and a military-friendly workplace

Own Your Opportunity

Explore a career in data science and engineering at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your determination for solving complex data challenges.

Work Requirements

Years of Experience

8 + years of related experience

may vary based on technical training, certification(s), or degree

Certification

Travel Required

Less than 10%

Citizenship

U.S. Citizenship Required

Salary and Benefit Information

The likely salary range for this position is $119,000 - $161,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Our Identity Verification Process

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.

Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events at gdit.com/tc.