Backend Software Engineer — Secure Mission Systems
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 17, 2026. First seen by Alion on Jul 23, 2026. Rackner scores B on the Alion truth index.
Backend Software Engineer - Secure Mission Systems
Location: Mainly remote, with onsite work in Laurel, Maryland, typically one day every six weeks for team-wide sprint planning. Exact timing may vary based on project needs.
Clearance: Active final DoD Secret clearance required
This position supports a pending contract opportunity and is contingent upon contract award, with an anticipated start in November 2026.
Build Secure Software for a High-Impact Defense Mission
Join Rackner to build secure backend services that support mission-planning and decision-support capabilities for a Department of Defense customer.
You will take hands-on ownership of APIs, service integrations, data flows, distributed workflows, and automated testing-not simply complete isolated development tickets. The role offers exposure to secure software delivery, geospatial data, containerized applications, and backend services that support AI-enabled capabilities.
This is a primarily remote role within the United States. Work will be performed using customer-provided systems, with virtual collaboration across the engineering team and periodic onsite sprint planning in Laurel, Maryland.
What You Will Do
- Design, develop, test, and integrate secure backend services and APIs.
- Build and maintain backend services using Python, FastAPI, and C#.
- Develop REST APIs and support service-to-service communication using gRPC.
- Build asynchronous and distributed workflows using RabbitMQ and Celery.
- Develop and integrate relational and geospatial data capabilities using PostgreSQL and PostGIS.
- Containerize and deploy backend services in OpenShift-based environments.
- Work within GitLab-based development and CI/CD workflows.
- Apply secure software-development lifecycle practices throughout design, implementation, testing, and remediation.
- Develop unit, integration, and system-level tests that support software quality and delivery confidence.
- Investigate defects, failed integrations, security findings, and service issues.
- Participate in code reviews, technical reviews, vulnerability-remediation efforts, and solution-design discussions.
- Produce software designs, sequence diagrams, workflow descriptions, and technical documentation.
- Collaborate with frontend, AI/ML, security, platform, DevSecOps, and customer engineering teams.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field.
- At least four years of professional software-development experience.
- Hands-on experience designing and developing backend services, APIs, or distributed applications.
- Developing backend software using Python and C#.
- Building APIs and services with FastAPI.
- Experience with RabbitMQ, gRPC, and Celery.
- Working with PostgreSQL and PostGIS.
- Using GitLab-based development workflows.
- Developing or deploying software in OpenShift environments.
- Understanding of secure software-development lifecycle practices.
- Writing automated unit and integration tests.
- Ability to clearly explain the systems you personally built, the technical decisions you made, and how your work was tested and delivered.
- Clear technical documentation and communication skills.
Experience That Will Help You Stand Out
- FastAPI or another Python web framework.
- RabbitMQ, Celery, gRPC, or similar messaging and service-integration tools.
- PostgreSQL, PostGIS, geospatial data, or mapping applications.
- OpenShift, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD, or secure container delivery.
- Defense, mission-planning, decision-support, or other regulated software environments.
- Integration of backend services with LLM, retrieval-augmented generation, or other AI-enabled components.
You do not need to be the deepest expert in every technology listed. Strong backend fundamentals, credible hands-on experience, and the ability to learn within a secure delivery environment matter most.
Why Rackner
At Rackner, you will build technology that supports critical defense and public-sector missions.
This role offers broader ownership across backend engineering, secure delivery, distributed services, automated testing, and collaboration with software, AI/ML, cloud, and cybersecurity teams.
Rackner has delivered more than $30 million in recent federal awards. We are looking for an engineer who can help turn complex mission needs into secure, dependable software.
Benefits & Professional Growth
- Competitive compensation
- Company-supported certifications
- 401(k) with 100% company match up to 6%
- Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
- Paid time off and company holidays
- Remote-work support and home-office equipment plan
- Fitness and wellness reimbursement
- Weekly pay schedule
- Professional-development and growth opportunities
Apply
If you want to build secure backend services that directly support an important defense mission, we would like to hear from you.