Backend API Developer

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
• Build and operate event-triggered functions for routing, downstream actions, and notifications.
• 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.
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● 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.