Backend API Developer

Type of Requisition:

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:

Public Trust/Other

Required:

Job Family:

Job Qualifications:

Skills:

Certifications:

Experience:

US Citizenship

Required:

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.

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 Web Socket streams.
• Manage connection lifecycle, authentication, back pressure, 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.

• 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 back pressure.
• 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).

• 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…