Senior Forward Deployed Software Engineer; Secret; S} Security Clearance

Position: Senior Forward Deployed Software Engineer (Secret) {S} with Security Clearance
ARKA Group L.P. ("ARKA") is an advanced technologies company serving the U.S. military, intelligence community, and commercial space industry delivering next-generation solutions to support the national security space enterprise. Built on more than six decades of excellence, ARKA brings modern approaches and a culture of innovation to the challenges of today. Join the ARKA team to learn how Beyond Begins Here.

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Position Overview:

ARKA is seeking an exceptional and highly motivated Forward Deployed Software Engineer (FDSE) to serve as the critical technical owner for the deployment and operational success of our complex, mission-critical enterprise software systems. This role demands a unique and strong blend of hands-on software development, expertise in Kubernetes infrastructure, and direct engagement with our key customers. The FDSE will be a high-impact contributor, directly responsible for technical delivery from initial prototype through stable, production-ready deployments.

Note:

This role is full-time, onsite, and requires up to 25% travel to other customer sites. We offer generous relocation benefits for eligible candidates. In support of work/life balance, many positions are available for a flexible schedule within the pay period. Ask us about the opportunity for flex scheduling if that's of interest to you.

Core Responsibilities:

Deployment Ownership & Infrastructure Management
* End-to-End Delivery:
Own the technical delivery across multiple customer deployments, from initial configuration to stable, high-availability production environments

* Orchestration & Automation:
Design, develop, and manage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) artifacts, including Helm charts, to standardize and automate software module deployments to Rancher Kubernetes and ensure parity across all environments (Dev, Staging, Prod)

* Operational Excellence:
Maintain operational availability for live enterprise applications, conducting performance tuning and rapidly diagnosing complex system, network, and container issues within highly regulated or secure customer infrastructures

* CI/CD Pipeline Expertise:
Implement, debug, and optimize robust CI/CD pipelines relevant to containerized applications (e.g., Git Lab CI, Git Hub Actions) to automate all deployment phases Software Development & Customization
* Code-Level Solutions:
Design, develop, and implement necessary software customizations, integrations, and extensions, primarily using C#/.NET Core and Java, to meet unique customer requirements

* Product Feedback Loop:
Collaborate closely with the core engineering and product teams to integrate crucial customer-specific feedback, field insights, and technical requirements directly into the main product roadmap

* Code Quality:
Contribute directly to the codebase when progress is blocked or clarity is needed, performing code reviews and ensuring adherence to high standards for clean, scalable, and high-performance code
Customer Engagement & Technical Leadership
* Primary Technical Liaison:
Act as the trusted technical point of contact for customers, providing expert guidance on system architecture, deployment strategies, and operational best practices

* Enablement & Adoption:
Embed closely with customer teams to understand their needs, guide the adoption of deployed solutions, and conduct technical training and knowledge transfer sessions

* Agile Execution:
Scope work, sequence delivery, make informed trade-offs between scope, speed, and quality, and proactively remove technical blockers to protect delivery timelines

Required Qualifications:

Education & Experience
* Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related technical field

* 5+ years of professional experience in software development

* Strong Focus: 5+ years with C# and the .NET/.NET Core ecosystem

* 3+ years of hands-on Java development

* 3+ years of hands-on experience deploying, managing, and troubleshooting applications within Kubernetes environments (Rancher / Open Shift experience is a plus)
Technical Skills
* Expertise with containerization (Docker, Podman) and orchestration (Kubernetes, Helm)

* Proficiency in setting up and managing CI/CD pipelines for containerized services

* Strong understanding of microservices, RESTful APIs, networking, and system architecture

* Experience with the full SDLC and Agile/Scrum methodologies (Jira/Confluence)

* Ability to write clean, efficient, well-documented, and testable code (Unit, Integration, System tests)
Security & Compliance
* Active Secret U.S. Government Security Clearance is mandatory

* Willingness to obtain an IAT Level II or III certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CASP+)

Preferred Qualifications
* Experience with other languages useful for scripting and infrastructure (e.g., Python, Power Shell, Bash)

* Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and managed Kubernetes services

* Experience with front-end development using React or Angular (JavaScript/Type Script)

* Experience in a…