Senior Backend Engineer and Architect

ABOUT NOOKS

Nooks is pioneering Classified Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) to provide government and industry partners with the fastest, most efficient access to classified infrastructure. We are building a nationwide network of accredited classified spaces and systems, ensuring that the best technologies equip our nation’s warfighters. At Nooks, we value innovation, collaboration, and a service-first mindset.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Nooks is hiring a Senior Backend Engineer and Architect to build the next generation of secure infrastructure and software services powering mission-critical national security operations. As our very first engineering hire, you'll partner closely with our technical product manager and the co-founders to develop resilient, scalable systems that serve both government and industry customers across a growing network of classified environments.

As a Senior Backend Engineer, you’ll lead development of secure backend services and intuitive interfaces that underpin Nooks’ Classified Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) platform. This role requires a strong expertise in backend technologies, comfort and competency with front-end work, and a commitment to performance, automation, and security. You’ll contribute as an individual engineer while helping establish our engineering culture and mentoring others as the team grows.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the decisions on “how” we deliver software (Architecture, languages, decision delegation, contracting, DIY, model selection and integration).
• Partner on the “what, when, who and why” of our software with Design and Product.
• Lead the engineering team, supporting junior engineering talent with mentorship and/or technical guidance.
• Build secure multi-tenant services on public cloud platforms like AWS or GCP.
• Build, architect, and consume APIs and backend services as part of the platform ecosystem with an emphasis on automation, testing, and security.
• Advocate for improvements to product quality, security, and performance that have a particular impact on your team and others.
• Interact with customers and partners to help them integrate with our services.

THE SKILLSET:

• 8+ years of progressively responsible software engineering experience.
• Extensive experience with Python, FastAPI, Postgres, AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform.
• Demonstrable in-depth knowledge of at least one major commercial cloud platform and its associated services (e.g., AWS, GCP).
• Experience leading the architecture, development, and building of backend services and APIs to ensure performance, security, and reliability.
• Ability to successfully own technical problems end-to-end.
• Proven track record of knowing what not to build and what good looks like.
• Excellent communication skills, with experience working with end-users to design and build solutions to their needs.
• Habit of self-directed learning of new technologies and the ability to learn quickly and adapt to a fast-paced environment.

LOCATION

Remote with preference for proximity to Washington D.C., Colorado Springs, or El Segundo, CA.

ELIGIBILITY + CLEARANCE

• Must be a U.S. citizen and reside in the U.S.
• Eligible for TS/SCI clearance.

SALARY

$175,000 - $195,000 USD