Platform Engineer

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S. Who we are: Raft ( https://TeamRaft.com ) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans. About the Role: We are seeking a Platform Engineer with an active Top Secret/SCI clearance to play a pivotal role in automating and orchestrating our critical infrastructure. This position is ideal for a technical expert passionate about deploying, managing, and optimizing system infrastructures using the latest technologies in system automation, container orchestration, and open-source applications. You'll be based in San Diego, Ca and work on projects vital to national security and technological advancement. Key Responsibilities: Implement and manage system automation using Ansible and Puppet, ensuring efficient configuration across RHEL and Windows platforms Deploy and maintain Kubernetes clusters with RKE2 and Rancher, focusing on scalability, reliability, and security Manage a wide array of open-source applications (NiFi, Kafka, Zookeeper, MinIO, Keycloak, Longhorn, Grafana, Prometheus, Loki, Promtail, GitLab), enhancing our capabilities in data processing, storage, and monitoring Ensure the highest level of system performance and security across all platforms and technologies Collaborate with teams to understand project requirements, providing technical solutions that align with strategic goals Maintain comprehensive documentation on system configurations, deployments, and operational practices Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related discipline 7+ years of hands-on experience managing enterprise Linux and Windows systems, including: Configuration management with Ansible and Puppet Kubernetes operations (RKE2 and Rancher preferred) Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills in complex, distributed environments Ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders and work collaboratively within cross-functional teams Preferred Skills: Master’s degree in Computer Science, IT, Engineering, or a related field Experience operating and supporting the following technologies in production environments: NiFi, Kafka, Zookeeper, MinIO, Keycloak, Longhorn Grafana, Prometheus, Loki, Promtail GitLab and CI/CD pipelines Deep understanding of containerization and cloud-native architectures Demonstrated experience with system performance tuning, capacity planning, and reliability engineering Clearance Requirements: Active Top Secret with ability to obtain and maintain SCI Work Type: Onsite at Honolulu, Hawaii May require up to 10% travel What we will offer you: Highly competitive salary Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage 401(k) with company match Take as you need PTO + 14 paid holidays Generous Referral Bonuses And More! Our Vision Statement: We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. Our Customer Obsession: We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it ... (truncated, view full listing at source)