Backend Software Engineer
Steampunk
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Remote · McLean, VA · Posted November 1, 2026
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Where McLean, VA ranks
Where McLean, VA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Mid-Atlantic79 / 100 · of 37
- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Southeast78 / 100 · of 33
- #1Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Southeast91 / 100 · of 33
- #2Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Southeast17% · of 87
- #2Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Mid-Atlantic89 / 100 · of 37
- #3Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southeast10% · of 77
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for software developers: 29% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
Overview
As a Backend Software Engineer , you will work on modernizing legacy enterprise systems by decomposing monolithic Java and .NET services into cloud-native Python microservices. This role is centered on Python development. You will design and deploy lightweight REST APIs and batch processing jobs across serverless and containerized environments.We are looking for candidates with 5+ years of experience writing production Python software using Agile and DevSecOps methods such as build/release management, CI/CD practices, and test automation.
Contributions
Decompose legacy Java and .NET monolithic services into modular Python microservices
Design, develop, and deploy concise Python REST APIs and batch service jobs
Deploy and operate services in AWS Lambda and Kubernetes environments
Apply DevSecOps concepts and CI/CD pipeline practices to accelerate secure delivery
Understand the needs of stakeholders and convey this to other developers
Write and debug code for innovative software solutions
Troubleshoot software quality, security, and reliability issues
Participate in code reviews and quality assurance activities
Automate unit and functional tests
Test and examine code written by others and analyze results
Ensure that software is secure against cyber threats
Identify technical problems, perform root cause analysis, and develop software updates and 'fixes'
Support production releases (including deployment, troubleshooting, and testing)
Document software code, features, and training guides
Document as-is state of legacy systems, perform gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate decomposition options and recommendations
Leverage containerization and serverless platforms to modernize software systems
Qualifications
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills
Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
Bachelor's degree and 5+ years total experience
3+ years of experience writing production Python code
Experience decomposing or refactoring legacy Java and/or .NET services into Python microservices
Experience writing and deploying REST APIs and batch jobs in Python
Experience deploying Python applications to AWS Lambda and Kubernetes
Familiarity with DevSecOps concepts and CI/CD pipeline tools such as Harness and GitLab CI/CD
Experience with Git SCM providers such as Gitlab
Experience developing and deploying containerized applications using Docker
Experience implementing automated testing frameworks, including unit testing in Python (e.g., pytest, unittest)
Preferred:
Experience with Databricks for data engineering, ETL, or analytics workloads
Experience integrating with Salesforce APIs or developing on the Salesforce platform
Certifications:
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
AWS Certified Developer Associate
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate
5+ years of application development experience in an Agile environment
Experience with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or AWS CDK
About steampunk
Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $85,000 to $170,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.
Identity Statement
As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology , we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.