Description
About the Role:
The Senior Developer will support the modernization of federal statistical systems with AWS-native application development in Python. Responsibilities include designing and maintaining backend services, translating legacy logic into modern architectures, writing complex SQL, supporting production workflows, and documenting technical processes. This is a fully remote role with occasional in-person meetings in Bethesda, MD, and requires a dependable developer who communicates clearly and thrives in a distributed environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop backend services and containerized APIs using Python within AWS (Lambda, ECS/EKS, or similar).
- Build and maintain AWS-native components including Lambda, S3, RDS, API Gateway, Step Functions, and EventBridge/CloudWatch.
- Build and maintain data processing workflows using AWS Glue, including jobs, crawlers, and integrations with S3 and relational data sources.
- Write and optimize complex SQL queries for relational databases.
- Analyze legacy SAS-based processing logic and numerical/statistical algorithms to support modernization and knowledge transfer.
- Document workflows, algorithms, and system behavior using flowcharts (Visio or similar) and clear pseudo code.
- Support production operations, including scheduled processing, monitoring, log troubleshooting, and resolving backend issues.
- Collaborate with senior staff, statisticians, and SAS developers to understand backend processes, algorithms, and dependencies.
- Participate in Agile routines, code reviews, design discussions, and provide consistent communication in a remote environment.
- Hands-on experience with AWS Glue for ETL, data transformation, or data pipeline orchestration.
Requirements
- 5+ years Python development experience (backend systems, APIs, data processing).
- 4+ years hands-on AWS development experience with serverless and/or containerized services.
- 3+ years experience with relational databases and complex SQL.
- Experience with Visio or similar tools for system diagrams and flowcharts.
- Ability to write structured pseudo code describing algorithms and business rules.
- Experience developing or supporting containerized applications (Docker) preferred.
- Experience analyzing or implementing mathematical/statistical algorithms preferred.
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with experience supporting production environments.
- Effective communication and reliability in a fully remote environment.
- Ability to review legacy logic and translate it into modern, maintainable solutions.
- Translate and modernize legacy SAS-based statistical processing into Python-based backend services.
- Design and support multi-step backend workflows using AWS-native orchestration (e.g., Step Functions, event-driven patterns).
- Support auditability and knowledge transfer by clearly documenting backend logic and data flows.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen due to federal contract security requirements.