Software Developer (Backend – API)

Job Family:

Travel Required:

Clearance Required:

Guidehouse is seeking a Software Developer to join our Technology / AI and Data team supporting mission-critical initiatives for Defense and Security this role you will lead the design and development of backend services that power advanced AI-driven platforms enabling secure scalable and high-performance workflows. You will build and optimize APIs and service layers that integrate AI/ML capabilities retrieval systems and analyst-facing applications while ensuring compliance with rigorous federal security and regulatory standards. Collaborating closely with engineers architects and mission stakeholders you will deliver innovative solutions that enhance operational effectiveness and support national security objectives.

What You Will Do:

• Serves as the lead backend engineer designing implementing and optimizing the API and service layer powering the FBIs AI-based adjudication platform.
• Builds scalable backend services integrating LLM inference retrieval pipelines scoring engines memo-generation tools and analyst-facing applications.
• Ensures backend components meet FedRAMP High RMF CJIS and FBI ATO requirements including secure coding access management structured logging and auditability.
• Collaborates with AI/ML engineers cloud developers frontend developers and mission stakeholders to deliver a unified missionaligned adjudication system.

Backend Architecture & API Engineering

• Design and implement secure REST and GraphQL APIs supporting document ingestion inference requests retrieval operations scoring workflows and memo generation.
• Develop backend microservices supporting adjudication logic workflow routing metadata extraction entity processing and evidence-correlation functionality.
• Develop schema-driven payload contracts ensuring consistency provenance tracking and audit trail enforcement across adjudication workflows.
• Implement highthroughput request-handling patterns including async workers job queues batching parallel processing and retry frameworks.

Workflow Orchestration & System Integration

• Develop workflow orchestration logic integrating LLM inference services embedding pipelines vector retrieval layers SEAD4 scoring modules and analyst review triggers.
• Implement event-driven integration using SQS/SNS Kafka EventBridge or Step Functions to coordinate asynchronous scoring and memo-processing workflows.
• Integrate backend systems with case management solutions identity systems financial/criminal data feeds and adjudication-history repositories.
• Ensure all integrations enforce strict authentication authorization validation and audit requirements.

Data Processing Document Handling & Transformation

• Develop parsers and transformation functions for SF86 forms attachments investigative summaries and multicomponent evidence files.
• Implement chunking segmentation metadata extraction and normalization pipelines to support RAG workflows and longcontext LLM inference.
• Develop backend utilities for PII redaction classification enforcement entity labeling and evidence tagging to support adjudication review.
• Ensure all document ingestion and processing steps maintain full traceability and errorhandling visibility.

Security Compliance & Logging

• Apply secure coding practices aligned with FedRAMP High RMF OWASP CJIS and FBI ATO requirements.
• Implement structured audit logging inference logs retrieval traces scoring records and analystoverride events for audit and compliance purposes.
• Collaborate with security engineers to ensure enforcement of RBAC workload identity policies encryption patterns and API authorization controls.
• Ensure all backend components and workflows meet compliance expectations for chainofcustody evidence provenance and adjudicator accountability.

Performance Optimization & Reliability

• Optimize backend services using caching layers indexing strategies pagination connection pooling batching and concurrency tuning.
• Implement reliability patterns such as circuit breakers exponential backoff strategies distributed locks fallback mechanisms and DLQ routing.
• Develop operational metrics for latency throughput failure modes and degradation patterns integrating them into monitoring dashboards.
• Ensure backend systems maintain stability and predictable performance under highvolume adjudication workloads.

Collaboration Leadership & Mission Enablement

• Partner with AI/ML teams to ensure backend services support model requirements inference routing retrieval assembly and structured output delivery.
• Collaborate with frontend developers to design and refine backend endpoints supporting dashboards memo builders workflow tools and riskdisplay interfaces.
• Participate in sprint ceremonies architecture reviews peer code reviews and stakeholder briefings.
• Mentor junior developers in backend best practices distributed systems secure coding and scalable API design.

What You Will Need:

• An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED TOP SECRET Federal or DoD security clearance

• Requires a University Degree and minimum 4-6 years of prior relevant experience; (Relevant experience may be substituted for formal education or advanced degree)

• 5 years of backend engineering experience including 3 years building APIs or microservices.

• Proficiency in Python or Java with strong command of REST GraphQL and asynchronous programming patterns.

• Experience designing and building secure scalable backend APIs (REST/GraphQL).

• Experience with distributed systems async processing message-driven architectures and microservices.

• Experience integrating with ML services or external APIs in secure systems.

What Would Be Nice To Have:

• An ACTIVE and MAINTAINED TOP SECRET Federal or DoD security clearance.

• Once onboard with Guidehouse new hire MUST be able to OBTAIN and MAINTAIN a Federal or DoD TOP SECRET/SCI (TS/SCI) security clearance.

• AWS services (ECS/EKS Lambda API Gateway SQS/SNS).

• 8 years of backend engineering experience including 4 years building APIs or microservices.

• Specific frameworks (FastAPI NestJS Spring Boot).

• Vector DBs or LLM API experience.

What We Offer:

Guidehouse offers a comprehensive total rewards package that includes competitive compensation and a flexible benefits package that reflects our commitment to creating a diverse and supportive workplace.

Benefits include:

• Medical Rx Dental & Vision Insurance

• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays

• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus

• Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Basic Life & Supplemental Life

• Health Savings Account Dental/Vision & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

• Student Loan PayDown

• Tuition Reimbursement Personal Development & Learning Opportunities

• Skills Development & Certifications

• Employee Referral Program

• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach

• Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program

• Mobility Stipend

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity EmployerProtected Veterans Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law ordinance or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

If you have visited our website for information about employment opportunities or to apply for a position and you require an accommodation please contact Guidehouse Recruiting at 1- or via email at . All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodation.

All communication regarding recruitment for a Guidehouse position will be sent from Guidehouse email domains including @ or . Correspondence received by an applicant from any other domain should be considered unauthorized and will not be honored by Guidehouse. Note that Guidehouse will never charge a fee or require a money transfer at any stage of the recruitment process and does not collect fees from educational institutions for participation in a recruitment event. Never provide your banking information to a third party purporting to need that information to proceed in the hiring process.

If any person or organization demands money related to a job opportunity with Guidehouse please report the matter to Guidehouses Ethics Hotline. If you want to check the validity of correspondence you have received please contact . Guidehouse is not responsible for losses incurred (monetary or otherwise) from an applicants dealings with unauthorized third parties.

Guidehouse does not accept unsolicited resumes through or from search firms or staffing agencies. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Guidehouse and Guidehouse will not be obligated to pay a placement fee.