What are the responsibilities and job description for the Cloud Software Engineer position at Xcel Engineering?
COMPANY OVERVIEW
XCEL Engineering, Inc. is an award-winning small business that provides trusted information technology, engineering, consulting and project management solutions and services to federal agencies and organizations. Originally founded in 1971 by professional engineers at the University of Tennessee, XCEL was acquired in 2003 by U.S. Army and Navy veterans and in 2023 became a MartinFed company.
XCEL Engineering is a part of IT Lab Partners (ITLP) which was created to support a leading research facility in the East Tennessee region in recruiting the best and the brightest technical talent. Considering joining our impressive team today!
JOB OVERVIEW
Xcel Engineering is seeking qualified applicants for a Cloud Software Engineer who enjoys the intersection of application code and cloud infrastructure.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Architect & Build: Design and develop scalable software solutions leveraging core AWS services (EC2, S3, Lambda, Step Functions, SQS, SNS, RDS, and API Gateway).
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Use Terraform to provision, manage, and version-control cloud resources, ensuring high availability and environmental parity.
- Full-Stack Development: Write clean, maintainable, and efficient code in Python (for backend logic and automation) and JavaScript/Node.js (for web services and integrations).
- Containerization: Manage application packaging and deployment using Docker, moving toward a microservices-based architecture.
- Automate Everything: Maintain and optimize our AWS CI/CD pipelines, ensuring that every pull request in Git moves through a robust testing and deployment lifecycle.
- Collaborate: Use Jira to track progress, participate in sprint planning, and contribute to a culture of transparency and technical excellence.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Education: BS or MS in Computer Science (or a related technical field).
- Experience: A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in a software engineering role.
- Cloud Proficiency: Hands-on experience developing and deploying software within AWS cloud infrastructure.
- IaC Skills: Proven experience deploying and managing production-grade resources using Terraform.
- Programming: High proficiency in Python and JavaScript (Node.js/React preferred).
- DevOps Toolchain: Familiarity with Git (branching strategies, PR workflows), Jira, and AWS DevOps tools (CodeBuild, CodeDeploy, etc.).
- Containers: Solid experience with Docker for creating, deploying, and managing containers.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Database: Experience with MySQL, PostgreSQL, DynamoDB or Aurora.
- Observability: Using CloudWatch and OpenTelemetry for system health.
- Security: Understanding of IAM roles, policies, VPC security groups, and encryption.
- AI: Familiarity with agentic AI design patterns, AI dev tool sets (AIOPs), and LLM integration.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
- Inside office environment.
- Working on a computer for long periods of time.
- May involve long period of sitting at a desk.
- The work environment is fast-paced and sometimes involves extreme deadline pressures.
OTHER DUTIES
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Xcel Engineering is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, religious creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, protected Veteran Status, genetics or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state or local law.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Xcel Engineering's current openings as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by calling 855.212.1810. Thank you for your interest in Xcel Engineering.
All positions at Xcel Engineering, Inc. are contingent upon passing both a background check and drug screening prior to a start date and are subject to random drug screenings during the employment period. In addition, Xcel Engineering is an E-Verify employer.