Software Engineer (Backend, Data)

About theta.

theta. is an SBA-Certified 8(a) & HUBZone digital integration and management firm based in Baltimore, MD, working to create a world where tech works for everybody. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the intersection of innovation & technology and practical applications that serve the public interest.

We specialize in creating software that enhances efficiency, security, and accessibility in government operations. Our commitment to be of service, be passionate, and be different drives us to deliver projects that make a significant impact.

This position is contingent upon contract award.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Backend Software Engineer (Data-adjacent) to build services that support operational data ingestion, validation, normalization, and publishing patterns in complex federal environments. You will implement backend services that enable reliable data intake, enforce data quality checks, and propagate traceability metadata so downstream datasets remain trustworthy and decision-ready.

In this role, you'll partner closely with Data/Analytics engineers to make transformations repeatable and reliable, and with DevSecOps to ensure services are deployable and auditable under real security and access constraints. You'll build with strong testing discipline and performance awareness so data-processing services remain stable as volume, environments, and consumers scale.

Key Responsibilities:

• Build backend services supporting data intake, validation, enrichment, and publishing patterns.
• Implement secure storage access and data-handling practices.
• Propagate metadata/traceability fields through processing steps.
• Partner with Data/Analytics and DevSecOps to operationalize repeatable pipeline patterns.
• Implement tests and performance safeguards to protect reliability.
• Document data-handling assumptions and edge cases.

Basic Qualifications:

• 5+ years of backend engineering on production systems
• Strong SQL/data modeling instincts; experience with semi-structured data (JSON/logs)
• Experience building services that process data (validation, enrichment, transformation)
• Solid testing practices (unit/integration) and performance awareness
• Comfortable working with security constraints and access boundaries
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must be able to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which they are hired (e.g., must reside in the U.S., Security Clearances)
• Some of our clients may request or require travel from time to time. If this concerns you, we encourage you to apply and discuss it during your initial interview.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting federal or defense software programs.
• Familiarity with pipelines/events/stream processing concepts.
• Familiarity with observability patterns and telemetry-driven debugging.
• Experience building internal platforms or reusable service patterns.

Why Join theta.?:

• Collaborate with a talented and passionate team committed to making a difference.
• Work on impactful projects that directly contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of our country's operations.
• Enjoy a supportive and inclusive work environment that fosters growth and development.
• Benefit from a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, and flexible work arrangements.

If you are a driven, results-oriented backend engineer who enjoys building reliable data-processing services, where validation, traceability, and performance protect the quality of downstream decisions, we encourage you to apply to join our team at theta.

Salary Range: $115,000 - $120,000 (DOE and project-specific details)