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USAJOBS · 3 weeks ago

Principal Software Engineer, GS-2210-15, FPL GS-15 (Direct Hire), Full-time

Multiple Locations, USA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$146K/yr - $190K/yr

1+ years exp

USAJOBS is a part of the Department of Education, specifically the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office, which is modernizing systems that serve over 17 million students and manage more than $120 billion in financial aid annually. The Principal Software Engineer will lead the design and development of secure, scalable cloud-native systems, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance software practices and transform FSA into a modern digital organization.

ConsultingGovernmentHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyInternetStaffing Agency

No H1B

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Designs, develops, tests, and delivers secure, scalable cloud-native information systems across the full system development life cycle, serving as a senior architect and technical leader for technology systems, and managing multiple complex and innovative IT projects supporting student aid

Leads the design and delivery of secure, scalable IT and AI solutions by translating technical specifications into programming requirements for diverse stakeholders, using languages like Python, Java, and JavaScript to build and maintain software and cloud infrastructure, applying modern architecture patterns, and managing projects to meet performance, budget, and compliance goals

Provides expert technical advice, leadership, and direction on all software delivery and data infrastructure related issues for the improvement of FSA products, platforms, and services. Determines project objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats and opportunities

Applies expert-level IT and software engineering knowledge to advise agencies on modern development methodologies, tools, and practices; leads the design and implementation of compliant CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and deployment workflows to drive sustainable modernization and promote the adoption of innovative technologies across government

Architects, develops, and maintains software and cloud systems by applying programming expertise and automation practices to enable consistent, auditable deployments, while ensuring IT projects are delivered on budget and in compliance with technical and contractual requirements

Plans and executes large-scale IT transformation projects, applying monitoring, telemetry, logging, and service-level objectives (SLOs) to improve reliability in multi-tenant cloud environments, and uses qualitative and quantitative methods to assess and enhance project effectiveness and system performance

Ensures responsible use of AI and machine learning by identifying and mitigating risks related to bias, dual use, privacy, and civil rights, while supporting system resilience through incident response, troubleshooting, remediation, and post-incident analysis

Creates an inclusive and collaborative work environment that fosters innovation and creative problem-solving; designs and implements agile, human-centered software and systems as a solutions architect, while mentoring engineers and stakeholders, and partnering closely with product, data, security, operations, and vendor teams to deliver mission-driven technology solutions

Qualification

Cloud-based systemsPythonJavaJavaScriptCI/CD pipelinesAutomated testingInfrastructure-as-CodeSoftware architectureAI knowledgeCustomer serviceProblem solvingOral communicationAttention to detail

Required

One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-14 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments: Experience serving as a senior technical architect by writing production code, making key architectural decisions, and directing complex IT project work across engineering teams supporting the life cycle for large-scale cloud-based systems

Experience in building or improving deployment pipelines, CI/CD automation, observability, test automation, and deployment reliability of at scale production systems, making programming or software engineering teams more efficient

Experience in translating complex software and system concepts into actionable guidance for non-technical stakeholders and producing technical specifications trusted by software engineering teams

You must possess IT related experience (paid or unpaid experience and/or completion of specific, intensive training (e.g., IT certification), as appropriate) demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below: Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail

Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (i.e., any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services

Oral Communication - Expresses information (e.g., ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (e.g., technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately

Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations

Ability to show proficiency with modern software development, testing, automation, and deployment tools, including continuous Improvement/ continuous development (CI/CD) pipelines, Infrastructure-as-Code, and automated testing frameworks

Skill in applying systems engineering concepts—through practical experience—to ensure performance, scalability, reliability, security, and maintainability of complex, cloud-based applications

Skill with designing modern software development, testing, automation, and deployment tools, including CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure-as-Code, and automated testing frameworks

Knowledge of software engineering concepts and the ability to apply them through practical coding, debugging, refactoring, and performance optimization in real-world, production environments

Ability to use state-of-the-art cloud, data, and security technologies to design, build, test, and deploy resilient services, including hands-on experience implementing modern architectural patterns