Senior Software Engineer Chitra, Virginia

Location: Fort Eustis (On-site Preferred)
Clearance : Active Secret with TS Eligibility
Overview
Chitra is seeking a highly experienced Senior Software Engineer to assume technical
ownership of a mature, data-intensive production application following a recent team
transition.
Full-Stack Systems Ownership | Data-Intensive Application | Security-Conscious Engineering
This system includes:
A sophisticated React/TypeScript frontend used for data analysis and visualization
A polyglot backend composed of Python (FastAPI), Rust services, and Node/TypeScript components
Application-layer security responsibilities (RBAC enforcement and permission propagation)
Backend services that execute complex graph algorithms in addition to serving API endpoints
The development team is responsible for application-level security and authorization logic, including implementing and enforcing role-based access control (RBAC) across services.
Due to full team turnover, this role requires strong technical depth, systems thinking, and the initiative to operate independently with minimal onboarding support.
This is a high-impact ownership role.
Responsibilities
Application Ownership
Assume primary ownership of a multi-service production application
Rapidly develop architectural clarity across frontend, backend, and service boundaries
Reconstruct undocumented system flows and security assumptions
Frontend (Data-Intensive)
Maintain and enhance a complex React/TypeScript frontend
Manage sophisticated client-side state (Zustand)
Optimize rendering and memory usage for large datasets
Maintain graphing and visualization components
Debug performance bottlenecks and correctness issues
Backend & Algorithms
Maintain backend services in Python (FastAPI), Rust, and Node/TypeScript
Support services executing complex graph algorithms
Collaborate with a retained data scientist on algorithmic implementations
Diagnose cross-service integration issues
Application-Level Security
Implement and maintain RBAC logic within a Node.js service
Ensure consistent permission enforcement across backend services
Identify and mitigate security gaps at the application layer
Validate correct interpretation of authorization rules across system boundaries
Operational Stability
Maintain Docker/Docker Compose environments
Improve observability and reduce operational friction
Make pragmatic improvements without destabilizing production
Core Technology Stack
Frontend
React
TypeScript
Vite
Tailwind CSS
Storybook
Zustand
Jest / React Testing Library
Backend
Python (FastAPI)
Rust (custom services)
Node.js / TypeScript services
Complex graph algorithm execution
Relational SQL database
Infrastructure (Application-Level)
Docker
Docker Compose
Nginx / OpenResty (Lua-based request logic)
Required Qualifications
7+ years of professional software development experience
Strong experience building complex React/TypeScript applications
Experience managing non-trivial client-side state and performance-sensitive UIs
Experience implementing or maintaining RBAC or authorization logic
Experience building backend APIs in Python, Node.js, or similar
Comfort working in polyglot backend environments
Experience reasoning about cross-service security and permission enforcement
Solid SQL knowledge and performance awareness
Experience working in Dockerized environments
Demonstrated history of inheriting and stabilizing complex systems
Ability to operate independently without structured mentorship
Strongly Preferred
Experience working with graph algorithms or data-processing systems
Experience collaborating with data scientists in production environments
Experience with Rust in production
Experience stepping into projects after full team turnover
Experience documenting and reconstructing architecture in low-context environments
What Success Looks Like
Quickly understands system-wide data flow and permission models
Identifies inconsistencies in authorization enforcement
Improves frontend performance under large dataset load
Stabilizes algorithm-backed services without overengineering
Documents security assumptions and system boundaries
Operates as the trusted technical owner of the application layer
What This Role Is Not
Not a basic UI development role
Not backend-only API maintenance
Not a cloud infrastructure position
Not a mentorship-heavy environment
Not a greenfield build
This is a systems-level ownership position requiring technical depth, security awareness, and strong independent execution.
This position is on site at Fort Eustis, VA
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