Junior Research and Development Engineer, Software (req-182)

Team CATHEXIS elevates the government contracting experience through rapid response, deep skill, and thoughtful problem-solving and communication. Our core capabilities are our top-tier program and project management, data analytics, and audit services, the backbone of which is our integrated approach to operational excellence.

You worked hard to get to where you are. You strive to make every day better than the day before. So do we. Team CATHEXIS operates with an all-in mindset. We are working together to create a company that supports our shared values and individual goals. Our values are centered around Respect, Engagement, Customer Service, Integrity, Teamwork, and Excellence in everything we do for our employees, clients, partners, and communities. We believe success is best when we listen and lead with empathy; model high standards of ethics to provide a rewarding candidate experience; work hard, have fun, and appreciate the strengths we all bring to the team; and empower our employees to create innovative and trusted results.

We are looking for a dynamic Junior Research and Development Engineer to join our innovation team in a cross-functional software engineering. This individual will be responsible for building rapid prototypes of advanced software and data solutions involving, but not limited to, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Agentic AI. The Junior R&D Engineer will also support and maintain existing codebases, leveraging various open-source technologies.

This role requires an exceptional problem-solver who thrives in fast-paced environments, can work independently and in teams, and consistently delivers high-quality outputs during development sprints.  The ideal candidate will have a mix of software development and data science skills, even if only exposed to certain technologies, but must possess a strong desire to fill any knowledge gaps and learn by doing.

This opportunity is fully REMOTE but adheres to an Eastern Standard (EST) Time zone schedule.

The responsibilities of the Junior Research and Development Engineer include, but are not limited to:

• Design, build, and test full stack web features from concept to deployment.
• Implement responsive, accessible UI using modern front end frameworks (e.g., React, Next.js, Angular, or Vue) with HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript / TypeScript.
• Develop secure back end services and APIs (REST/GraphQL) using Node.js/Express, Python/FastAPI, or C#/.NET.
• Model and integrate data with relational and NoSQL databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB) and write performant queries, stored procedures, etc.
• Implement authentication/authorization (OAuth 2.0/OpenID Connect, JWT) and follow web security best practices (OWASP Top 10, CORS, CSRF).
• Build and manage microservices and containerized applications with Docker; contribute to Kubernetes deployments when required.
• Deploy and operate applications on AWS and Azure using IaC (Terraform, Bicep, or CloudFormation), serverless (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions), and PaaS (Azure App Service, AWS ECS/Fargate).
• Set up CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or AWS CodePipeline) for automated testing, build, and release.
• Configure caching, messaging, and CDN layers (e.g., Redis, SQS/SNS or Azure Service Bus, CloudFront/Azure CDN) to improve performance and resilience.
• Instrument applications with logging and monitoring (CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Grafana) and troubleshoot issues across the stack.
• Collaborate in Agile sprints: refine user stories, estimate, participate in code reviews, and demo features to stakeholders.
• Maintain technical documentation and contribute to knowledge transfer.
• Use VS Code / Visual Studio as the primary development environment and manage work via GitHub repositories and workflows.

• 1+ years’ experience in a hands-on software / web development role, 2+ years preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or related field.
• U.S. Citizenship is required for this position to meet eligibility for a National Agency Check (NAC) with no negative findings.
• Excellent problem‑solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and within cross‑functional teams.
• Practical experience building web applications with at least one modern front‑end framework (React, Angular, or Vue) and strong HTML/CSS/JavaScript or TypeScript.
• Experience developing back‑end services with one or more languages: JavaScript/TypeScript (Node.js), Python, and / or C# (.NET).
• Experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs.
• Solid understanding of web fundamentals: HTTP, cookies, sessions, CORS, security, and performance.
• Proficiency with VS Code / Visual Studio, Git / Azure DevOps, and GitHub workflows (branches, pull requests, code reviews).
• Exposure to CI/CD and containerization (Docker or Kubernetes).
• Hands‑on deployment experience to AWS and Azure (compute, storage, networking, identity).
• Experience with serverless (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions) and container orchestration (Kubernetes).
• Experience delivering high‑quality code during Agile development sprints.