ECS

Senior API/Connector Engineer

ECS$120K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Current Secret security clearance with ability to obtain Top Secret (TS) clearance
  • CompTIA A+ certification
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in enterprise API and connector architectures
  • Experience in classified or federal multi-enclave environments
  • Proven track record of API governance strategies and interoperability policies
  • Hands-on experience with API gateway configurations and authentication workflows
  • Strong interpersonal communication skills for diverse stakeholder engagement

Responsibilities

  • Design and sustain reusable connector patterns for secure AI integration
  • Develop authentication workflows and protocol translation modules
  • Implement gateway configurations and security policies aligned with Zero Trust
  • Maintain connector architectures for platforms like Amazon Bedrock
  • Collaborate with engineers and cybersecurity teams on model readiness
  • Diagnose integration bottlenecks and optimize performance
  • Produce documentation and operational artifacts for deployment

Benefits

  • Access to high-impact projects in national defense
  • Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI and machine learning technologies
  • Engagement with senior leaders and operational analysts
  • Dynamic and collaborative work environment
  • Potential for clearance upgrades and additional training opportunities
Full Job Description
Everforth ECS is seeking a Senior API/Connector Engineer to work in the National Capital Region covering the Pentagon, Falls Church, and Fairfax. Please Note: This position is contingent upon contract award.

The War Data Platform (WDP) is a key initiative within the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) AI-First strategy introduced in early 2026. The WDP focuses on operational warfighting data and aims to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) on the battlefield. The WDP extends to Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret environments, and supports collaboration between Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, Senior Executive Service leaders, and operational analysts.

This role designs, engineers, and sustains reusable connector patterns that enable secure and reliable integration of AI and machine-learning model-serving capabilities across all WDP classification enclaves, delivering consistent, scalable, and Zero Trust-aligned access pathways for production AI model services across NIPRNet, SIPRNet, and JWICS.
• Designs, engineers, and sustains reusable connector patterns that enable secure and reliable integration of artificial intelligence and machine-learning model-serving capabilities across Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret enclaves within the War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration enterprise.
• Develops authentication workflows, throttling mechanisms, protocol translation modules, and routing rules that external model providers, serving proxies, and deployment pipelines depend on to operationalize production-ready models.
• Implements API gateway configurations, cross-domain interface controls, encryption policies, and identity enforcement mechanisms aligned with DoW Zero Trust architectures, NIST security controls, and multi-enclave interoperability constraints.
• Maintains connector architectures used to support integrations with platforms such as Amazon Bedrock and other model-delivery systems, validating protocol compatibility, performance behavior, and enterprise security posture across NIPRNet, SIPRNet, and JWICS environments.
• Collaborates with serving engineers, pipeline specialists, backend developers, and cybersecurity teams to align connector behavior with scanning pipelines, packaging workflows, test-and-evaluation gates, and deployment processes governing model readiness and mission assurance.
• Diagnoses integration bottlenecks, resolves service-level defects, and optimizes connector throughput, latency, and reliability using observability tools, API analytics, and performance tuning frameworks.
• Produces connector specifications, operational runbooks, architecture diagrams, and release artifacts supporting enterprise promotion cycles and enclave-specific deployments.
• Strengthens War Data Platform (WDP) Core Integration mission value by enabling consistent, secure, and scalable access pathways for production AI and machine-learning model services across all domains.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Current Secret security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
• CompTIA A+ certification.
• Minimum 10 years of experience designing, engineering, and maintaining enterprise API and connector architectures within classified or federal multi-enclave environments.
• Proven track record of defining enterprise-wide API governance strategies, lifecycle management policies, and data-validation contracts that ensure backward compatibility and interoperability across modernized federal systems.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience implementing API gateway configurations, authentication and authorization workflows, protocol translation modules, and throttling mechanisms across multi-domain federal networks.
• Proven ability to align connector and integration designs with DoW Zero Trust architecture principles, NIST security controls, and cross-domain interoperability constraints, including experience integrating with external model providers such as Amazon Bedrock via secure APIs.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with a proven ability to weigh the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and identify the most appropriate solution.
• Highly developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, with the ability to effectively and professionally interact with a diverse set of stakeholders (from peers to end-users to executive management).

About ECS

ECS is a leading provider of digital solutions and services to the federal government. The company was founded in 2001 by Roy Kapani and has since grown to become a trusted partner to a wide range of government agencies. ECS offers a broad range of services, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. The company has been recognized for its innovative solutions and has won numerous awards, including the AWS Public Sector Partner of the Year award.
Learn more about ECS
Size
2,000 employees
Industry

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