Full Stack Developer

DESE Research, Inc. is seeking a talented, motivated, and collaborative Full-Stack Developer to join a multidisciplinary team of software developers, data engineers, analysts, and researchers. This role supports the development of data-intensive web applications that combine Python backends, React/TypeScript front ends, and large language model (LLM) capabilities using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). If you enjoy working across the software stack and applying emerging technologies to complex defense challenges, we want to hear from you!

Job Details:

The candidate will work as part of a collaborative Agile team to design, build, test, and deploy web applications that process and analyze large volumes of data. The technical environment includes Flask and Django, React and TypeScript, PostgreSQL, ArangoDB, Qdrant, Docker, Kubernetes, asynchronous Python, Celery, continuous integration pipelines, and automated testing. Our developers are cross-functional, and contribute to containerization, deployment, and testing while supporting infrastructure in addition to feature development. This position follows a hybrid schedule in Huntsville, Alabama.

Responsibilities:

•  Design, implement, test, and maintain features across Python backends using Flask or Django and React/TypeScript front ends.
• Develop and maintain APIs, user interfaces, background services, and data-processing workflows.
• Work with relational, NoSQL, and vector databases, including PostgreSQL, ArangoDB, and Qdrant or similar technologies.
• Integrate LLM capabilities using the OpenAI SDK, vLLM inference servers, RAG patterns, embeddings, and vector search.
• Build and maintain data pipelines that process and analyze datasets ranging up to terabyte scale.
• Use asynchronous Python and task orchestration tools such as Celery to support background processing and long-running jobs.
• Containerize applications with Docker and contribute to deployment and operations in Kubernetes environments.
• Contribute to continuous integration pipelines, unit tests, integration tests, code reviews, and deployment infrastructure.
• Participate in daily standups, two-week sprints, backlog refinement, and other Agile development activities.
• Communicate progress and technical decisions clearly through documentation, status updates, and live customer demonstrations.
• Collaborate across the team, share ownership of the codebase, and help prevent technical knowledge from becoming siloed.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.
• 2-10 years of relevant software development experience. Relevant skills may be demonstrated through professional experience, internships, coursework, research, or substantial technical projects, as appropriate to the candidate's career level.
• Proficiency in Python and an understanding of core web development concepts, including HTTP, REST APIs, and JSON.
• Familiarity with Python web frameworks, such as Flask or Django.
• Working knowledge of front-end development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript or TypeScript, with familiarity with React.
• Understanding of relational databases, SQL, and fundamental data-modeling concepts.
• Familiarity with Git, software testing concepts, and collaborative software-development practices.
• Ability to work in a Linux development environment or quickly develop that capability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work collaboratively and present technical progress to customers.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.
• Ability and willingness to work a hybrid schedule and relocate to the Huntsville, Alabama area if not already local.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional experience developing production applications with Flask or Django and React with TypeScript.
• Experience with modern front-end tooling and state-management libraries such as Vite, Zustand, or similar technologies.
• Experience with PostgreSQL and NoSQL or vector databases such as ArangoDB, Qdrant, MongoDB, pgvector, or Weaviate.
• Experience with asynchronous Python, asyncio, Celery, task queues, or background-job orchestration.
• Experience integrating LLM APIs or operating inference services such as vLLM, including hands-on work with RAG, embeddings, chunking strategies, retrieval, or evaluation.
• Experience designing data pipelines, writing efficient queries, and processing large datasets at hundreds-of-gigabytes or terabyte scale.
• Experience writing Dockerfiles and deploying, scaling, or troubleshooting applications in Kubernetes.
• Experience developing or maintaining CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, or similar tools.
• Demonstrated use of unit, integration, and end-to-end testing, including mocking, test fixtures, and quality gates.
• Experience evaluating architecture options and making sound tradeoffs involving performance, scalability, security, maintainability, and deployment.
• Experience leading feature areas, mentoring other developers, or translating complex customer needs into actionable technical work.
• Coursework, certification, research, or professional experience in AI/ML, data science, MLOps, LLMs, or related areas.
• Prior software-engineering experience supporting defense, government, mission-critical, or other regulated environments.
• Track record of producing clear technical documentation and delivering effective customer-facing presentations or demonstrations.

The ideal candidate is a career-minded individual who wants to become a part of something bigger. DESE has industry-leading benefits including a generous profit-sharing plan, competitive pay, but perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to work with the best and the brightest in the industry in support of the US warfighter. Launching a career with DESE allows you to put your skills and experience to good use doing crucial, mission-critical work that our country's armed forces and others depend on.

DESE is committed to creating a company that is known for its respect and care for employees. We understand that happy employees are what keeps our business going and we strive to provide the best opportunities for each individual working on our team! Here are a few reasons you will love working for DESE:

· Competitive salaries

· Annual performance bonuses

· Robust 401K profit sharing plan

· Competitive health, dental & vision insurance with affordable premiums

· Two different flexible spending account options

· Company paid life insurance & Accidental Death & Dismemberment

· Education reimbursement program

· Personal leave for approved philanthropic activities

· Vacation, Sick, & Holiday leave

· Opportunities for internal promotions

· Employee referral incentive program

· Rewards and gifts for service anniversaries

Disability Accommodation for Applicants - DESE Research, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in its job application procedures. If you have any difficulty using our online system and you need an accommodation due to a disability, you may use the following alternative email address or phone number to contact us about your interest in employment with us: [email protected] or 256-837-8004x123.