MD

Salary
—
Posted
Aug 18, 2026
Location
MD
Last confirmed open
Aug 20, 2026

What this job asks for AI summary

This is a 100% onsite NoSQL Database Engineer role embedded in a platform engineering team supporting a classified microservices environment in Bethesda, MD. The core work involves deploying, operating, and hardening NoSQL databases — primarily Elasticsearch and Redis — on Kubernetes, within air-gapped networks and under NIST 800-53 security controls. An active TS/SCI clearance and a DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification are hard requirements from day one.

Senior level · 8+ years · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · TS/SCI clearance · Full-time

Must have (5)
Kubernetes, EKS, Rancher or Rke2Elasticsearch, Keycloak, Redis or StrimziLinuxNIST 800-53GitOps
Nice to have (4)
HelmArgoCDREST APIsShell scripting or Perl

“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.

We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.

How this req sits in the market our data

What gives you an edge
NIST 800-534%

Rare in this occupation — lead with these, and say what you built with them.

What won't set you apart
Linux50%

Most people in this occupation already list these. Still required — just not what gets you shortlisted.

What the occupation pays Median $111,141 (middle half $94,381–$144,959).

Estimated from BLS employment for this occupation and area, per-skill prevalence across our listing corpus, and published wage benchmarks — as of Aug 20, 2026. It is a model, not a headcount.

Why we read it this way (9)

The required experience gate is stated as 'Bachelor's + 8 years OR Master's + 6 years'; the overall years minimum is set to 8 (the lower bound for the more common path). A Master's degree with 6 years would also satisfy the requirement.

Degree requirement is marked None because the posting explicitly accepts 'equivalent experience' in lieu of a degree.

The Kubernetes requirement lists EKS, Rancher, and RKE2 as acceptable platform variants — these are captured as alternatives rather than separate skills.

The required experience with 'one or more of: Elasticsearch, Keycloak, Redis, Strimzi' is a single gated requirement; Elasticsearch is used as the primary name with the others as alternatives. Redis and Keycloak are also listed separately as preferred given their prominence in the responsibilities section.

The posting notes TS/SCI is required and that a CI polygraph is desired but not required to start — the clearance requirement is set to TopSecretSci accordingly.

SOC code 15-1242 (Database Administrators) is used as the primary classification given the explicit focus on deploying, managing, and hardening NoSQL databases; 15-1244 (Network and Computer Systems Administrators) is the runner-up given the broader platform/infrastructure operations context.

Microservices architecture, big data applications, OSINT familiarity, and DIA/NDOC/D3P domain experience appear only under the 'desired' section and are omitted from the skills list as they name no specific concrete technology or tool.

Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): DoD 8570 IAT Level II.

Requires a TS/SCI clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.

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