Senior Software Engineer (Backend / AI)

About project:
TROP is an advanced situational awareness and operational coordination platform developed by Defencebay. By combining real-time mapping, secure communications, drone integration, AI-ready workflows and resilient Mesh LoRa networking, TROP helps teams maintain a shared operational picture when standard infrastructure is limited or unavailable. We are building next-generation technology for public safety, emergency response, critical infrastructure protection and defense operations.

Defencebay is a sub-brand of Devopsbay, focused on building advanced technologies for public safety, defense, and crisis communication systems. The recruitment process for this role is conducted under the Defencebay brand, as part of our dedicated product team working on the TROP platform. While being part of the broader Devopsbay organization, Defencebay operates as an independent product unit responsible for developing mission-critical solutions in the area of situational awareness and resilient communications

Required Skills

• 5+ years of experience in backend software development.

• Strong proficiency in Python and experience building scalable backend services.

• Strong understanding of software engineering best practices, including testing, code reviews, clean code, and maintainable architecture.

• Solid knowledge of PostgreSQL and database design principles.

• Hands-on experience with message brokers such as RabbitMQ or similar event-driven architectures.

• Experience working with containerized environments and orchestration platforms, particularly Kubernetes (K8s).

• Practical knowledge of cloud platforms, preferably AWS.

• Experience designing, building, and maintaining RESTful APIs and microservices.

• Understanding of distributed systems, asynchronous communication, and real-time data processing.

• Experience integrating AI technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), or AI-powered applications.

• Familiarity with data pipelines, ETL processes, and analytics workflows.

• Experience integrating third-party systems, APIs, and external services.

• Understanding of software architecture principles, system design, and scalability considerations.

• Ability to troubleshoot complex production issues and optimize system performance.

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Good communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience working with multiple programming languages and technology stacks beyond Python.

• Experience with Computer Vision solutions and AI model deployment.

• Familiarity with Model Context Protocol (MCP) and AI agent architectures.

• Experience working with Team Awareness Kit (TAK), ATAK, iTAK, or situational awareness platforms.

• Knowledge of geospatial systems, mapping technologies, or GIS solutions.

• Experience in defense, public safety, emergency management, or mission-critical systems.

• Familiarity with DevOps practices, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform), and CI/CD pipelines.

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, and maintain backend services using technologies such as Python, PostgreSQL, RabbitMQ, Kubernetes (K8s), and AWS.

• Build and evolve APIs and microservices, with a strong focus on real-time communication features.

• Develop new features, maintain existing components, and troubleshoot production issues across the platform.

• Design and implement integrations leveraging modern AI technologies, including LLMs, RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), Computer Vision, and Model Context Protocol (MCP).

• Build and maintain data processing pipelines that power AI-driven features and analytics workflows.

• Evaluate, prototype, and integrate emerging AI technologies into real-world products and solutions.

• Contribute to system architecture and participate in key technical decisions shaping the platform’s evolution.

• Integrate with external systems and develop solutions that enable efficient communication and data exchange across distributed services.

• Work on products within the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) ecosystem, supporting real-time situational awareness, information sharing, and operational coordination.

• Take ownership of features and projects from initial concept through production deployment and ongoing operation.