Application Solutions Lead for NIH - Hybrid

Job Description

Lead Developer (Python / GraphQL / AWS)

Job Title

Lead Developer – Development & Support

Location

Bethesda, MD (Hybrid – 3 days on-site per week)

Position Type

Full-Time

Experience Level

10–15 Years

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Lead Developer to head our engineering and application support initiatives. In this role, you will provide technical direction and leadership to a combined development and support team, ensuring the successful delivery of new features while maintaining high system reliability. This is a hybrid position requiring you to be on-site three days a week at our Bethesda, MD office. The ideal candidate has deep expertise in cloud-native Python architectures, strong team-management capabilities, and immediate readiness to collaborate within federal health IT environments.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

Lead, mentor, and manage a dual-focused team handling both new software development and production support/maintenance.

Architecture & Design

Guide the architectural design of scalable backend services, efficient data graphs, and cloud infrastructure.

Operations & Support

Oversee Tier 3 support activities, troubleshoot complex production bottlenecks, and establish robust monitoring and incident management workflows.

Code Excellence

Establish coding standards, conduct comprehensive code reviews, and drive modern CI/CD and DevOps practices.

Stakeholder Collaboration

Partner with product managers, system administrators, and NIH stakeholders to align technical execution with organizational goals.

Required Technical Skills and Qualifications

Overall Experience

10 to 15 years of professional software engineering experience, including a minimum of 3 years leading engineering teams.

Backend Development

Advanced, expert-level proficiency in Python and its core framework ecosystem.

API Architecture

Production-proven experience designing, building, and optimizing GraphQL APIs.

Database Management

Strong expertise in PostgreSQL, including schema design, indexing, and complex query optimization.

Cloud Computing

Direct experience architecture and maintaining infrastructure on AWS (e.g., Lambda, EC2, RDS, IAM, CloudWatch).

Work Authorization

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Location

Ability to work on-site in Bethesda, MD 3 days a week.

Preferred Qualifications

NIH Familiarity

Current or recent experience working on-site or directly with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Facility Access

Possession of a current, active NIH badge (PIV card) for rapid onboarding and facility access.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Prior Work history at other Federal Government

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operates through key operating divisions and agencies split across public health and human services.

See below agencies

Operating Divisions & Agencies

• CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): Protects public health and safety by controlling and preventing disease, injury, and disability.
• NIH (National Institutes of Health): Conducts and supports medical and behavioral research through 27 separate institutes and centers.
• FDA (Food and Drug Administration): Ensures the safety and efficacy of drugs, medical devices, the food supply, cosmetics, and tobacco products.
• CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services): Administers Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and health insurance marketplaces.
• ACF (Administration for Children and Families): Promotes the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
• ACL (Administration for Community Living): Focuses on maximizing the independence, well-being, and health of older adults and people with disabilities.
• HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration): Improves access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): Leads public efforts to advance behavioral health and reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness.
• IHS (Indian Health Service): Provides federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
• AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality): Conducts research to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, and more affordable.
• ASPR (Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response): Coordinates federal medical and public health preparedness and response for disasters and emergencies.
• ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health): Funds high-risk, high-reward biomedical and health breakthroughs.
• ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry): Protects communities from harmful exposures to hazardous and toxic substances

Requirements

​