What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Enterprise Application Specialist position at Space Telescope?
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is a multi-mission science operations center for NASA’s flagship observatories. Our world-class astronomical research center is based on the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus in Baltimore, Maryland. This position can support hybrid work. Candidates must reside in or be willing to relocate to our local market. (MD, DE, VA, PA, DC & WV). This position requires US Citizenship or Permanent Residence in order to meet ITAR requirements.
Position Summary:
STScI is seeking a Senior Enterprise Application Specialist to design and maintain infrastructure that supports mission-critical applications. This role focuses on CI/CD pipeline development, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), containerization, and orchestration while embedding security best practices throughout the development lifecycle. The ideal candidate is proficient in Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, Python, and CI/CD tools, with a strong background in system automation and DevOps methodologies.
Key Responsibilities:
* CI/CD Pipeline Development: Design, implement, and manage continuous integration and deployment pipelines using tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI/CD.
* Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Define and manage infrastructure using Terraform to ensure automated and consistent deployments.
* Containerization & Orchestration: Build and maintain Docker containers and manage Kubernetes clusters with Rancher or similar platforms.
* Source Code & Artifact Management: Maintain repositories in GitHub, implement best practices for version control, and manage container image repositories using Harbor.
* Security Integration: Embed security practices into the CI/CD pipeline, including vulnerability scanning and compliance checks.
* Automation & Configuration Management: Use Ansible and other automation tools to streamline deployments and infrastructure configuration.
* Collaboration & Mentorship: Work closely with development, operations, and security teams to promote DevSecOp (development, security, and operations) best practices and provide guidance on security awareness.
Required Skills & Experience:
* 8 years of experience as a Software Developer, System Development Engineer, Site Reliability Engineer, or System Administrator.
* Strong Linux expertise with experience in system administration.
* Hands-on experience with Terraform for infrastructure automation.
* CI/CD expertise with tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI/CD.
* Proficiency in Python (or similar programming languages) for automation and scripting.
* Experience with containerization (Docker) and orchestration (Kubernetes/Rancher).
* Infrastructure automation experience using Ansible.
* Strong understanding of DevOps & GitOps practices.
Preferred Experience:
* Experience with GitLab and GitLab CI.
* Hands-on knowledge of Prometheus, Grafana, and Robusta for monitoring and observability.
* Experience with Metal LB, Cluster Autoscaler, and Valero.
* Writing Helm Charts and Operator patterns.
* SUSE Rancher RKE2 experience.
* Additional coding experience in JavaScript.
Educational Qualifications:
Bachelor of Science, in Computer Science, or Computer Engineering.
Substitution of additional relevant education or experience for stated qualifications will be considered.
Salary range is $123,000- $132,000
Compensation is commensurate with education and experience. Our excellent benefits include:
- Employer retirement contribution – direct STScI contribution of 10% of your salary from your first day
- 12 days sick leave, up to 24 days’ vacation, and 10 paid holidays
- Flexible work schedule with work/life balance
- Comprehensive medical/dental/vision/prescription plans, and more!
To Apply: Share your experience by uploading a resume and completing an online application.
Link: Senior Enterprise Application Specialist
Applications received by 04/26/2025 will receive full consideration. Applications received after this date will be considered until the position is filled.
Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can contact us at careers@stsci.edu.
Salary : $123,000 - $132,000
