Backend Software Engineer - Defense

The Role

Palantir's defense product vertical builds mission-critical products for the modern warfighter. We provide a complete ecosystem where customers can securely integrate and visualize their data, and build sophisticated programs such as common operating pictures, alert-triaging inboxes, and resource allocation planning tools driven by ML models.

Backend Software Engineers at Palantir build software at scale to transform how organizations use data. You will be involved throughout the product lifecycle, from idea generation and design to prototyping and production delivery, collaborating closely with technical and non-technical teammates.

Example Projects

• Build for high-scale, collaborative, geospatial workflows (Gaia)
• Design frameworks to enable complex workflows across applications in a single workspace
• Develop real-time collaborative tooling and data-analysis solutions (Secure Collaboration)

Core Responsibilities

• Architecting, developing, and maintaining high-performance, scalable backend services that underpin operational data and AI systems
• Maintaining high coding standards through guideline development, active code reviews, and fostering continuous improvement
• Building robust APIs for frontend developers and external systems, integrating user-facing elements with server-side logic
• Designing efficient data structures and algorithms to manage large-scale, high-throughput data
• Optimizing applications for speed and scalability through performance analysis
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to improve user workflows across product boundaries

What We Require

• Experience in designing, developing, supporting, and maintaining live backend systems
• In-depth understanding of data structures, system architecture, API development for microservices frameworks, distributed systems, and backend best practices
• Engineering background in Computer Science, Mathematics, Software Engineering, Physics, or similar field
• Strong coding skills with demonstrated proficiency in programming languages such as Java, C++, Python, Rust, or similar
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to iterate quickly and incorporate feedback
• Eligibility and willingness to obtain a US Security clearance