Freelance Junior Python Developer Jobs in Washington

Job Title: Python Engineer

Location: Lanham, Maryland – Hybrid

Schedule Reports To: Senior Software Engineer Team Lead

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Python Engineer will play a hands-on role in supporting and evolving the software ecosystem behind Altumint’s device fleet and operational platforms. The position is heavily centered in Python development and offers broad exposure across backend engineering, DevOps, embedded Linux environments, infrastructure tooling, device management, device communication, and

operational support. A key initiative for this role will involve developing the software running on Altumint's edge/field devices and the backend services that support device communication, using Python, FastAPI, and related technologies.

This position offers a strong growth opportunity within a collaborative engineering environment. This role is expected to take ownership of feature delivery early, with mentorship available for domain-specific depth across our system

Responsibilities

Software Engineering & Platform Development

• Own the design and build of edge/field-device software and supporting backend services, end-to-end services, including reconciling deployed/field code with source control.

• Design and build backend services in Python/FastAPI with minimal oversight, including the services that handle communication with edge/field devices — data ingestion, telemetry, health monitoring, and remote configuration.

• Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code within a large existing codebase.

Fleet Operations & Technical Support

• Investigate and resolve software and device-related issues impacting field operations.

• Support software deployments, system updates, and operational monitoring across distributed device fleets.

• Troubleshoot production issues and collaborate with engineering and operations teams to implement sustainable solutions.

DevOps, Infrastructure & Security

• Support CI/CD pipeline improvements, automated deployment processes, and build tooling initiatives.

• Assist with Linux-based infrastructure tasks, provisioning automation, and device hardening activities.

• Participate in operational security and compliance-related initiatives as needed.

Quality and Collaboration

• Write and maintain unit and integration tests for new and existing functionality.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with QA, operations, implementation, and engineering teams to ensure solutions align with operational and customer requirements.

• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts across engineering processes, tooling, and system reliability.

• Review the work of and provide technical guidance to more junior engineers.

Qualifications

Required:

• 4–6 years of professional software engineering experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or related technical discipline — or equivalent practical experience.

• Proficiency in Python with the ability to write organized, readable, and maintainable code.

• Foundational understanding of web application development, REST APIs, and HTTP concepts.

• Hands-on experience building applications with a Python web framework such as FastAPI or Flask.

• Proficiency with SQL and relational databases such as PostgreSQL or SQLite.

• Familiarity with Linux operating systems and command-line environments.

• Experience using Git version control in a collaborative development environment.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.

• Effective communication and collaboration skills.

• Demonstrated willingness to learn across multiple technical domains, including software development, infrastructure, DevOps and security.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to CI/CD tools and workflows including GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Jenkins.

• Experience with Linux system administration concepts such as system, package management, and shell scripting. Familiarity with Docker or containerized development environments.

• Exposure to cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.

• Interest or experience in IoT, edge computing, machine learning, computer vision, or intelligent transportation technologies.

• Experience building APIs or services that communicate with distributed or edge devices, or with messaging/streaming protocols (e.g., REST, MQTT, message queues).

Benefits:

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support your health, wealth, and well-being: PTO, 401(k) retirement plan, medical insurance, dental coverage, vision are, additional health and wellness benefits.

• Growth potential within an innovative tech company. Join us in making communities safer through cutting-edge public safety solutions!

Equal Opportunity

Altumint, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to national origin (including ancestry), race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, marital status, military status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, or sex, including pregnancy and childbirth, or other pregnancy-related condition or any other legally protected characteristic.

Note: Salary and benefits are subject to change. Final offer contingent upon successful interview process, background check, and reference check.