Sr|Staff DevOps Engineer
Published on February 26, 2025
Ameelio was launched at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Two Yale students, Uzoma "Zo" Orchingwa and Gabe Saruhashi saw the effects that family separation and isolation had on incarcerated individuals and their families. Zo and Gabe went on to launch the fist and only nonprofit provider of incarcerated persons communication services (IPCS). They envisioned Ameelio as an ecosystem of prison communications that enable loved ones to communicate with their incarcerated family members, and a powerful advocate taking on the billion-dollar IPCS industry, dominated by two exploitative companies.
We are a team of technologists, advocates, designers, lawyers, and engineers who are committed to fundamentally transforming the correctional system for the better. At the core of our work is an understanding that poverty is a key driver of mass incarceration. 50% of prisoners have no earnings in the eight years leading up to their incarceration. In the year immediately preceding the imprisonment, that percentage jumps to 80%.
We are and will always strive to be one of the boldest and most innovative approaches to criminal justice reform, not only because of our ability to build powerful technology to tackle the most challenging problems in the space but also because our tools are informed by the profound understanding that sustainable decarceration is only possible if we provide the incarcerated with the vital resources and pathways that they lacked prior to incarceration (i.e. educational equity, economic mobility, societal support, and more).
Technology is rapidly transforming the world around us; we intend to use it to solve one of society’s greatest social crises — mass incarceration.
As we continue to scale, we need an experienced engineer who is excited about solving problems and innovating scalable, maintainable solutions. We are heavily containerized (Docker, Kubernetes) and are working towards fully automated infrastructure (Infrastructure as Code).
Location:
Remote
Our operations are centered in the United States and preference will be given to candidates located within the US.
Some Specific Technologies We Use:
- Kubernetes
- Docker
- Terraform
- Ruby (scripting, and Rails)
- Bash (scripting)
- Elixir (Phoenix, Bonny)
- TypeScript
- Linux
- Nginx/Apache
- Github Actions
Some of the areas you’ll be working on:
- Platform Delivery (build and maintain our K8s cluster)
- Build and maintain deployment manifests for the apps (along with app developers)
- Build and maintain CI/CD configurations for the apps (along with app developers)
- Evaluate and implement Security and Compliance initiatives
- Consult for operations team about capabilities and limitations of our system
- Participate in planning future work
- Provide mentorship for others
Who we’re looking for:
- Experience with containerizing applications, deploying via Kubernetes, and debugging/troubleshooting applications in K8s
- Experience with writing non-trivial scripts. Bash and/or Ruby for major bonus points
- Ability to take ambiguous or vaguely defined requirements and convert them into concrete work plans
- Ability to self-motivate and work without direct supervision
- At least 5+ years experience working with distributed systems as either software engineer or devops
Bonus Points:
- Experience working with Terraform
- Experience with back-end software development
- 10+ years experience working with distributed systems
About Us:
Ameelio is a pioneering non-profit committed to using technology to make a significant social impact. Our mission encompasses the development and implementation of innovative tech solutions that improve the lives of incarcerated individuals and their families. We focus on enhancing communications and expanding educational opportunities within correctional facilities, which are crucial for maintaining family connections and supporting rehabilitation.
By providing free and accessible communication tools, we help preserve essential support structures that significantly reduce recidivism. We also challenge the unjust practices of incumbents in the industry who impose high costs on communications, ensuring that families, especially those least able to afford these fees, can stay connected without financial burden.
Join us in our mission to empower educators, improve familial connections, and fight against systemic exploitation in the communication services for incarcerated individuals and their families.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary and excellent benefits package.
- Opportunity to contribute to a meaningful mission that positively (and measurably) impacts society.
- Ability to strongly shape the development/outcome of the product, lay a sustainable foundation, and set the team up for long-term success.
- Be an early part of a high-impact startup that has a bright future ahead of it.
- Work with a talented, passionate team committed to making a difference.
- Enjoy a great work/life balance
Salary:
We aim to offer competitive compensation that aligns with local standards while reflecting the significance of the role and the expertise brought by the ideal candidate.