ColdFusion Developer in Washington, District of Columbia at Educology Solutions

ESI is seeking two (2) Senior ColdFusion Developers to support the modernization and migration of enterprise ColdFusion/CFML applications, with an emphasis on ColdFusion 2016 → 2023 upgrade/migration planning and execution. Candidates must be hands-on senior engineers who can assess legacy CF codebases, remediate compatibility issues, coordinate server and database migration activities, and produce/maintain documentation consistent with IRS engineering governance.

The ideal candidates are current or former IRS application contractors with active IRS MBI and familiarity with KISAM and ELC documentation artifacts. Candidates without MBI may be considered if they can demonstrate federal experience, maturity in regulated environments, and willingness/eligibility to process IRS MBI.

RESPONSIBILITIES

ColdFusion/CFML Modernization & Migration
Lead and execute ColdFusion migration activities from Adobe ColdFusion 2016 to 2023, including upgrade assessments, dependency mapping, and implementation sequencing.

Perform deep-dive analysis of legacy CFML code, identifying and remediating:
deprecated tags/functions and compatibility gaps,

Java dependency conflicts,
configuration changes (CF Admin settings, datasources, JVM tuning),
security-related changes (TLS/ciphers, headers, session handling).
Refactor and optimize CFML application code to improve maintainability, performance, and security while minimizing functional regression.
Support modernization patterns such as modularization, API integration, and incremental replacement strategies (as directed).

MS SQL Server Administration & Data Layer Support
Administer and support Microsoft SQL Server environments in a developer-support capacity (and where required, operational support), including:
database connectivity (JDBC), datasource configuration, permissions/roles,
performance tuning support (indexes, query analysis), and
backup/restore support and migration coordination.

Collaborate with DBAs, infrastructure, and cybersecurity teams to ensure database changes comply with organizational standards and audit requirements.

Windows Server & Environment Migration
Support or lead elements of Windows Server migration activities related to application hosting, including:
installation/configuration of ColdFusion services,

IIS/Tomcat connector configuration as applicable,
certificate deployments and secure configuration baselines,
environment parity across DEV/TEST/UAT/PROD.
DevOps / Release Support (as applicable)
Support build/deploy activities and configuration management, including scripting/automation where possible.
Create and maintain environment-specific configuration guidance, runbooks, and rollback procedures.
Participate in incident triage, root-cause analysis, and corrective action planning for production issues.
Documentation & Governance (IRS-style engineering rigor)
Produce or contribute to documentation artifacts aligned with ELC expectations (e.g., system design updates, migration plans, release notes, test evidence, configuration documentation).
Maintain security- and compliance-relevant artifacts and coordinate with stakeholders on approvals and change management.
Use and/or align deliverables to KISAM-style system inventory, knowledge capture, and operations documentation requirements (as directed by program governance).
Collaboration & Leadership
Serve as a senior technical resource/mentor, providing code review, migration checklists, and best practices to junior developers.
Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders, providing risks, assumptions, dependencies, and status.

REQUIRED (Minimum)
10+ years of professional software development experience with significant tenure in ColdFusion/CFML.
Demonstrated advanced expertise with Adobe ColdFusion and application troubleshooting in production-like environments.
Hands-on migration experience with ColdFusion 2016 through 2023 (or equivalent upgrade path with direct relevance), including remediation of compatibility issues and configuration changes.
Demonstrated experience supporting MS SQL Server in enterprise environments (connectivity, security permissions, performance troubleshooting).
Demonstrated experience supporting or coordinating Windows Server migration or major Windows server version upgrades for hosted applications.
Strong understanding of web application security best practices (authentication/session management, input validation, TLS, secrets handling).
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience if the customer allows substitution—use only if permitted in the RFI).
Ability to work independently, document decisions, and provide technical leadership.
4) Highly Desired / Preferred Qualifications
Active IRS MBI clearance (highly desired; top priority).
Prior experience as a current or former IRS ColdFusion contractor supporting IRS systems.
Active Public Trust (for non-IRS federal candidates).
Familiarity with KISAM processes/artifacts and ELC documentation expectations (highly desired).
Experience operating in environments requiring strict change control, segregation of duties, and audit readiness.
Experience with application performance profiling, JVM tuning, and ColdFusion security hardening.
Experience with CI/CD tools and automated deployment pipelines (tooling varies by environment).
5) Security / Clearance Requirements
Highly Desired: Active IRS MBI clearance (verifiable and current).
Acceptable Alternative: Active Public Trust (federal) with strong eligibility for IRS MBI processing.
Considered: Commercial candidates willing and eligible to undergo IRS MBI processing (must pass suitability and background requirements as determined by IRS).

6) Tools, Technologies, and Environment (Representative)
Adobe ColdFusion (2016–2023), CFML, Java/JVM
MS SQL Server (2016/2019/2022 as applicable), SQL, JDBC
Windows Server (2016/2019/2022 as applicable), IIS (where used), certificates/TLS
Source control (Git/SVN), issue tracking (Jira/Azure DevOps or equivalent)
Scripting/automation (PowerShell preferred)
Documentation and governance toolsets as defined by the program (ELC-aligned artifacts)