diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 430fac16a..b2cadac65 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -1711,11 +1711,11 @@ func InitServer(ctx context.Context, currentServers server_structs.ServerType) e
 	}
 
 	if param.Cache_LowWatermark.IsSet() || param.Cache_HighWaterMark.IsSet() {
-		lowWm, lwmIsAbs, err := utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_LowWatermark.GetName(), false)
+		lowWm, lwmIsAbs, err := utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_LowWatermark, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		highWm, hwmIsAbs, err := utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_HighWaterMark.GetName(), false)
+		highWm, hwmIsAbs, err := utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_HighWaterMark, false)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -1741,13 +1741,13 @@ func InitServer(ctx context.Context, currentServers server_structs.ServerType) e
 		var base, nominal, max float64
 		var err error
 		// Watermark validation will error if these parameters are not absolute, so we can ignore that output
-		if base, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesBaseSize.GetName(), true); err != nil {
+		if base, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesBaseSize, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if nominal, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesNominalSize.GetName(), true); err != nil {
+		if nominal, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesNominalSize, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		if max, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesMaxSize.GetName(), true); err != nil {
+		if max, _, err = utils.ValidateWatermark(param.Cache_FilesMaxSize, true); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		if base >= nominal || nominal >= max {
diff --git a/config/resources/defaults.yaml b/config/resources/defaults.yaml
index e73a37a31..0a715e62a 100644
--- a/config/resources/defaults.yaml
+++ b/config/resources/defaults.yaml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ Origin:
   EnableMacaroons: false
   EnableVoms: true
   SelfTestInterval: 15s
+  StorageType: "posix"
 Registry:
   InstitutionsUrlReloadMinutes: 15m
   RequireCacheApproval: false
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ Shoveler:
   PortLower: 9930
   PortHigher: 9999
   AMQPExchange: shoveled-xrd
+  Topic: "xrootd.shoveler"
 Xrootd:
   MaxStartupWait: "10s"
   Mount: ""
diff --git a/director/maxmind.go b/director/maxmind.go
index 8f1e0c6af..aa02e9098 100644
--- a/director/maxmind.go
+++ b/director/maxmind.go
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/oschwald/geoip2-golang/v2"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/param"
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/server_structs"
@@ -76,17 +75,17 @@ func downloadDB(localFile string) error {
 
 	var licenseKey string
 	keyFile := param.Director_MaxMindKeyFile.GetString()
-	keyFromEnv := viper.GetString("MAXMINDKEY")
+	keyFromParam := param.Director_MaxMindKey.GetString()
 	if keyFile != "" {
 		contents, err := os.ReadFile(keyFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		licenseKey = strings.TrimSpace(string(contents))
-	} else if keyFromEnv != "" {
-		licenseKey = keyFromEnv
+	} else if keyFromParam != "" {
+		licenseKey = keyFromParam
 	} else {
-		return errors.New("A MaxMind key file must be specified in the config (Director.MaxMindKeyFile), in the environment (PELICAN_DIRECTOR_MAXMINDKEYFILE), or the key must be provided via the environment variable PELICAN_MAXMINDKEY)")
+		return errors.New("A MaxMind key file must be specified in the config (Director.MaxMindKeyFile), in the environment (PELICAN_DIRECTOR_MAXMINDKEYFILE), or the key must be provided via the environment variable PELICAN_DIRECTOR_MAXMINDKEY)")
 	}
 
 	url := fmt.Sprintf(maxMindURL, licenseKey)
diff --git a/docs/parameters.yaml b/docs/parameters.yaml
index e5809a2e6..e2b72298e 100644
--- a/docs/parameters.yaml
+++ b/docs/parameters.yaml
@@ -1981,6 +1981,15 @@ type: filename
 default: none
 components: ["director"]
 ---
+name: Director.MaxMindKey
+description: |+
+  A MaxMind API key provided directly as a string. This is an alternative to providing the key via a file
+  (Director.MaxMindKeyFile). If both are set, the file takes precedence. This parameter can be set via the
+  environment variable PELICAN_DIRECTOR_MAXMINDKEY.
+type: string
+default: none
+components: ["director"]
+---
 name: Director.GeoIPLocation
 description: |+
   A filepath to the intended location of the MaxMind GeoLite City database. This option can be used either to load
diff --git a/lotman/lotman_linux.go b/lotman/lotman_linux.go
index a235e37f3..33244be95 100644
--- a/lotman/lotman_linux.go
+++ b/lotman/lotman_linux.go
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/config"
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/param"
@@ -483,7 +482,7 @@ func GetPolicyMap() (map[string]PurgePolicy, error) {
 	policyMap := make(map[string]PurgePolicy)
 	var policies []PurgePolicy
 	// Use custom decoder hook to validate fields. This validates all the way down to the bottom of the lot object.
-	if err := viper.UnmarshalKey(param.Lotman_PolicyDefinitions.GetName(), &policies, viper.DecodeHook(validateFieldsHook())); err != nil {
+	if err := param.Lotman_PolicyDefinitions.UnmarshalWithHook(&policies, validateFieldsHook()); err != nil {
 		return policyMap, errors.Wrap(err, "error unmarshalling Lotman policy definitions")
 	}
 
diff --git a/metrics/shoveler.go b/metrics/shoveler.go
index af93f3303..0195fcdb3 100644
--- a/metrics/shoveler.go
+++ b/metrics/shoveler.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import (
 	shoveler "github.com/opensciencegrid/xrootd-monitoring-shoveler"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/config"
@@ -88,8 +87,6 @@ func configShoveler(c *shoveler.Config) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Token content is empty. Reading from Shoveler.AMQPTokenLocation at %s", c.AmqpToken)
 		}
 	} else { // Stomp
-		viper.SetDefault("Shoveler.Topic", "xrootd.shoveler")
-
 		c.StompUser = param.Shoveler_StompUsername.GetString()
 		log.Debugln("STOMP User:", c.StompUser)
 		c.StompPassword = param.Shoveler_StompPassword.GetString()
diff --git a/param/parameters.go b/param/parameters.go
index b90e12b8a..89f851ebc 100644
--- a/param/parameters.go
+++ b/param/parameters.go
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ var runtimeConfigurableMap = map[string]bool{
 	"Director.FilterCachesInErrorState": false,
 	"Director.FilteredServers": false,
 	"Director.GeoIPLocation": false,
+	"Director.MaxMindKey": false,
 	"Director.MaxMindKeyFile": false,
 	"Director.MaxStatResponse": false,
 	"Director.MinStatResponse": false,
@@ -469,6 +470,8 @@ func (sP StringParam) GetString() string {
 			return config.Director.DefaultResponse
 		case "Director.GeoIPLocation":
 			return config.Director.GeoIPLocation
+		case "Director.MaxMindKey":
+			return config.Director.MaxMindKey
 		case "Director.MaxMindKeyFile":
 			return config.Director.MaxMindKeyFile
 		case "Director.SupportContactEmail":
@@ -1159,6 +1162,10 @@ func (oP ObjectParam) Unmarshal(rawVal any) error {
 	return viper.UnmarshalKey(oP.name, rawVal)
 }
 
+func (oP ObjectParam) UnmarshalWithHook(rawVal any, decodeHook any) error {
+	return viper.UnmarshalKey(oP.name, rawVal, viper.DecodeHook(decodeHook))
+}
+
 func (oP ObjectParam) GetName() string {
 	return oP.name
 }
@@ -1249,6 +1256,7 @@ var allParameterNames = []string{
 	"Director.FilterCachesInErrorState",
 	"Director.FilteredServers",
 	"Director.GeoIPLocation",
+	"Director.MaxMindKey",
 	"Director.MaxMindKeyFile",
 	"Director.MaxStatResponse",
 	"Director.MinStatResponse",
@@ -1527,6 +1535,7 @@ var (
 	Director_DbLocation = StringParam{"Director.DbLocation"}
 	Director_DefaultResponse = StringParam{"Director.DefaultResponse"}
 	Director_GeoIPLocation = StringParam{"Director.GeoIPLocation"}
+	Director_MaxMindKey = StringParam{"Director.MaxMindKey"}
 	Director_MaxMindKeyFile = StringParam{"Director.MaxMindKeyFile"}
 	Director_SupportContactEmail = StringParam{"Director.SupportContactEmail"}
 	Director_SupportContactUrl = StringParam{"Director.SupportContactUrl"}
diff --git a/param/parameters_struct.go b/param/parameters_struct.go
index 357458875..a2a357a0d 100644
--- a/param/parameters_struct.go
+++ b/param/parameters_struct.go
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ type Config struct {
 		FilterCachesInErrorState bool `mapstructure:"filtercachesinerrorstate" yaml:"FilterCachesInErrorState"`
 		FilteredServers []string `mapstructure:"filteredservers" yaml:"FilteredServers"`
 		GeoIPLocation string `mapstructure:"geoiplocation" yaml:"GeoIPLocation"`
+		MaxMindKey string `mapstructure:"maxmindkey" yaml:"MaxMindKey"`
 		MaxMindKeyFile string `mapstructure:"maxmindkeyfile" yaml:"MaxMindKeyFile"`
 		MaxStatResponse int `mapstructure:"maxstatresponse" yaml:"MaxStatResponse"`
 		MinStatResponse int `mapstructure:"minstatresponse" yaml:"MinStatResponse"`
@@ -484,6 +485,7 @@ type configWithType struct {
 		FilterCachesInErrorState struct { Type string; Value bool }
 		FilteredServers struct { Type string; Value []string }
 		GeoIPLocation struct { Type string; Value string }
+		MaxMindKey struct { Type string; Value string }
 		MaxMindKeyFile struct { Type string; Value string }
 		MaxStatResponse struct { Type string; Value int }
 		MinStatResponse struct { Type string; Value int }
diff --git a/server_utils/origin.go b/server_utils/origin.go
index a8b508f0d..5c90634e1 100644
--- a/server_utils/origin.go
+++ b/server_utils/origin.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/config"
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/param"
@@ -401,7 +400,7 @@ func (b *BaseOrigin) handleExportsCfg(o Origin) error {
 
 	log.Infoln("Configuring multi-exports from Origin.Exports block in config file")
 	var tmpExports []OriginExport
-	if err := viper.UnmarshalKey(param.Origin_Exports.GetName(), &tmpExports, viper.DecodeHook(OriginExportsDecoderHook())); err != nil {
+	if err := param.Origin_Exports.UnmarshalWithHook(&tmpExports, OriginExportsDecoderHook()); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "unable to parse the Origin.Exports configuration")
 	}
 	if len(tmpExports) == 0 {
@@ -564,8 +563,6 @@ func GetOriginExports() ([]OriginExport, error) {
 		return originExports, nil
 	}
 
-	// This default also set in config.go, but duplicating it here makes testing a bit easier.
-	viper.SetDefault("Origin.StorageType", "posix")
 	storageType, err := server_structs.ParseOriginStorageType(param.Origin_StorageType.GetString())
 	if err != nil {
 		return originExports, err
diff --git a/server_utils/origin_globus.go b/server_utils/origin_globus.go
index 07e40d31d..7065177c4 100644
--- a/server_utils/origin_globus.go
+++ b/server_utils/origin_globus.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/param"
 	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/server_structs"
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ func (o *GlobusOrigin) validateExtra(e *OriginExport, numExports int) (err error
 		return errors.Errorf("export %s sets the 'Listings' capability; listings are not yet supported for origins with %s of 'globus'", e.FederationPrefix, param.Origin_StorageType.GetName())
 	}
 
-	if viper.GetString(param.OIDC_Issuer.GetName()) != "globus" {
+	if param.OIDC_Issuer.GetString() != "globus" {
 		clientIDFile := param.Origin_GlobusClientIDFile.GetString()
 		if clientIDFile == "" {
 			return errors.Errorf("%s is a required parameter for Globus origins when 'OIDC.Issuer' is not Globus", param.Origin_GlobusClientIDFile.GetName())
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index 765c74cce..8c1c769c3 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -29,9 +29,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/text/cases"
 	"golang.org/x/text/language"
+
+	"github.com/pelicanplatform/pelican/param"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -189,8 +190,10 @@ func MapToSlice[K comparable, V any](m map[K]V) []V {
 // can validate relative values of different watermarks (e.g. !(low > high)). The returned float64 is only meant
 // to be used for comparing two watermark values, but only if both are either percentages or byte values, as
 // indicated by the isAbsolute return value.
-func ValidateWatermark(paramName string, requireSuffix bool) (wm float64, isAbsolute bool, err error) {
-	wmStr := viper.GetString(paramName)
+func ValidateWatermark(wmParam param.StringParam, requireSuffix bool) (wm float64, isAbsolute bool, err error) {
+	wmStr := wmParam.GetString()
+	paramName := wmParam.GetName()
+
 	if wmStr == "" {
 		return 0, false, errors.Errorf("watermark value for config param '%s' is empty.", paramName)
 	}
diff --git a/utils/utils_test.go b/utils/utils_test.go
index d88f8b038..df0371995 100644
--- a/utils/utils_test.go
+++ b/utils/utils_test.go
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ func TestValidateWatermark(t *testing.T) {
 	defer func() { require.NoError(t, param.Reset()) }()
 
 	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Use a real parameter for testing
+	testParam := param.Cache_LowWatermark
+
 	testCases := []struct {
 		name          string
 		wm            string
@@ -173,8 +177,8 @@ func TestValidateWatermark(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			require.NoError(t, param.Set(tc.name, tc.wm))
-			val, isAbs, err := ValidateWatermark(tc.name, tc.requireSuffix)
+			require.NoError(t, param.Set(testParam.GetName(), tc.wm))
+			val, isAbs, err := ValidateWatermark(testParam, tc.requireSuffix)
 			if tc.expectErr {
 				assert.Equal(t, 0.0, val)
 				assert.False(t, isAbs)