Lead Software Engineer

Lead Software Engineer Location:

• Herndon, VA Employment Type: Full-Time / Direct Hire Work Schedule: 9/80 schedule — employees work 9 days out of every 14 days, with every other Friday off Security Clearance: Active Secret Clearance Required Work Authorization: U.S.

Citizens and Green Card holders only Visa Sponsorship:

• Not Available Travel: Occasional travel may be required Relocation: Possible for an ideal candidate Important: This is a full-time/direct-hire opportunity . About the Organization Our organization operates in the aerospace, aviation, and defense industry , developing advanced software solutions that support mission-critical systems, technology modernization, and next-generation capabilities.
• This is an engineering-focused environment where software professionals work on complex products, system modernization initiatives, and mission-critical technology solutions.
• Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to provide technical leadership across multiple software product deliveries, system modernization initiatives, and future growth programs.
• The Lead Software Engineer will take ownership of software products and contribute across the complete Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), including requirements analysis, architecture, system design, development, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
• The ideal candidate will have strong experience in Java, C++, Spring Boot, REST APIs, Linux, Kubernetes, Docker, CI/CD, and cloud/hybrid-cloud environments , along with a strong understanding of secure and scalable software development.
• Key Responsibilities Provide technical leadership across software engineering teams and mentor junior and mid-level engineers.
• Take ownership of software products and drive successful delivery throughout the complete SDLC.
• Lead requirements analysis, architecture, system design, development, testing, deployment, and sustainment activities.
• Design and develop high-quality, scalable, reliable, and maintainable software applications.
• Utilize modern AI-assisted software development tools to improve design, coding, testing, debugging, and delivery.
• Develop and maintain enterprise-scale applications and distributed software systems.

Apply Agile software development methodologies throughout the development lifecycle.

• Collaborate with architects, systems engineers, product teams, cybersecurity teams, and other cross-functional stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot complex software and system issues and perform detailed root-cause analysis.
• Support software modernization and technology transformation initiatives.
• Establish and maintain engineering best practices related to software quality, security, performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Contribute to CI/CD automation, DevSecOps practices, automated testing, and continuous delivery.
• Support containerized applications and cloud/hybrid-cloud deployments.
• Ensure software solutions meet applicable security and mission-critical engineering requirements.
• Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree with 9+ years of relevant experience , or a graduate degree with 7+ years of related experience .
• In lieu of a degree, 13+ years of relevant experience may be considered.
• Active Secret Security Clearance is required.
• U.S.
• Citizen or Green Card holder.
• Strong technical leadership and software engineering ownership mindset.
• Demonstrated experience across the complete Software Development Lifecycle.
• Strong software architecture and system design experience.
• Experience working in Agile development environments .
• Strong communication, collaboration, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Preferred Technical Skills 10+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Strong hands-on Java and C++ development experience.
• Strong experience with Java Spring Boot and REST APIs .
• Experience developing multi-threaded applications .
• Experience with database design, integration, and application data layers.
• Strong experience working in Linux development environments .
• Experience developing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines , particularly Jenkins.
• Experience with containerized application development and deployment.
• Hands-on experience with Docker and Kubernetes .
• Kubernetes administration and deployment experience.
• Experience with cloud or hybrid-cloud environments.
• Experience with AWS GovCloud or cloud-native application development.
• Strong understanding of DevSecOps practices.
• Experience with automated software testing frameworks.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis capabilities.
• Cybersecurity-aware software development experience.
• Experience developing distributed systems and enterprise-scale applications.
• Experience with software modernization initiatives.
• Experience in DoD, SATCOM, networking, gateway, telecommunications, aerospace, aviation, or defense environments is highly preferred.
• Experience working with mission-critical or highly secure systems is a plus.

Benefits Benefits may include:

• Health and disability insurance 401(k) match Flexible spending accounts Employee Assistance Program Education assistance Parental leave Paid time off Company-paid holidays Potential relocation assistance for an ideal candidate Important Candidate Requirements Active Secret Clearance is mandatory.
• U.S.
• Citizens and Green Card holders only.
• No visa sponsorship available.
• This is a full-time/direct-hire position — no contract profiles.
• Candidates should have strong hands-on software engineering experience rather than purely managerial experience.
• Strong Java/C++ + Spring Boot + REST + Linux + Kubernetes/Docker experience is highly desirable.
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