Cleared Software Engineering Manager

General Atomics Intelligence; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics Integrated Intelligence Inc. (GA Intelligence) seeks an Engineering Manager to lead backend and analytics teams delivering mission-critical software for national security.

The role balances hands-on leadership with coaching, ensuring scalable architectures, robust data pipelines, and timely delivery. Collaboration with product, data science, and other engineering managers is essential.

Qualifications

• Eleven+ years of progressively complex software engineering experience.
• 2+ years in software engineering management.
• Proven success leading an agile software team.
• Strong backend/data analytics tech background (Java/Python/Scala).
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and shifting priorities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management; DoD clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a software team of 3-5 engineers.
• Drive timely, high-quality delivery and remove blockers.
• Ensure sound architecture and scalable backend systems.
• Collaborate with Product, Data Science, and other managers.
• Foster continuous learning and process improvements.

Skills

Team Leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Agile methodologies

DoD security clearance

Education

Engineering degree (Bachelors/Masters/PhD)

Tools

Java

Python

Scala

AWS

Kubernetes

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics Integrated Intelligence Inc. (GA Intelligence) develops cutting-edge software solutions that transform raw data into actionable intelligence. We specialize in real-time global situational awareness and battle management, processing petabytes of data from hundreds of sources across air, land, and sea. Our systems - including the widely used THRESHER and DRAGONSPELL platforms - support tens of thousands of users at all levels of the DoD and Intelligence Community and enable critical decision-making for national security missions.

We process hundreds of thousands of observations per minute, operating at the scale of global sensor networks and battlefield telemetry. Our backend architecture leverages technologies like Kafka, AWS, NiFi, and GeoMesa - the latter of which we designed and open-sourced to deliver high-throughput, mission-resilient systems that turn streaming data into real-time intelligence.

We’re seeking an experienced and people-focused Engineering Manager to lead and grow a software team building backend systems and analytics capabilities that power mission-critical applications. You’ll play a key role in shaping technical direction, mentoring engineering talent, and scaling the team’s ability to deliver high-impact outcomes.

This is a hands-on leadership role that involves balancing strategic direction with day-to-day coaching and execution. You’ll work closely with product managers, design leads, tech leads, and other stakeholders to ensure your teams ship high-quality, reliable software that supports real-world decision-making under pressure.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Leadership: Manage a team of 3-5 software engineers, focusing on performance, growth, team cohesion, and delivery.
• Execution and Delivery: Drive team accountability for timely, high-quality delivery. Remove blockers, manage priorities, and ensure clarity across teams.
• Technical Oversight: Partner with tech leads to ensure sound software architecture, scalable backend systems, and robust analytics pipelines.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Product, Data Science, and other Engineering Managers to align goals and deliver value.
• Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous learning, operational excellence, and adaptive process improvement across teams.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

• Typically requires a Bachelors, Masters or PhD in engineering or a related technical field as well as eleven or more years of progressively complex software engineering experience. Equivalent experience may be substituted in lieu of education.
• 2+ years in a software engineering management role.
• Proven success leading an agile software team in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong technical background in backend development (e.g., Java, Python, Scala or similar) and/or data/analytics systems.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and shifting priorities while maintaining team focus and morale.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and build trust across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance is required.

DESIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working on government or defense contracts (if applicable).
• Familiarity with cloud-native architectures (e.g., AWS, Kubernetes, event-driven systems).
• Background in analytics, data engineering, or machine learning pipelines.
• Experience hiring and growing diverse, high-performing engineering teams.

Job Type: Full-Time Salary
Salary range: 125,810 - 229,670