Embedded Flight Software Developer

Leidos LLC; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Huntsville is seeking a Flight Software Developer to design and develop robust C++ embedded software for airborne subsystems. You will work within an Agile team to develop, test, and maintain software across embedded flight products, tools, and mission-critical components.

The role emphasizes real-time embedded systems, operating under RTOS, and collaboration with customers and teammates to ensure reliable flight software across platforms and hardware environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with GPA 3.0 or higher.
• U.S. citizen eligible for DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop C++ embedded software for airborne subsystems.
• Develop software following safety and coding standards in collaboration with peers.
• Create, execute, and automate unit and integration tests.

Skills

C++

C

Java

C#

Rust

Python

Linux

Windows

RTOS

Agile

GitLab CI/CD

Jira

Trello

Monday.com

Code reviews

Unit testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics

Tools

GitLab CI/CD

Jira

Trello

Monday.com

Job description

Within the Defense Sector, the Airborne Systems Business Area at Leidos currently has an opening for a talented Flight Software Developer to work in our Huntsville office. This is an exciting opportunity to use your knowledge and experience to research, develop, and demonstrate software for tactical strike, sensors, autonomy, UAS, and counter-UAS solutions. This position focuses on the development of robust, innovative, modular software for real-time embedded airborne systems, as well as the fielding, operations, support, and maintenance of existing embedded software products. The position includes work on different software products across the system: embedded flight software, analysis tools/simulations, mission planning software, and components of mission-critical systems. This position will involve embedded a variety of computing technologies, hardware, interfaces, and development/debugging tools such as device drivers, flash memory, bootloaders, board support packages, printed circuit boards (PCBs), microcontrollers, JTAG interfaces, real-time operating systems (RTOS), single board computers, systems-on-chip (SoCs), and varying levels of communications protocols.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design and develop robust modern, object-oriented C++ embedded software for airborne computing subsystems.
• Develop software in accordance with software coding and safety standards in collaboration with peer team members and under the oversight of senior software developers.
• Assist with creating, executing, and automating unit and integration tests on software components.
• Work as part of an Agile software development team and participate in planning, task estimation, execution, and progress reporting.
• Participate in code reviews to maintain code quality and share knowledge with the team.
• Rapidly troubleshoot and resolve application issues and bugs.
• Contribute to team guides and technical data that supports development, test, and sustainment of the fieldable software.
• Use GitLab CI/CD pipelines for performing configuration management, continuous integration, and automated testing.
• Other software development technical duties as assigned.
• Communicate directly and regularly with customers, end users, and other team members.

Basic Qualifications

• Candidate must possess at least a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent technical degree with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Candidate must be a U.S. citizen and be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense security clearance.
• Candidate should have 0-18 years of relevant technical experience.
• Relevant academic, internship, research, or professional technical experience may be considered.
• Relevant technical experience must include developing, integrating, testing, or troubleshooting embedded software or embedded‑adjacent applications that interface with, operate, monitor, support, simulate, control, or communicate with embedded systems.
• Candidate should have knowledge of developing software in accordance with disciplined software engineering practices, such as requirements analysis, configuration management, version control, coding standards, peer review, unit testing, continuous integration, integration testing, and software verification.
• Candidate must demonstrate a strong competency in detailed software design and coding in one or more of the following relevant programming languages [C, C++, Java, C#, Rust, or Python] and possess the ability to learn and effectively develop in modern C++.
• Candidate is expected to participate effectively in peer reviews, both providing and incorporating constructive technical feedback.
• Candidate should have familiarity or experience developing or writing unit and/or integration tests using a test framework.
• Have strong quantitative, analytical and process improvement skills along with a personal drive for accurate details and quality workmanship.
• Aptitude with Linux and Windows operating systems and their respective development tools/IDEs, scripts, debuggers, and administrative features is also expected.
• undefined Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and use of one or more Agile tools, such as GitLab Ultimate, Atlassian Jira, Trello, or Monday.com.
• Demonstrate familiarity with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and professional character.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with applicable industry standards (e.g., IEEE 12207, CMMI, DO-178C and/or DO-278, RMF, MIL-STD-882) is a plus.
• Experience using AI to assist with software coding, testing, and/or technical document generation is a plus.
• The ability to work across multiple products under development by multiple small teams is highly desirable.
• Experience with the design and implementation of time-critical software for integrated systems, such as real-time control software, hardware-in-the-loop simulation, sensors, vehicles, medical devices, or IoT components.
• Experience with hardware/software integration, board bring-up, and debugging using tools such as JTAG debuggers, logic analyzers, logs, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, RTOS applications, or similar development tools is highly desirable.
• * This posting is for multiple opportunities ranging in years of experience. Level of opportunity, including compensation, will be matched to a candidate’s experience.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling.

At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones that disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting: September 28, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range: Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.