Lead Software Engineer

Systemstechnologyresearch; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

STR’s Intelligence Division seeks a Lead Software Engineer to operationalize advanced algorithms across computer vision programs. You will integrate Python ML pipelines with complex systems, ensuring resilience, maintainability, and user-focused design.

You will translate requirements into deployable features, build robust backends, and manage real-time messaging pipelines. On-site at Arlington, VA or other locations, with a path to leadership and cross-project collaboration.

Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in Python and ability to produce clean code
• Experience with Git, CI/CD, and scalable testing practices
• BS degree in a scientific field with 8+ years of relevant experience or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Translate stakeholder requirements into features for an AI/ML stack
• Develop new user-facing features and robust backend architectures
• Build, maintain, and test messaging systems for real-time data workflows
• Optimize data ingestion, transformation, and storage pipelines
• Maintain distributed systems workflows with reliability and performance testing
• Collaborate across programs and adapt to diverse tools

Skills

Python

CI/CD

Git

Education

BS in CS/Math/Data Sci/Physics

Tools

RabbitMQ

Kafka

ZeroMQ

OpenCV

PyTorch

FFmpeg

Job description

Are you driven to build cutting edge solutions for the nation’s technology needs?

At STR, we’re developing advanced capabilities that create a lasting impact on national security, gaining an edge on the unseen adversary through technology dominance.

About the Team:

STR’s Intelligence Division researches and develops advanced analytics and software solutions to solve challenging problems relevant to national security. Our team specializes in applying cutting-edge machine learning and computer vision in areas such as biometrics, target recognition and autonomous agents to solve national security and intelligence problems. We tackle complex technical challenges under stringent operational constraints by leveraging diverse skill sets from fields such as engineering, computer science, and applied machine learning.

Our projects focus on a wide range of data modalities—including biometric data, video imagery, geospatial, and radio-frequency data—powered by the latest advances in deep learning and statistical techniques. Our solutions have real-world impact, allowing U.S. Government analysts and operators to extract and enrich intelligence information across the globe. If you’re motivated by making a difference while working in a collaborative and fast-paced environment and have experience with systems integration, robust application development, and messaging pipelines, we’d like to hear from you.

The Role

As a Lead Software Engineer, you will use your software development expertise to operationalize advanced algorithms across a broad range of computer vision programs. You will integrate Python-based machine learning pipelines with complex systems and ensure they are resilient, maintainable, and user-focused.

Collaborating closely with project leads and customers, you will:

• Translate stakeholder requirements into system features and components in a deployable AI/ML solutions stack
• Develop new user-facing features and implement robust backend architectures to support them.
• Build, maintain, and test messaging systems, such as real-time data workflows and distributed processing pipelines.
• Optimize software for data ingestion, transformation, and intelligent storage/retrieval pipelines.
• Maintain and improve workflows for distributed systems, ensuring reliability and performance testing in operational environments.
• Participate in cross-program collaboration, adapting to diverse projects and tools.

Our work involves projects of national significance, and the ability to work on-site in one of our Dayton, OH, Woburn, MA, or Arlington, VA locations (depending on candidate preference) will be required.

Who you are:

• Motivated collaborator who takes pride in the craftsmanship of their solutions and demonstrates strong ownership throughout the lifecycle of development
• Ability to implement and evaluate novel prototype solutions, and work with a team to mature promising prototypes into operational capabilities
• Strong proficiency in python and demonstrated ability to generate clean, high quality code both with and without coding tools
• Familiarity with software development best practices, including version control (Git), testing at scale (CI/CD), and agentic coding best practices
• BS Degree in a scientific field such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, or Physics with 8+ years of relevant experience. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Ability to obtain a security clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government

Even Better

• Development experience with advanced messaging or real-time processing tools like RabbitMQ, Kafka, or ZeroMQ
• Experience with integration of computer vision algorithms and image processing tools (e.g., Pytorch, OpenCV, ffmpeg)
• Experienced in leading and directing research initiatives from inception to functional prototypes
• Experience working in a large cross-functional, distributed team
• Experience with US Government software accreditation processes
• Active security clearance

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $180,000 - $220,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STRis committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at www.str.us for more info.

STRis an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at [e-mail] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.