Lead Software Engineer

Careerwebsite; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Retirement plan

Paid Leave

Job summary

Leidos in Arlington, VA seeks an experienced Lead Software Engineer to drive unmanned and autonomous ship software for national programs. You will work within an Agile Scrum team, designing, building, and testing software powering critical maritime initiatives.

Responsibilities include leading small projects, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with stakeholders while traveling up to 25%. A Secret clearance is required or can be maintained; experience with Linux, C++, and software lifecycle

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM field plus 4+ years of professional software development experience (or 2+ years with a Master’s).
• Strong understanding of data structures and software design.
• Proficiency with C++ and Linux; knowledge of Linux OS.
• Experience with source control and configuration management tools.
• Experience mentoring or guiding other developers in a team.
• Exposure to high availability, sensor fusion, or military systems integration.

Responsibilities

• Analyze, design, code and update software for new features and performance improvements.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle from requirements to deployment.
• Serve as technical lead for small projects and ensure quality.
• Mentor and coach junior engineers to grow team capabilities.
• Perform peer reviews to ensure maintainability and best practices.
• Drive continuous process improvements in workflows and tooling.
• Engage with client stakeholders to communicate progress, risks and solutions.
• Travel up to 25% for field tests, engagements, and milestones.

Skills

C++

Linux

Data structures

Team leadership

System integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or STEM

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Git

Jira

Confluence

Docker

Kubernetes

RKE2

Jenkins

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to join our team in developing the forefront of unmanned and autonomous ship development for the US Government. Based in Arlington, VA, you will be embedded within an Agile Scrum team - designing, building, and testing software that powers some of the nation’s most critical maritime programs. The candidate will help to lead projects of significant national importance, guiding the transformation of existing vessels into autonomous platforms and supporting the development of new ships from concept through deployment.

What You’ll Work On:

• Ship Automation & Control Systems
• Autonomous Navigation
• Sensor Fusion & Processing
• Communication Systems
• Modeling & Simulation for verification and software testing

Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze, design, code and update software for new features and performance improvements.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, from requirements and design through implementation, testing, and deployment.
• Serve as technical lead for small projects, providing direction and ensuring technical quality.
• Mentor and coach junior engineers, fostering professional growth and elevating team capabilities.
• Perform peer reviews of software, ensuring quality, maintainability, and adherence to best practices.
• Drive continuous process improvement, collaborating with the team to optimize workflows, tools, and engineering practices.
• Assist with evaluating field tests, analyzing results and transitioning findings into actionable software enhancements.
• Engage directly with client project stakeholders, communicating technical progress, risks, and solutions effectively.
• Some travel (up to 25%) to support field testing, client engagements, and program milestones.

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM field plus 4+ years of professional software development experience, or 2+ years of professional experience with a Master’s degree.
• Understanding of data structures.
• Professional experience using C++ and Linux.
• Knowledge of the Linux operating system.
• Experience with software source control and configuration management tools.
• Significant experience working in a team environment, including experience providing guidance and coaching other developers
• Exposure to one or more of the following: high availability, sensor fusion, target tracking, path planning, communications systems, or military systems integration.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence)
• Familiarity with automated build processes (Bamboo, Jenkins, etc.)
• Professional experience using Java and front-end development frameworks.
• Knowledge and experience with relational databases such as Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or Microsoft SQL Server.
• Experience with Python.
• Experience designing complex systems, considering performance and user requirements.
• Experience with interface communication standards / protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, and DDS.
• Familiarity with game theory, artificial intelligence, petri nets, safety critical software.
• Demonstrated experience with Docker and Kubernetes (RKE2) in containerization, Kubernetes management and automation technologies.
• Experienced in designing, implementing, and analyzing simulations involving extensive datasets, ensuring efficient data processing and accurate modeling outcomes.
• Proficient in applying vector geometry concepts for spatial analysis, modeling, and problem-solving in simulation environments.
• Active Secret Security Clearance preferred

Original Posting:

September 25, 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 $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

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.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

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 at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

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.