Lead Software Engineer

Leidos; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Arlington, VA is seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to join our unmanned and autonomous ship development team for US Government programs. You will be embedded in an Agile Scrum team – designing, building, and testing software powering critical maritime programs.

You will lead projects, mentor engineers, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring quality and security clearances. Expect up to 25% travel for field tests and milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM field and 4+ years of software development experience
• Strong knowledge of C++ and Linux
• Experience with source control and configuration management tools
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance
• Experience mentoring engineers

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 and best practices
• Drive continuous process improvement and optimize workflows and engineering practices
• Assist with evaluating field tests and transition findings into software enhancements
• Engage with client stakeholders to communicate progress, risks and solutions
• Some travel (up to 25%) to support field testing and milestones

Skills

C++

Linux

Data structures

Lead / mentoring

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or STEM field

Master's degree

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Bamboo

Jenkins

Oracle

MySQL

PostgreSQL

Docker

Kubernetes

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:

Our software portfolio spans the full spectrum of autonomous maritime operations, including:

• 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

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 who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We’re already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00