Principal Ground Software Development Engineer

Socket.dev; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RTX Employee Scholar Program

401(k) plan match

Flexible work schedules

Job summary

RTX is seeking a Principal Ground Software Development Engineer in El Segundo, CA to lead embedded, real-time software for satellite ground systems. Onsite work, TS/SCI eligibility, and U.S.

citizenship are required. You will own major technical execution areas, steer architecture decisions, coordinate with systems engineering and customers, and drive DevSecOps improvements across Jenkins, Docker/Podman, and Kubernetes.

Qualifications

• Requires STEM BA/BS and 8+ years of relevant software experience.
• Experience leading software teams or technical execution for mission-critical systems.
• Proficient in C/C++ and Python in Linux environments.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical execution and delivery of mission-critical Ground Software (GSW).
• Lead architecture decisions, coordinate with multiple engineering disciplines, and interface with customers.

Skills

C/C++

Python

Linux

Docker/Podman

Kubernetes

DevSecOps

Agile/Kanban

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Tools

Kubernetes

Docker/Podman

Jenkins

Helm

YAML

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

Country: United States of America

Location: US-CA-EL SEGUNDO-E01 ~ 2000 E El Segundo Blvd ~ BLDG E01

Position Role Type: Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: TS/SCI

Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required on day 1

At Raytheon, the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling – to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. We bring the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. Our team solves tough, meaningful problems that create a safer, more secure world.

We are looking for a skilled Principal Ground Software Development Engineer with embedded development experience to join our Space and RF Sensors team in El Segundo, CA.

• Raytheon El Segundo, CA Location

What You Will Do:

Serve as a technical leader within a highly-focused team responsible for developing, integrating, and delivering real-time embedded and mission‑critical software for satellite ground systems.

• In this senior role, you will own major technical execution areas, guide architectural decisions, coordinate across multiple engineering disciplines, interface directly with customers, and ensure successful delivery of Ground Software (GSW) capabilities.
• You will work closely with systems engineering, integration and test, mission operations, program leadership, and external stakeholders to drive execution, mitigate risks, and ensure the success of high-visibility software deliveries.

Key responsibilities include:

• Own the technical execution and delivery of mission‑critical Ground Software (GSW), ensuring performance, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Lead planning, development, and maintenance of build plans, including recurring build releases, execution priorities, and coordination with control accounts and program leadership.
• Facilitate Kanban workflow, assign stories, manage backlog health, and provide technical direction to the GSW team.
• Design, develop, test, deliver, and maintain software for advanced satellite ground systems, applying modern architectures and high‑reliability coding practices.
• Lead and present technical content at internal and external meetings, including Control Change Boards (CCB), Software Segment Review Boards (SSRB), Working Groups, and weekly program/customer technical sessions.
• Prepare, coordinate, and deliver technical artifacts such as build readiness packages, impact assessments (ICDs/requirements changes), discrepancy report (DR/CR) reviews, and technical status briefings.
• Coordinate cross-team work, including Hardware-to-Hardware (H2H) transfers, Configuration Management (CM), Data Management (DM), and lab/IT support.
• Provide senior technical oversight, reviewing peer designs, PMR charts, discrepancy reports, and software installations for new releases.
• Drive DevSecOps and CI/CD improvements, including automated testing in Jenkins pipelines, containerization workflows (Docker/Podman), and Kubernetes-based deployments.
• Guide software architecture decisions across multi-threaded applications, microservices, AWS services, Kubernetes clusters, Helm charts, and YAML configurations.
• Collaborate directly with customers, supporting install events, prioritizing DRs, resolving issues, and providing build forecasts to CAMs and IMS stakeholders.
• Support program-wide leadership meetings, including daily SW leadership syncs, mission engineering customer forums, SDRL coordination updates, and weekly execution sessions.
• Work onsite in El Segundo, CA.

Qualifications You Must Have:

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and 8 years of relevant software experience.
• Experience leading software teams or technical execution for mission-critical systems.
• Experience developing object‑oriented software using C++ / C / Python in Linux environments.
• Experience with containerization (Docker or Podman), orchestration tools such as Kubernetes, and modern deployment workflows.
• Experience facilitating Agile teams, including Kanban or Scrum leadership roles.
• Active and transferable U.S. Government issued TS clearance (w/SCI eligibility) is required prior to start date.U.S. citizenshipis required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Experience deploying and debugging software in Kubernetes clusters using Helm charts, Podman container images, YAML files, and Kubectl diagnostic workflows.
• Expertise with CI/CD automation, especially Jenkins, automated system/unit tests, and DevSecOps pipelines.
• Experience with satellite ground systems, mission data processing, real-time operations, or other aerospace/defense mission systems.
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools (Confluence, Jira, Bitbucket) for backlog management, documentation, and workflow coordination.
• Experience performing technical reviews, DR/CR impact assessments, and customer-facing technical status presentations.
• Experience serving as a Product Owner or technical lead, including backlog prioritization, story creation, acceptance criteria, and execution management.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to coordinate across multiple engineering disciplines and interface with customers.
• Proven ability to manage complex technical execution across multiple internal and external stakeholders.

What We Offer:

Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation. Some of our employee benefits include:

• The RTX Employee Scholar Program pays for tuition, academic fees and books for undergraduate and graduate study at approved educational institutions
• 401(k) plan that offers a broad range of investment options. For eligible employees, we will match up to 4% of your savings to help you build financial security
• Flexible work schedules and paid time off to accommodate work/life balance including many with every other Friday off

Role Type Definition:

• Onsite: Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

• This position requires a security clearance. DCSA Consolidated Adjudication Services (DCSA), an agency of the Department of Defense, handles and adjudicates the security clearance process. More information about Security Clearances can be found on the US Department of State government website here: https://www.state.gov/m/ds/clearances/c10978.htm

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 118,300 USD - 224,900 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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