Principal Software Engineer

Leidos; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 131,300 - 237,350; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Principal Software Engineer in Arlington, VA to drive development of unmanned and autonomous ship software for government programs. You will lead feature development, guide projects, and mentor peers within an Agile Scrum team across ship automation, autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, and communications systems.

The role emphasizes end-to-end software lifecycle, design, testing, and deployment with travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM field plus 12+ years of professional software development experience, or 10+ years 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 guidance and coaching other developers.
• Exposure to high availability, sensor fusion, target tracking, path planning, communications systems, or military systems integration.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.

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 growth and elevating team capabilities.
• Perform peer reviews of software, ensuring quality and maintainability.
• Drive continuous process improvement, collaborating to optimize workflows and engineering practices.
• Assist with evaluating field tests, analyzing results and transitioning findings into software enhancements.
• Engage with client project stakeholders, communicating progress, risks, and solutions.
• Some travel (up to 25%) to support field testing, client engagements, and program milestones.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or STEM field

Master’s degree

Tools

Source control tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Java

Job description

Description

We are seeking an experienced Principal 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 12+ years of professional software development experience, or 10+ 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.

Original Posting:

July 31, 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 $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

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.

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.