Principal Software Engineer

Vigilant Cyber Systems, Inc; Mount Airy (NC); On-site; USD 190,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Flexible, primarily remote work environment

Job summary

A fast-growing R&D company is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead software development teams and manage R&D projects for defense applications. This leadership role requires strong technical skills in software development and experience guiding teams in an agile environment. The ideal candidate has a graduate degree in a relevant field and a proven track record in software engineering and project management. The position offers a competitive salary and primarily remote work options.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software development.
• Demonstrated experience leading software teams.
• Strong hands-on development skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead software development teams on R&D projects.
• Serve as PI and technical lead for DoW programs.
• Shape and execute the company’s software strategy.
• Oversee proposal strategy and technical content.

Skills

Leadership in software development

Agile methodologies

DevSecOps

AI-assisted development

Excellent communication skills

Education

Graduate degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow)

GitLab CI/CD

Job description

Vigilant Cyber Systems, Inc. (VCS) Location: Primarily Remote (some travel to customer sites and our Mount Airy, NC office) Salary Range: $190,000 – $225,000

About Vigilant Cyber Systems (VCS)

VCS is a fast-growing R&D company developing advanced cyber-security testing methods and tools for the U.S. Department of War. We operate at the intersection of cyber and physical systems, creating next-generation solutions for mission-critical defense applications.

Current Research Programs

• AI-Enabled Sensor Fusion systems for U.S. Navy vessels to enable holistic mission readiness assessments.
• Cyber-Physical Test Suites simulating electromagnetic attacks and evaluating operator recovery time for the U.S. Air Force.
• Automated DevSecOps Tools for the Missile Defense Agency, integrating unit testing, static analysis, fuzzing, and performance measurement directly into CI/CD pipelines.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to lead our technical research and development efforts. Reporting directly to the President, this hands‑on leadership role will balance technical innovation, team management, and strategic direction across multiple DoW projects.

This role will initially focus on leading active research and development projects while providing technical vision and mentoring across teams of engineers. You will act as a Principal Investigator (PI) on select efforts, coordinating directly with program managers and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead software development teams using agile methodologies across multiple R&D projects.
• Serve as PI and technical lead for active DoW research programs (MDA, Navy, USAF).
• Supervise and mentor engineering staff from entry to senior levels.
• Shape and execute the company’s software R&D strategy and roadmap.
• Provide thought leadership in software engineering, DevSecOps, and AI‑assisted development.
• Identify and pursue business development opportunities, including SBIR/STTR proposals and new DoW initiatives.
• Oversee proposal strategy, review technical content, and manage proposal coordination.
• Extend VCS technologies to additional defense applications and customers.
• Drive continuous improvement in development, testing, and integration practices.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience (10+ years in software development).
• Demonstrated experience leading software development or R&D teams where products have been shipped to customers.
• Strong hands‑on development skills and deep understanding of modern SDLC, CI/CD, and DevSecOps.
• Proven success managing technical projects and coordinating with external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to represent VCS to customers and partners.
• U.S. Citizenship and eligibility to obtain a DoW Security Clearance.

Preferred Experience

• Prior leadership in a startup or small business (Director, VP, or CTO‑level experience).
• Familiarity with the DoW SBIR/STTR process.
• Expertise in one or more of the following:
• C/C++
• Rust
• Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Scala
• Experience with:
• AI / Machine Learning and LLM integration including training models
• API and system architecture design
• GitLab CI/CD and automated testing pipelines
• Instrumentation platforms such as Splunk, ELK, Grafana, etc.
• Front‑end development (Web, Desktop, Mobile)

Why VCS

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits
• Flexible, primarily remote work environment. 10% Travel to meet customers and stakeholders.
• Opportunity to lead impactful DoW research and shape the future of cyber‑physical security

Timeline: Immediate Citizenship Requirement: U.S. Citizens only