Principal Software Engineer

RTX; Woburn (MA); On-site; USD 108,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

RTX is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to lead the MDS Software Department, delivering radar and Command and Control software for critical defense programs. This onsite role in Woburn, MA or nearby sites requires an active Secret clearance and strong leadership of cross-functional teams.

You will mentor engineers, drive design and testing, and ensure delivery of high‑quality software in a fast-paced environment with Agile/DevSecOps practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in STEM and 8+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience in C, C++, or Ada for software development.
• Experience in agile software development (scrum, SAFe, or DevSecOps).
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued Secret security clearance is required; U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, testing, and deployment of complex software solutions in support of radar and Command and Control systems.
• Analyze, implement, and test software modifications to enhance functionality, performance, and reliability.
• Drive the resolution of complex software trouble reports, leveraging debugging tools to quickly identify and fix defects while optimizing code for performance.
• Provide technical leadership in an agile execution environment, driving continuous improvement and adherence to best practices.
• Collaborate with systems engineers and other stakeholders to define system requirements and ensure seamless integration of software components.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and represent the software team in program-level discussions.

Skills

C

C++

Ada

Agile

Leadership

Mentoring

Debugging

Radar concepts

Missile defense experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Bitbucket

Artifactory

Jenkins

Eclipse

Ansible

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-09-28 Country: United States of America

Location: US-MA-WOBURN-WB1 ~ 235 Presidential Way ~ SPENCER BLDG

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: Secret

Security Clearance Status: Ability to obtain INTERIM U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start dateAt RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Raytheon brings 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. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.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.The Raytheon team is looking for a Principal Software Engineer to support the Missile Defense Sensors (MDS) Software Department. The MDS Software mission is to provide world-class radar and Command and Control (C2) Software for our customers’ wide array of surveillance and warning systems. As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design, development, and delivery of mission-critical software solutions for one of our programs.This role requires advanced technical expertise, leadership skills, and a demonstrated ability to drive innovation and foster collaboration across cross-functional teams. You will also mentor junior engineers, contribute to strategic decision-making, and ensure the successful delivery of high-quality software solutions in a fast-paced, agile environment.This will be an onsite role in either Woburn, MA or Tewksbury, MA depending on the program assigned.

What You Will Do

• Lead the design, development, testing, and deployment of complex software solutions in support of radar and Command and Control systems.
• Analyze, implement, and test software modifications to enhance the functionality, performance, and reliability of existing system baselines.
• Drive the resolution of complex software trouble reports, leveraging debugging tools to quickly identify and fix software defects while optimizing code for performance.
• Provide technical leadership in an agile execution environment, driving continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring adherence to industry best practices.
• Collaborate with systems engineers, integration and test engineers, and other stakeholders to define system requirements and ensure seamless integration of software components.
• Act as a technical mentor and coach, delegating tasks and providing guidance to junior and mid-level engineers.
• Represent the software team in program-level discussions, providing technical expertise and ensuring alignment with program objectives.

What You Will Learn

• Stay current with emerging technologies and methodologies, driving innovation and advancing the technical capabilities of the team.
• Advanced radar and/or Command and Control systems concepts, including real-time, mission-critical processing.
• Strategies for optimizing software performance and scalability in large, complex systems.
• Agile and DevSecOps best practices to improve software development, testing, and deployment processes.
• Leadership and mentorship techniques to foster collaboration and technical growth within the team.
• Cutting-edge tools and technologies for building and maintaining mission-critical software solutions.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a Bachelor’s in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and 8 years of prior relevant experience unless prohibited by local laws/regulations.
• Experience in C, C++, or Ada for software development, testing, and/or integration.
• Experience in agile software development methodologies, such as scrum, SAFe, or DevSecOps.
• Active and transferable U.S. government issued Secret security clearance is required prior to start date. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Experience with leading technical discussions and mentoring team members.
• Experience in debugging tools to identify and resolve software bugs and optimize code for performance.
• Experience experience with radar software development and/or radar concepts.
• Experience in missile defense programs and large, complex systems.
• Experience working with tools such as Atlassian Suite (e.g., Bitbucket, Artifactory, JIRA, Confluence), Jenkins, Eclipse, and Ansible.
• Knowledge of Linux Operating Systems, particularly Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
• Familiarity with CI/CD environments and pipelines, including experience with DevSecOps.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make data-driven decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to coach and delegate work to junior engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Proven leadership experience in a team environment, driving creative solutions to complex technical problems.

This position is classified as: 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.

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 107,500 USD - 204,500 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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