Principal Software Engineer

STR; Woburn (MA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

STR is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership in the development, integration, and validation of real-time RF sensor software. You will guide architecture, integrate algorithms into open architecture frameworks, and build test infrastructure for mission-critical systems.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, multi-disciplinary collaboration, and mentoring across distributed architectures, with travel for demonstrations and field tests.

Qualifications

• Active security clearance required (Secret) with ability to obtain Top Secret
• 10+ years of professional software development experience
• Experience leading complex software development, integration, and test efforts
• Expert-level programming for high-performance, real-time applications
• Experience with Linux and Git
• Experience with real-time, distributed, or embedded software
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills
• Proven leadership and mentoring experience
• Experience in proposal development and technical writing

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical design, development, integration, and validation of real-time sensor systems in C/C++
• Integrate signal processing algorithms into open architecture software frameworks
• Define and execute integration and system-level tests
• Debug software in real-time, multi-threaded environments
• Transition MATLAB/Python prototypes into production C/C++ implementations
• Document designs, tests, results, and integration plans
• Support demonstrations and field-testing activities
• Promote best practices for software quality and risk management
• Mentor junior engineers and interface with government customers
• Contribute to proposals, technical approaches, and cost estimations
• Develop UI dashboards and visualization tools for system observability
• Travel ~10% for integration events and demonstrations

Skills

C/C++ programming

Real-time systems

Multi-threading

Debugging

Git

Linux

System integration

Mentoring

Education

BS/MS/PhD in CS/CE/EE

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Git

Open architecture frameworks

Job description

The Real-time Architectures, Integration, and Demonstration (RAID) Group focuses on transition of algorithms from concept to real-time software, providing open architecture expertise, and facilitating integration of capabilities for experimentation, test, and deployment.

The Role:

As a Principal Software Engineer you will provide technical leadership for the development, integration, and validation of real-time RF sensor software systems. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to architect, guide, and implement software components, integrate algorithms into open architecture frameworks, and develop test infrastructure to validate system performance. This role emphasizes hands-on software development, open system integration, integrating software components across distributed architectures and with hardware platforms, and rigorous testing of real-time applications. You will establish integration and test approaches, identify and mitigate technical risks, mentor engineers, and collaborate with program leadership and government customers to ensure successful delivery of mission-critical capabilities.

What you will do:

• Lead the technical design, development, integration, and validation of real-time sensor systems in C/C++
• Integrate signal processing algorithms into open architecture software frameworks
• Define, develop, and execute integration tests and system-level validation tests
• Debug software issues in real-time, multi-threaded, and distributed systems
• Lead the transition of algorithm specifications and MATLAB/Python prototypes into optimized production C/C++ implementations
• Document software designs, test procedures, results, and technical reports as well as integration plans, technical briefings, and customer-facing presentations
• Support system demonstrations and field-testing activities
• Establish and promote best practices for software quality, configuration management, test automation, documentation, and technical risk management
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers
• Interface with government sponsors, customers, program managers, and technical stakeholders to define requirements, communicate technical status, and present results
• Lead or substantially contribute to proposal development, including technical approach development, work‑breakdown planning, technical writing, cost estimation, white papers, and customer presentations
• Contribute to the design and implementation of user interfaces, dashboards, and visualization tools that support system observability, test execution, data analysis, and integration workflows
• Support approximately 10% travel for integration events, field testing, and customer demonstrations

Who you are:

• Active clearance at the Secret level with ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is a government requirement
• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with relevant experience depending on degree (BS + 12 years, MS + 10 years, or PhD + 5 years)
• Ten or more years of professional software development experience, including demonstrated experience leading complex software development, integration, and test efforts
• Expert-level proficiency in programming for high-performance, real-time applications
• Experience with version control systems (Git)
• Experience with Linux
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills
• Demonstrated experience developing or integrating real-time software for signal-processing, embedded, distributed, or hardware-connected systems
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience
• Experience leading or substantially contributing to proposal efforts, including technical writing, technical‑approach development, cost estimation, and customer presentations

Even Better:

• Active Top Secret clearance (TS/SCI preferred)
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate technical concepts to engineers, program leadership, and government customers
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB
• Experience with hands‑on hardware testing and lab equipment
• Experience in signal processing and RF sensor‑system architectures
• Experience with real-time or embedded software development
• Knowledge of multithreaded programming and synchronization
• Understanding of open architecture principles and standards
• Experience developing user interfaces, dashboards, or visualization tools for system integration, test execution, operational monitoring, or data analysis
• Awareness of usability and human‑machine‑interface considerations for technical, engineering, or mission‑system applications

Join us and be part of a team that’s making an impact at the forefront of technology and innovation.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $220,000 - $260,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STRis committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can’t do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at www.str.us for more info.

STRis an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at [e-mail] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in STR’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.