Senior AI Software Developer

Leidos Inc; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 108,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos seeks a Senior AI Software Developer to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP). This hybrid-cloud, data-mesh environment operates in a large SAFe software organization, with you serving as a technical leader shaping enterprise data solutions.

You will design and implement microservices-based software, collaborate with systems engineering, product delivery and DevSecOps teams, and apply AI-enabled approaches

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience)
• 8+ years of relevant experience or a Master’s Degree with 6+ years of relevant experience
• Hands-on experience building and supporting microservices-based systems
• Proficiency in Java, Python, C++, or similar on Linux
• Experience with AI/ML-enabled systems and agile environments
• Understanding of APIs and distributed systems concepts
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust and U.S. citizenship
• Background investigations as required by government customer

Responsibilities

• Lead Agile sprint planning and ensure alignment of team priorities
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to team members
• Design, develop, and maintain microservices-based applications
• Collaborate in an Agile/SAFe environment with product owners and architects
• Participate in sprint ceremonies and backlog refinement
• Translate requirements into working software with systems engineering
• Develop clean, tested code following CI/CD and DevSecOps
• Contribute to system design discussions and technical decisions
• Integrate services with databases and messaging systems
• Support troubleshooting, performance tuning, and continuous improvement
• Work with QA, DevOps, and platform teams to ensure reliable delivery
• Implement automated testing strategies (unit, integration, contract, end-to-end)
• Use AI-assisted development tools to accelerate coding and testing

Skills

Microservices

Java

Python

C++

AI/ML

Agile/SAFe

APIs

DevSecOps

Public Trust

US Citizenship

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Kafka

Docker

Kubernetes

NoSQL databases

Job description

Description

Leidos is seeking a Senior AI Software Developer to join theAir Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP). L-CAP is a mission-critical, future-ready automation platform built on a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, enabling next-generation air traffic management capabilities. As part of a large-scale Scaled Agile (SAFe) software development organization, you will serve as a technical leader and strategic architect, shaping enterprise data solutions that bridge mission needs, systems engineering rigor, and modern Agile delivery.

In this position, you will design and implement software solutions independently while working closely with systems engineering, product delivery, and DevSecOps teams. The primary focus is on developing microservices-based applications within an Agile/SAFe environment. Experience with AI-enabled or data-driven systems is advantageous. This position supports government programs and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Public Trust investigation.

This position is located in either Gaithersburg, MD or Egg Harbor Township, NJ. This is an opportunity to contribute to projects that impact millions of air travelers.

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days onsite and 2 days working from home.

This role focuses on building and modernizing real-time, safety-critical systems using a combination of traditional systems engineering and AI-augmented software development practices. You'll work on software that directly supports national air traffic operations, applying AI tools to accelerate development, improve quality, and enhance system reliability.

What You'll Do

• Lead Agile sprint planning ensuring alignment of team priorities, clear deliverables, and successful execution of project objectives

• Mentor and guide team members by providing technical leadership, sharing best practices, removing roadblocks, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team environment focused on continuous improvement

• Design, develop, and maintain microservices-based applications using modern software engineering best practices

• Collaborate with product owners, architects, and engineers in an Agile/SAFe environment

• Participate in sprint planning, daily standups, reviews, and retrospectives

• Collaborate with systems engineering and program teams to translate requirements into working software solutions

• Develop clean, maintainable, and testable code following CI/CD and DevSecOps practices

• Contribute to system design discussions and technical decision-making

• Integrate services with databases, messaging systems, and external APIs

• Support troubleshooting, performance tuning, and continuous improvement

• Work closely with QA, DevOps, and platform teams to ensure reliable delivery

• Implement modern automated testing strategies, including unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing

• Use AI-assisted development tools to accelerate coding, refactoring, debugging, and test creation

Core Technical Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience)

• 8+ years of relevant experience or a Master's Degree and 6+ years of relevant experience

• Hands-on experience building and supporting microservices-based systems

• Proficiency in at least one modern programming language (e.g., Java, Python, C++, or similar on a Linux-based system)

• Experience or exposure to AI/ML-enabled systems (Claude-Code), automation, or intelligent platforms.

• Experience working in Agile environments

• Understanding of APIs and distributed system concepts

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust

• U.S. citizenship required

• Successful completion of background investigations as required by the government customer

Preferred / Desired Qualifications

• Experience with Git-based version control and CI/CD pipelines

• Familiarity with Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

• Experience working with relational and/or NoSQL databases

• Hands-on experience with Kafka or other event-streaming technologies

• Cloud experience (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

• Containerization and orchestration experience (Docker, Kubernetes)

• Experience working in DevSecOps environments

• Experience with test automation frameworks and integration of automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines

Why Leidos?

You'll work on systems where performance, precision, and reliability matter - every second. This is not experimental AI for prototypes. This is disciplined, responsible AI applied to mission-critical software that supports national infrastructure.

If you're excited by solving complex problems in regulated, real-world environments - and using AI as a force multiplier rather than a shortcut - we'd like to talk.

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.

Pay Range:Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand 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.

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