Senior Principal Software Engineer - Maritime Autonomy

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

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%.