Senior Software Architect & SME — Leading Cloud & API Dev

Leidos; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 131,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Gaithersburg, MD seeks a Software Engineer SME to shape architecture for critical national security missions. You will lead Agile teams, mentor engineers, and define technical direction across cloud-native platforms and APIs.

You will drive modernization, champion DevSecOps, and resolve complex software problems while collaborating with customers and stakeholders. Active TS/SCI with poly clearance required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• Master’s degree in related field is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical leader and Scrum Master for one or more Agile software development teams, facilitating Scrum ceremonies, removing delivery impediments, and promoting consistent Agile execution.
• Coach and mentor engineering teams on Agile principles, Scrum practices, and continuous improvement while maintaining a focus on technical excellence and mission delivery.
• Collaborate with Product Owners, technical leads, and program leadership to align sprint objectives, technical priorities, and software delivery milestones with customer mission requirements.
• Identify and address cross-team dependencies, technical blockers, and delivery risks that could impact sprint commitments or program objectives.
• Champion Agile engineering practices including continuous integration, automated testing, DevSecOps, and incremental delivery of working software.
• Provide technical leadership across the full software development lifecycle.
• Define and influence application architecture, technical strategy, and modernization initiatives.
• Lead resolution of the most complex software engineering and integration problems.
• Design highly scalable, secure, resilient, and maintainable software architectures.
• Establish software engineering standards, patterns, and best practices.
• Lead architecture and technical design reviews.
• Evaluate competing technical approaches and make recommendations based on mission value, risk, cost, and feasibility.
• Guide development of APIs, microservices, data services, integrations, and distributed systems.
• Provide expertise in cloud-native and containerized architecture.
• Lead efforts to improve system performance, scalability, availability, resiliency, and security.
• Provide technical oversight of CI/CD and DevSecOps implementation.
• Identify and manage technical debt and long‑term engineering risks.
• Develop solutions to complex production and operational problems.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to junior, mid, and senior engineers.
• Establish and promote effective code review and engineering quality practices.
• Partner with Test Engineering to establish effective automated testing and quality strategies.
• Collaborate with systems engineering, security, DevSecOps, program leadership, and customer stakeholders.
• Translate complex technical issues into clear recommendations for technical and program leadership.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and determine their applicability to the mission.
• Influence engineering roadmaps and modernization strategies.
• Support technical planning across Agile Program Increments.
• Represent the software engineering organization in major technical working groups and customer discussions.
• Help establish a culture of technical excellence, engineering discipline, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Scrum Master

Agile leadership

Software architecture

APIs & distributed systems

Cloud development

DevSecOps

CI/CD

OO languages

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Master’s degree in related field

Tools

Git

Docker

Kubernetes

Terraform

Jenkins

GitLab CI/CD

Job description

Leidos in Gaithersburg, MD seeks a Software Engineer SME to shape architecture for critical national security missions. You will lead Agile teams, mentor engineers, and define technical direction across cloud-native platforms and APIs.

You will drive modernization, champion DevSecOps, and resolve complex software problems while collaborating with customers and stakeholders. Active TS/SCI with poly clearance required.