Software Development Engineer (Multiple locations)

LCS Defense; Herndon (VA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

LCS Defense is seeking a highly skilled Software Development Engineer (Rust) to support the design of a cloud-based platform for managing high-assurance device fleets. This role involves developing backend services in Rust and ensuring secure lifecycle operations across distributed systems.

The ideal candidate should have 7+ years of experience, strong Rust skills, and an active TS/SCI clearance. Join us to work on mission-critical systems with top-tier engineers.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance is required.
• 7+ years of software development experience.
• Strong experience with Rust application development.
• Deep understanding of networking fundamentals.
• Experience designing and implementing secure, scalable architectures.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop backend services and APIs in Rust.
• Build secure authentication frameworks for device communication.
• Scale distributed service components for telemetry ingestion.
• Implement CI/CD pipelines for automated testing.
• Collaborate with teams across software, hardware, and systems engineering.

Skills

Rust application development

Backend services development

Distributed systems

Networking fundamentals

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Software Development Engineer (Rust) – TS/SCI Cleared

Location: Jessup, MD | Arlington, VA | Herndon, VA

Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Software Development Engineer with strong Rust development experience to support the design and development of a cloud-based platform managing high‑assurance device fleets. This role focuses on building secure, scalable backend services that support lifecycle operations including provisioning, configuration, monitoring, and policy enforcement across distributed systems. This is a hands‑on engineering role for candidates who thrive in high‑performance, security‑focused environments and enjoy working at the intersection of cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, and device integration.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop backend services and APIs in Rust supporting fleet lifecycle operations (provisioning, configuration, monitoring, firmware updates, policy enforcement)
• Architect and implement secure authentication and authorization frameworks for device‑to‑cloud communication
• Build and scale distributed service components for telemetry ingestion, health monitoring, configuration management, and alerting
• Develop highly available and scalable systems for managing large fleets of devices in secure environments
• Implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines for automated testing (unit, integration, end‑to‑end)
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams across software, hardware, and systems engineering

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance
• 7+ years of software development experience
• Strong experience with Rust application development
• Experience building backend services and distributed systems
• Deep understanding of networking fundamentals, including:
  • TCP/IP, routing, subnetting
  • VPN architectures, load balancing
  • DNS and network security controls (firewalls, segmentation, security groups)
• Experience designing and implementing secure, scalable cloud‑based architectures
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AWS cloud services and infrastructure, including:
  • Networking services and cloud‑native architectures
  • Infrastructure as Code (e.g., AWS CDK)
• Experience working in high‑assurance or classified environments
• Familiarity with device‑to‑cloud or IoT‑style architectures
• Experience developing compute‑optimized and memory‑efficient applications

Why Join Us

• Work on mission‑critical, high‑assurance systems
• Solve complex challenges in distributed systems and secure cloud environments
• Collaborate with a team of top‑tier engineers and domain experts
• Opportunity to work at the forefront of secure device and cloud integration