Software / Embedded Systems Engineer

Leidos; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 87,100 - 157,450; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Income Protection

Paid Leave

Retirement

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Software / Embedded Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA. This role involves working on underwater vehicle technologies and requires a SECRET clearance. The candidate will collaborate with engineers to develop UUVs and document progress.

Applicants should possess a relevant degree and have experience in firmware development, project documentation, and marine operations. The position offers a competitive salary range of $87,100 – $157,450 along with comprehensive health and wellness benefits.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship with an Active SECRET clearance required.
• Bachelor of Science (4 years experience) or Master of Science (2 years experience) in relevant field.
• Ability to move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Develop, test, and deliver uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs).
• Collaborate with teams to select components and ensure firmware operates.
• Test and analyze data onboard small boats and ships.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Firmware development

Embedded Linux

Digital signal processing

Project documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

DevOps automation tools

Job description

Description

Leidos’ Undersea Systems Division is seeking a Software / Embedded Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA to join a fast‑paced R&D engineering group. The role is a unique opportunity to drive innovation in underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions that support critical defense and national security missions at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC). Leidos’ USD is a recognized leader in C4ISR technologies, delivering mission‑critical solutions across sensor networks, unmanned systems, and tactical platforms. Join us and be part of a world‑class team delivering unmatched solutions for today’s most pressing maritime missions.

This position requires a Secret Clearance and a 9/80B work schedule (80 hours of work in nine days over a two‑week period, giving every other Friday off) onsite at NIWC to align with the government team.

Primary Responsibilities

The individual will work with a small team of engineers and technicians to develop, test, and deliver uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) based on system requirements. Development includes software for UUV operations and sensor integration.

Embedded systems focus

• Firmware development
• Designing, coding, and debugging system software in C/C++
• Writing device drivers and implementing communication protocols like SPI, I2C, and UART
• Hardware integration
• Collaborating with teams to select components (microcontrollers, sensors) and ensuring firmware operates on the physical board
• System optimization – analyzing and enhancing the efficiency, stability, and scalability of system resources
• DevOps & validation – managing project documents using automation tools and implementing regression tests
• Documentation – maintaining code comments, design specifications, and test reports throughout the project’s progression

Hardware development focus

• Design & architecture – creating detailed schematics and blueprints for computer systems, PCBs, and processors
• Prototyping – building physical models of new hardware to prove concepts, including hands‑on soldering tasks
• Testing & validation – using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters to verify that the physical hardware meets performance and safety specifications
• Manufacturing oversight – supervising assembly and coordinating with third‑party PCB/PCBA fabricators
• System maintenance – modifying existing hardware designs to improve performance or ensure compatibility with new software updates

Testing involves working onboard small boats and ships on the ocean, launching and recovering systems at sea, and post‑test analysis of data. Results are provided in official reports or briefing material. Most development and testing will be conducted in San Diego; engineers may also travel in support of testing and operations in the U.S. and abroad, and may spend multiple days at sea aboard ships.

In addition to primary duties, the individual will be encouraged to develop expertise on one or more UUV platforms and may be asked to operate the system at sea during test and evaluation.

Basic Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship; existing security clearance highly desired; Active SECRET (or higher) clearance required.
• Bachelor of Science (plus 4 years of relevant experience) or Master of Science (plus 2 years of relevant experience) in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.
• Flexible and responsive to customer needs.
• Frequent movement around piers, docks, and facility spaces.
• Transport or lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Constant use of hands/fingers to operate machinery, tools, or computer equipment.
• Ability to move about the warehouse, stoop, kneel, or reach for extended periods.
• Ability to climb ladders up to 20 feet.
• Work in various temperatures and inclement weather.

Preferred Qualifications

• Embedded systems: electronic hardware implementation/testing and software programming
• Basic Linux operation
• Embedded Linux board bring‑up, bootloaders (U‑boot), and build systems (Yocto)
• Embedded Linux driver development
• Embedded RTOS experience (FreeRTOS)
• Programming language fluency – C/C++ Python
• GIT workflow
• Digital signal processing
• Field‑programmable gate arrays
• Microcontrollers
• Real‑time programming
• Robotics applications
• Linear and non‑linear controls theory and application

Applicants should have experience working in teams to develop solutions, deliver products, and test and evaluate performance. They should also have skills analyzing experiment data to determine results as feedback into the development cycle, and possess strong technical writing skills for technical reports and briefing material.

An ideal candidate would have experience with uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) operations, including sensor integration, mission constructs, command and control, and at‑sea test and evaluation on small craft and large ships.

Pay Range

$87,100.00 – $157,450.00

Pay and Benefits

Competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave, and Retirement.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you for payment‑related information during any part of the employment application process, nor will it advance money as part of the hiring process. Communications will only come from the Leidos.com automated system.

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 considers qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

REQNUMBER: R‑00186084