Software Engineer, Associate Principal

Kratos Space Training & Cyber; Corridor North (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is seeking an Associate Principal Software Engineer to join the Annapolis Junction, MD team in-person. You will architect, maintain, and enhance complex software systems, directing multiple software teams to analyze user requirements and derive system-wide design and performance standards.

You will authorize modifications, establish testing standards, and define development processes to meet project goals.

Qualifications

• 14+ years of software development experience with a BS degree.
• Architect, develop, and modify complex software systems in C++, Java, and Python to implement algorithms and establish quality standards.
• Direct the analysis of user and system requirements to derive system-wide design and performance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Architect, maintain, and enhance complex software systems based on documented requirements.
• Direct software development teams to analyze user requirements and derive system-wide design and performance requirements.
• Establish testing methodologies and documentation standards to verify software meets requirements; define development processes and best practices.

Skills

C++

Java

Python

Software architecture

Team leadership

Requirements analysis

Education

BS degree

Tools

NumPy

SciPy

MATLAB

Kafka

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

Git

Jira

Job description

Readiness Delivered. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions develops and fields transformative, affordable technology, platforms, and systems for United States National Security related customers, allies, and commercial enterprises. We proactively build trusted relationships with our peers, partners and customers, and take ownership for our actions always striving to do the right thing.

Kratos is looking for an Associate Principal Software Engineer to join our team in-person in Annapolos Junction, MD. This position architects, maintains, and enhances complex software systems based on documented requirements. Key responsibilities include directing software development teams to analyze user requirements to derive system-wide design and performance requirements, authorizing software modifications to meet those requirements, establishing testing and documentation standards to verify that the software meets requirements, and defining the various software development processes and best practices used on the project. This position is contingent based on award.

Keyword

Java, Python, Linux, Skyfield, STK, GMAT, database, Kafka, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, shell scripting, satellite, geolocation, TDOA, FDOA, SIGINT, signal processing, algorithms, Git, Scrum, Jira, GNSS

Required Experience

• TS/SCI with full scope Poly
• Architect, develop, and modify complex software systems in languages such as C++, Java, and Python to implement algorithms and establish the quality control standards for the software developed by the project.
• Direct the analysis of user and system requirements and develop solutions by evaluating system-wide flows, data usage, hardware/software tradeoffs (COTs/GOTs), and performance standards.
• Govern multiple software development teams and ensure work is aligned with the overarching software development lifecycle and project milestones.
• Consult on high-level software defects, architect the integration of complex components, and ensure system-wide compatibility.
• Establish testing methodologies and serve as the final authority for all software and system documentation reviews.
• Drive process improvement by defining the development standards for the project and serving as the primary technical lead for the software development process.
• Minimum 14 years with BS degree.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Mastery of satellite communications concepts and the ability to define requirements for modulation/demodulation and complex RF measurement systems.
• Subject matter expertise in RF signal processing and the development of custom algorithms for working with IQ data using tools such as NumPy, SciPy, or MATLAB.
• Authority on geolocation techniques (TDOA/FDOA) and estimation theory, providing technical direction for satellite orbit mechanics, TLE propagation, and orbital modeling tools.
• Experience directing the architecture of full-stack web applications and geospatial data visualization frameworks for large-scale signal data display.
• Experience leading the strategy for cloud-native or hybrid on-premise environments, including enterprise-wide containerization, infrastructure as code, and CI/CD governance.
• Expertise in architecting enterprise-scale message‑oriented architectures or streaming data frameworks (Kafka, RabbitMQ, Redis) for real‑time signal processing and global data distribution.