Software Engineer III

Caribou Thunder; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401(k) match

Flexible PTO

Education reimbursement

Military leave

Work-life balance

Job summary

Caribou Thunder in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Software Engineer III to design, implement, and test complex software for real-time missile defense threat environments. This mid–senior role requires a security clearance and hands-on work on mission-critical systems.

You will collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams, contribute to large-scale codebases, and travel up to 10% as needed to meet program needs. A strong background in C++, Java, or Ada is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline from an accredited university.
• 5 years of related software engineering experience with a Bachelor’s degree or 3 years of related experience with a Master’s degree or 1 year of related experience with a PhD
• Recent experience developing software in C++, Java, or Ada
• Willingness to become proficient in Ada software development
• Strong communication skills for technical collaboration and documentation
• Ability to think critically and translate concepts into work products, technical discussions, and presentations
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative engineering team environment
• Ability to work within a closed-area / in-person development environment
• Ability to travel up to 10% to support mission needs
• Active in-scope DoD Secret security clearance required at time of application

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and test complex software capabilities and algorithms supporting the ground weapons system and ground fire control product.
• Develop and maintain software that evaluates and manages threat scenes within the U.S. Missile Defense System.
• Implement mathematics and physics-based solutions that directly support Missile Defense Agency (MDA) mission capabilities.
• Contribute to a large-scale codebase (~1.5 million lines) supporting mission-critical missile defense operations.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary engineering teams across varying experience levels in a high-performance development environment.
• Support testing, integration, and validation of new software capabilities.
• Participate in discussions, technical reviews, and engineering briefings supporting mission development and deployment.
• Support occasional travel (up to 10%) to meet program and mission requirements.

Skills

C++

Java

Ada

Linux

MATLAB

Python

Jira

Confluence

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Jenkins

Ansible

Git

GitLab

Job description

Software Engineer III
Mid–Senior Level | $90,000 - $110,000 | Huntsville, AL | Active Secret Clearance Required

Build the software that evaluates and manages real-time missile defense threat environments—supporting ground fire control systems that protect the United States.

A Day in the Life - What you’ll do

• Design, implement, and test complex software capabilities and algorithms supporting the ground weapons system and ground fire control product.
• Develop and maintain software that evaluates and manages threat scenes within the U.S. Missile Defense System.
• Implement mathematics and physics-based solutions that directly support Missile Defense Agency (MDA) mission capabilities.
• Contribute to a large-scale codebase (~1.5 million lines) supporting mission-critical missile defense operations.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary engineering teams across varying experience levels in a high-performance development environment.
• Support testing, integration, and validation of new software capabilities.
• Participate in discussions, technical reviews, and engineering briefings supporting mission development and deployment.
• Support occasional travel (up to 10%) to meet program and mission requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
• 5 years of related software engineering experience with a Bachelor’s degree or 3 years of related experience with a Master’s degree or 1 year of related experience with a PhD
• Recent experience developing software in C++, Java, or Ada
• Willingness to become proficient in Ada software development
• Strong communication skills for technical collaboration and documentation
• Ability to think critically and translate concepts into work products, technical discussions, and presentations
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative engineering team environment
• Ability to work within a closed-area / in-person development environment
• Ability to travel up to 10% to support mission needs
• Active in-scope DoD Secret security clearance required at time of application

Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive experience with Linux operating systems and scripting
• Experience with MATLAB and Python
• Experience supporting large-scale missile defense systems
• Advanced degree or strong academic background in Mathematics or Physics
• Experience supporting Battle Management or Fire Control systems
• Experience with Agile development tools such as Jira and Confluence
• Experience with DevSecOps and CI/CD tools including Jenkins, Ansible, Git, and GitLab

Who is Caribou Thunder?

Caribou Thunder is a HUBZone-certified small business providing advanced technical and engineering services to the U.S. Department of War and its mission partners.

35+ states and 20+ countries. We’ve delivered trusted solutions for over two decades — strengthening national readiness across missions on land, undersea, in the air, and throughout LEO, MEO, GEO, and deep space.

Why Caribou Thunder? TEAM THUNDER — Mission Focused. Delivery Proven. Ready to Serve.

Employee Advocacy
Mission Proven
Global Reach
Skilled Teams
Modern Tools
Empowering Culture

Our engineers and innovators ensure capability from sea floor to space frontier — delivering on time, maintaining compliance, and performing with precision in high-consequence environments.

We specialize in Engineering Services, Cybersecurity, Software Development, Modeling & Simulation, Digital Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence — disciplines powering the nation’s most complex technical missions.

Employee Advocacy + Benefits

Our people are the heart of Caribou Thunder. We invest in their growth, flexibility, and well-being — knowing their success drives ours.

Benefits include:
Premium Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
401(k) with 6% Company Match
Flexible PTO & Work Schedule
Education & Certification Reimbursement
Support for Military Leave
Work–Life Balance & Traditional Family Values