Software Engineer Lead

Kratos Space Training & Cyber; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 145,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Kratos Defense is seeking a Software Engineer to lead and innovate within an agile environment, championing SecDevOps across the software lifecycle, architecting integrations to deploy enterprise applications, and guiding teams to design and maintain complex software.

The role emphasizes containerization with Kubernetes, CI/CD automation, and rigorous testing, with opportunity to work on Linux and Windows platforms and to mentor junior engineers.

Qualifications

• BA/BS Degree in Computer Science, Software, or STEM field.
• 10–15 years of relevant, industry experience.
• Leading the design, development, and optimization of Java and C/C++ applications across Windows and Linux.
• Designing and maintaining enterprise-grade automation using Python, Unix Shell scripting, Batch files, and Windows script files.
• Architectural mastery of relational database design, advanced query optimization, and SQL data manipulation.
• Mentoring junior and mid-level engineers.

Responsibilities

• Architect system integrations to develop and deploy enterprise applications.
• Orchestrate containerization strategies using Kubernetes to manage and scale services.
• Engineer testing infrastructure and automation within optimized CI/CD pipelines.
• Provide advanced operational support including documentation and troubleshooting in simulated environments.

Skills

Java

C/C++

Python scripting

SQL

Unix Shell scripting

Windows scripting

Education

BA/BS Degree in Computer Science, Software, or STEM field

Tools

Red Hat OpenShift

Kubernetes

GitLab

Azure DevOps

Jira

Confluence

Terraform

Job description

Readiness Delivered. Kratos engineers and deploys technology and systems that move national security forward, with the cost, speed, and reliability that make readiness certain. We are a trusted partner driven by doing the right thing and achieving maximum success for our customers, our partners and ourselves.

Kratos is seeking a Software Engineer to lead and innovate within our dynamic, agile environment. This role architects and champions a SecDevOps approach across the entire software development lifecycle, driving the strategic design, development, testing, and operational scaling based on user feedback. The ideal candidate will operate with high autonomy, guiding collaborative teams to design, implement, and maintain complex software solutions while establishing modern industry standards and communicating technical vision clearly to stakeholders. Key responsibilities include architecting system integrations to develop and deploy enterprise applications, as well as orchestrating containerization strategies using Kubernetes to manage and scale critical services. Additionally, the role involves engineering testing infrastructure and automation by designing and maintaining robust automated test scripts within optimized CI/CD pipelines, and delivering advanced operational support through technical requirements verification, system documentation, and complex troubleshooting in simulated environments.

Keyword: Linux Windows Agile Software Development Configuration Management SecDevOps CI/CD Virtual machines VMWare Containers Docker Kubernetes Java C C++ Scripting Database SQL

Required Experience

• BA/BS Degree in Computer Science, Software, or STEM field of study
• 10-15 years of relevant, industry experience
• Leading the design, development, and optimization of Java and C/C++ applications (including advanced network, multi-threaded, and high-performance client-server architectures) across Windows and Linux platforms
• Designing, implementing, and maintaining enterprise-grade automation using Python, Unix Shell scripting, Batch files, and Windows script files
• Architectural mastery of relational database design, advanced query optimization, and complex Structured Query Language (SQL) data manipulation
• Architecting and driving innovative solutions to complex, ambiguous engineering problems while mentoring junior and mid-level engineers

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Platform Expertise: Subject matter expertise in architecting and scaling Red Hat OpenShift and enterprise Kubernetes infrastructures.
• Domain Leadership: Deep domain knowledge of satellite ground station processing systems (including advanced planning, ground control, and high-throughput data processing).
• Enterprise DevSecOps Tools: Advanced proficiency driving automation via Python, optimizing CI/CD workflows within GitLab/Azure DevOps, and managing lifecycles using Jira/Confluence.
• Comprehensive Testing Architecture: Proven track record designing and leading automated functional, integration, regression, and high-load performance testing strategies.
• Security & Compliance: Possession of an active Top Secret/SCI or Secret security clearance.
• Industry Certifications: Advanced professional certifications such as Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA), Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD).
• Modern Infrastructure: Extensive experience implementing advanced Infrastructure as Code (IaC) architectures (e.g., Terraform) and mature GitOps workflows.

#LI-Onsite

Compensation

Competitive salary based on experience and education. Salary Range: $145,000-$170,000

Kratos is valued for our ability to design and deliver leading edge, resilient solutions for aerospace communication, control, awareness and mission success across a continuum of offerings from commercial to tailored custom solutions and integrated programs. Customers trust us to stay relevant and know we are in it for the long-haul. We bring both the capability and confidence that our customers value and depend on. And we always deliver.

This posting will close within 90 days from the Posting Date. i

From: Kratos Defense