Software Engineering Lead - JobID-0205

Innovative Defense Technologies, LLC

Arlington (VA)

On-site

USD 135,000 - 273,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Innovative Defense Technologies, LLC seeks a Software Engineering Lead for our Advanced Capabilities team in Arlington, VA. You will own roadmaps, guide productization, and collaborate with engineering, business areas, and external clients to deliver scalable software solutions for the fleet.

Required: active Secret clearance, on-site work in Arlington, 5 days in office, and strong leadership. Extensive experience across C/C++, Java, Python and architecture, with Docker/Kubernetes experience.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, cybersecurity, or related field (or equivalent full‑time professional experience)
Minimum of 7+ years’ experience in software development
Ability to travel approximately 10%
Highly adept at understanding and presenting complex software solutions
Extensive experience developing software in C, C++, Java, JavaScript, and Python.
Abundant experience with System and Software architectures
Familiarity with software design patterns
Experience designing software with UML primitives: sequence diagrams, class diagrams, and activity diagrams
Requirements elicitation, management, tracking, and auditing
Documentation, training, and deployment experience with tactical software
Ability to work on-site in Arlington, VA and travel to customer sites
Familiarity deploying containers to Docker utilizing Kubernetes-based platforms

Responsibilities

Engineer and Architect Solutions: design high-fidelity prototypes and end-to-end systems.
Test and Assure Quality: develop unit/integration/performance tests and lead complex incident investigations.
Manage Risk and Drive Improvement: identify risks and drive modernization of legacy systems.
Lead and Develop People: coach teams and promote inclusive, high‑performing culture.

Skills

Software architecture

Multi-language development

UML diagrams

Communication skills

Project management

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE/CE/cybersecurity

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

VMware vSphere

Job description

Software Engineering Lead - JobID-0205

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Arlington, VA

Compensation: $135,000 - $273,000 / year

Description

About The Role:

Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), a leading defense technology company, is seeking a Software Engineering Lead to be part of our Advanced Capabilities team and based out of our Arlington, VA location.

We are seeking an experienced Engineering Lead to lead the strategy, execution, and productization of our Advanced Capabilities Product offerings. The selected individual will be responsible for owning the roadmap, prioritizing features, productizing for deployment, and collaborating across engineering, business areas, business development, and external clients to ensure the successful delivery of scalable and maintainable software solutions to the fleet.

Clearance & Location Requirements:

All applicants must currently possess an active Secret U.S. Security Clearance.
This is an on-site position. Requiring at least 5 days in office, based out of our Arlington, VA location.

Key Responsibilities

What You Will Do:

Engineer and Architect Solutions: Design and develop high-fidelity prototypes to guide architectural decisions and evaluate solutions against business and operational goals. Architect end-to-end systems that balance project constraints with enterprise objectives, selecting languages, frameworks, and data structures to optimize performance and scalability. Apply advanced algorithms and design patterns to solve complex problems while adapting frameworks to maximize value and efficiency.
Test and Assure Quality: Design and implement comprehensive test strategies—including unit, integration, and performance testing to ensure full system coverage. Lead complex incident investigations and coordinate cross-team issue resolution. Enhance monitoring, alerting, and diagnostic tools to improve detection and response, while proactively addressing systemic defects and guiding architectural improvements to ensure long‑time software stability in deployed environments.
Manage Risk and Drive Improvement: Identify and mitigate systemic issues through long‑time engineering solutions embedded within the development lifecycle. Lead large‑scale modernization initiatives to re‑engineer legacy systems and improve maintainability. Establish risk management frameworks, forecast emerging technical and security risks, and champion mitigation strategies to ensure resilience. Integrate secure development practices and threat modeling into architectural decisions to proactively address vulnerabilities.
Lead and Develop People: Coach and mentor team members to meet both individual career goals and IDT’s organizational objectives. Build inclusive, high‑performing teams that embody IDT values and promote a positive, collaborative culture. Delegate work strategically, empower continuous learning, and model ethical leadership, trust, and resilience across all interactions.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

Who You Are (Required):

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, cybersecurity, or related field (or equivalent full‑time professional experience)
Minimum of 7+ years’ experience in software development
Ability to travel approximately 10%
Highly adept at understanding and presenting complex software solutions
Extensive experience developing software in various languages, including C, C++, Java, JavaScript, and Python.
Abundant experience with System and Software architectures
Familiarity with and hands on experience with software design patterns
Experience designing software with UML primitives: sequence diagrams, class diagrams, and activity diagrams
Requirements elicitation, management, tracking, and auditing
Documentation, training, and deployment experience with tactical software
Ability to work on‑site in Arlington, VA facility and travel to customer sites
Familiarity deploying containers to Docker utilizing Kubernetes based orchestration platform(s)
Strong verbal and written communication skills; Adept at presenting technical information to internal and external stakeholders
Project management skills to include cost, schedule, as well as technical performance estimating and measurement

What Makes You Stand Out:

Master's degree in Engineering or another technical field
Familiarity with foundational networking concepts such as routing, switching, identity services, intrusion detection, and firewall
Familiarity deploying virtual machines in VMWare vSphere environments including networking configuration
General familiarity with Risk Management Framework (RMF), Authority to Operate (ATO) operations and experience developing solutions that adhere to cyber policy
Familiarity designing within complex software development environments including submodules, remote dependencies, and mixed‑code deployments
Experience in technical writing, including proposal and white paper authoring

Pay Range*: $135,000 - $231,000 or $164,000 - $273,000

This amount may not be reflective of actual compensation that may be earned as pay is dependent on a candidate’s experience, skills, and education. The posted range does not include bonuses, commissions, tips, or other benefits. IDT is often looking to place multiple candidates at various levels. Therefore, more than one pay range has been included, commensurate with experience.

Job Benefits

Why Work at Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT):

IDT is a growing company with a vibrant, entrepreneurial culture. We are headquartered in Arlington, VA with additional offices in Fall River, MA; Mount Laurel, NJ; and San Diego, CA. At each location, our employees work together in a modern, snack‑filled, and social office space, designing innovative solutions for our defense industry customers. We offer employees competitive pay and benefits including: