Software Integration Engineer

DESE Research, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health, dental and vision

Flexible work schedules

Flexible spending accounts

Company paid life insurance

Performance bonus program

Education reimbursement program

Personal leave for philanthropic use

Vacation, Sick & Holiday leave

Robust 401k with profit sharing

Internal promotions opportunities

Employee referral incentive program

Rewards for service anniversaries

Job summary

DESE Research, Inc. seeks a proactive Software Integration Engineer to coordinate activities across software, hardware, and systems engineering teams. You will lead integration discussions and manage schedules, ensuring interfaces meet system requirements.

Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration are essential for success. You will work with Agile sprint delivery, participate in interface testing, and help resolve issues across government stakeholders and industry partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience supporting software development, software integration, system interfaces, or software-intensive engineering programs.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including Agile development practices and sprint-based delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate technical activities and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical information to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience participating in or facilitating technical meetings, integration discussions, or engineering reviews.
• Ability to independently organize priorities, track technical actions, and coordinate issue resolution.
• Working knowledge of software interfaces, system architectures, and data communication concepts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary software integration focal point, coordinating technical activities across software, hardware, systems engineering, and external organizations.
• Lead cross-functional technical meetings, interface discussions, and integration working groups while establishing clear objectives, agendas, action items, and follow-up activities.
• Independently manage technical assignments, schedules, and integration priorities while maintaining communication with program leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinate software integration activities from planning and interface definition through testing, execution, issue resolution, and closure.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define, interpret, and validate software interface requirements across system architectures.
• Support software development lifecycle (SDLC) activities and coordinate integration milestones with Agile sprint delivery schedules.
• Evaluate software messaging, data exchanges, and system communication interfaces to support reliable subsystem integration.
• Support software interface testing and verification using simulation, emulation, and hardware/software integration environments.
• Clearly communicate technical findings, integration risks, and recommended solutions to leadership, contractors, and government stakeholders.

Skills

Technical leadership

SDLC & Agile

Software interfaces

Messaging structures

Integration environments

System communication

Verification & validation

Cross-functional collab

Defense experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Software Engineering / Computer Engineering

Tools

Emulation tools

CIL

HIL

Job description

DESE's engineering teams support the development, integration, and advancement of complex software-intensive systems that contribute to our nation's defense capabilities. We're seeking a proactive and collaborative Software Integration Engineer who enjoys solving technical challenges, coordinating across engineering disciplines, and helping lead successful system integration efforts.

This role is well-suited for an engineer who understands software development and system interfaces but also excels at communication, organization, and technical coordination. You'll serve as a key software integration focal point, bringing together software, hardware, systems engineering, industry partners, and government stakeholders to ensure mission-critical systems work together effectively.

Core Responsibilities:

• Serve as a primary software integration focal point, coordinating technical activities across software, hardware, systems engineering, and external organizations.
• Lead cross-functional technical meetings, interface discussions, and integration working groups while establishing clear objectives, agendas, action items, and follow-up activities.
• Independently manage technical assignments, schedules, and integration priorities while maintaining communication with program leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinate software integration activities from planning and interface definition through testing, execution, issue resolution, and closure.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define, interpret, and validate software interface requirements across system architectures.
• Support software development lifecycle (SDLC) activities and coordinate integration milestones with Agile sprint delivery schedules.
• Evaluate software messaging, data exchanges, and system communication interfaces to support reliable subsystem integration.
• Support software interface testing and verification using simulation, emulation, and hardware/software integration environments.
• Clearly communicate technical findings, integration risks, and recommended solutions to leadership, contractors, and government stakeholders.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience supporting software development, software integration, system interfaces, or software-intensive engineering programs.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including Agile development practices and sprint-based delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate technical activities and collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical information to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience participating in or facilitating technical meetings, integration discussions, or engineering reviews.
• Ability to independently organize priorities, track technical actions, and coordinate issue resolution.
• Working knowledge of software interfaces, system architectures, and data communication concepts.

Highlighted Skills & Experience:

• Technical Leadership: Experience serving as a technical focal point, facilitating meetings, coordinating stakeholders, and driving integration activities through completion.
• Software Development Lifecycle: Understanding of SDLC processes, Agile methodologies, sprint planning, and software delivery coordination.
• Software Interfaces: Experience defining, interpreting, documenting, and validating software interfaces and associated system requirements.
• Messaging & Data Structures: Familiarity with message content, structure, and formats, including bits, bytes, data encoding, and big-endian/little-endian representations.
• Integration Environments: Experience with software emulation tools, Computer-in-the-Loop (CIL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), and other simulation or integration test environments.
• System Communication: Familiarity with transmit, receive, and processing (TRP) rules and their impact on system performance and interface behavior.
• Verification & Validation: Experience supporting software interface testing throughout development, integration, and system-level verification.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience coordinating with software, electrical, mechanical, systems engineering, industry contractors, and government stakeholders.
• Defense Experience: Familiarity with Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD), missile defense systems, or similar aerospace and defense programs is preferred.

Why This Role Matters:

Complex defense systems rely on software that communicates and performs reliably across multiple platforms and subsystems. In this role, you'll help ensure critical software interfaces are defined, integrated, tested, and aligned across engineering teams. Your ability to bring people together, communicate technical challenges, and drive integration efforts forward will directly support the success of mission-critical defense programs.

About DESE

For the past 44 years, DESE has provided industry-leading technical and engineering solutions in the fields of Defense, Energy, Space, and Environment. As a small, family-oriented business, DESE provides a compelling benefits package including a generous profit‑sharing plan, competitive salaries, and perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to work alongside talented professionals leveraging cutting‑edge technologies to solve complex and engaging problems.

Why employees love working for DESE:

At DESE, we are committed to creating a company that is known for its respect and care for employees. We understand that happy employees are what keeps our business going and we strive to provide the best opportunities for each individual working on our team! Here are a few reasons you will love working here:

• Competitive health, dental and vision insurance with affordable premiums
• Flexible work schedules
• Two different flexible spending account options
• Company paid life insurance with options for employee paid additional
• Performance bonus program
• Education reimbursement program
• Company paid personal leave for approved philanthropic activities
• Vacation, Sick & Holiday leave
• Robust 401k profit sharing plan
• Opportunities for internal promotions
• Employee referral incentive program
• Rewards and gifts for service anniversaries

Disability Accommodation for Applicants - DESE Research, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in its job application procedures. If you have any difficulty using our online system and you need an accommodation due to a disability, you may use the following alternative email address or phone number to contact us about your interest in employment with us: [e-mail] or 256-837-8004x123.