Software Quality Engineer Sr - Level 3

Lockheed Martin Corporation; Palmdale (CA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Flexible work arrangements (4x10)

Job summary

Lockheed Martin, Skunk Works in Palmdale, CA, is seeking a Software Quality Engineer (SWQE) to ensure safety, reliability, and cyber‑resilience of the software that powers next‑generation aerospace systems. You will perform AS9100 audit support, define program metrics, evaluate processes, and present quality assessments to customers and program management.

Occasional travel and off‑shift work may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field from an accredited college.
• Experience in software/hardware development and/or production environments.
• Experience supporting Agile/Scrum software development.
• Experience with one or more of the following: C++, C#, C, Java, and/or Python.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Independent evaluation of software processes and products and their conformity to standards, models, and software engineering program-defined processes.
• Ensuring quality is built into program processes and products by checking for completeness, consistency, correctness, and conformance throughout the entire software development life cycle and maintenance activities to determine whether the program's objectives have been satisfied and if continuous improvement is needed.
• Perform AS9100 audit support, program metric definition and reporting, supplier surveys, evaluation of nonconformance trending, and driving lessons learned and best practices.
• Ability to present software quality assessment of products and processes to the customer and program management.
• Track and manage nonconformances, software defects, trend analysis, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive action activities for the program.
• Occasionally travel and work off-shift and weekends.

Skills

Agile/Scrum

Programming languages: C/C++/C#/Java/P

US citizenship + security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Job description

Standard Job Description

This position is for a Software Quality Engineer (SWQE) within the historic Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Organization. The one and only Skunk Works has a 75-year track record developing aircraft systems that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Trusted to solve critical national needs for our warfighters, the Skunk Works never shies away from seemingly unsolvable challenges and has a reputation for solving hard problems quickly, quietly, and at the highest quality.

Standard Job Description

This position is for a Software Quality Engineer (SWQE) within the historic Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Organization. The one and only Skunk Works has a 75-year track record developing aircraft systems that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Trusted to solve critical national needs for our warfighters, the Skunk Works never shies away from seemingly unsolvable challenges and has a reputation for solving hard problems quickly, quietly, and at the highest quality.

At SkunkWorks, every line of code is a building block of national security and pioneering aerospace technology. Our Software Quality Engineering team is the trusted guardian of that code – ensuring that the complex software driving next‑generation systems meets the highest standards of safety, reliability, and cyber‑resilience. By joining this elite group, you’ll help shape the processes that turn groundbreaking ideas into mission‑critical reality, protecting both the integrity of the program and the lives of those who depend on it. Your work will be visible across the entire product life‑cycle, giving you a unique platform to influence innovation at one of the world’s most respected aerospace organizations.

As a Skunk Works SWQE you will be responsible for the following:

• Independent evaluation of software processes and products and their conformity to standards, models, and software engineering program-defined processes
• Ensuring quality is built into program processes and products by checking for completeness, consistency, correctness, and conformance throughout the entire software development life cycle and maintenance activities to determine whether the program's objectives have been satisfied and if continuous improvement is needed
• Perform AS9100 audit support, program metric definition and reporting, supplier surveys, evaluation of nonconformance trending, and driving lessons learned and best practices
• Ability to present software quality assessment of products and processes to the customer and program management
• Track and manage nonconformances, software defects, trend analysis, root cause analysis, and corrective and preventive action activities for the program
• Occasionally travel and work off-shift and weekends

Who You Are

You are a multi-faceted teammate able to communicate and function effectively on an engineering team to create a collaborative environment that allows for the establishment of mission goals. Self-motivated and inspired, you thrive in an environment where you are empowered to work your craft, never settling for the bare minimum.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in a STEM discipline
• Experience in a software/hardware development and/or production environment
• Experience in supporting Agile/Scrum software development
• Experience with one or more of the following: C++, C#, C, Java, and/or Python
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for a security clearance

Desired Skills

• Able to work independently in an environment with challenging requirements and dynamic schedules
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage and resolve technical issues with multiple teams, suppliers, and customer
• Experience working with cross‑functional teams (developers, system engineers, testers, suppliers) to ensure they understand and follow prescribed quality and process controls
• Demonstrated experience performing evaluations of software processes and products
• Experience with software development lifecycle (SDLC) processes including requirements management, design reviews, coding standards, unit‑test coverage, integration testing, and release management.
• Experience with DevOps/DevSecOps practices (CI/CD pipelines, automated security testing, artifact repository control) and reviewing pipeline definitions, scan results, and compliance evidence
• Experience in test planning, processing, and nonconformance processing, including root cause analysis and corrective action development
• Experience in establishing quality assurance performance metrics for identifying process improvement
• Experience with US Military customers and/or other government customer support organizations
• Experience working with defense subcontractors and suppliers
• Working experience with AS9100 or AS9115 Standards
• Working experience with Airworthiness Certification (RTCA DO-178/DO-278 and MIL-STD-516) and safety requirements
• Lean/Six Sigma black (or green) belt
• ASQ Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $95900.00 - $178100.00

At Lockheed Martin, we know mission success starts with taking care of our people. Our Total Rewards program is designed to attract top talent, support your well-being, and help you grow—both professionally and personally.

The salary range for this position is as listed on the requisition. Please note that the salary information listed is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market(work location) and business considerations when extending an offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10), 401(k) match, Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave, EAP, Flexible Spending Accounts, Education Assistance, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability.

• Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.
• For (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.