Systems Engineer, Agile Mission Development

Shadow Strategies, LLC; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Parental leave

Flexible leave

401(k)

Disability coverage

Health stipend

Job summary

Shadow Strategies, LLC is seeking Systems Engineers at multiple levels to support mission software and infrastructure from our Columbia, MD office. This ongoing pipeline role emphasizes requirements gathering, agile workflows, and coordinating with stakeholders.

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field and 5 years of experience (or 9 years without a degree) are required. Salary ranges reflect location and contract needs, with comprehensive benefits including health insurance,

Qualifications

• Requirements gathering and refinement
• Systems engineering practices
• Testable requirements development
• Agile development methodologies
• Cross-functional technical communication

Responsibilities

• Gather and refine requirements to establish clear, testable needs for mission software and infrastructure efforts
• Translate stakeholder needs into requirements that guide development activities and delivery outcomes
• Manage technical workflows that support software and infrastructure development across agile teams
• Lead or support engineering teams through development cycles, iterations, and releases, depending on assignment
• Coordinate across developers, designers, product leads, and stakeholders to maintain alignment with mission objectives

Skills

Requirements gathering

Systems engineering

Testable requirements

Agile development

Cross-functional communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

5 years of experience

Job description

This is a multi-level ongoing pipeline position.

Location: Columbia, MD

Telework: TBD, subject to manager approval and tasking

Clearance Required: TS/SCI with Polygraph

Salary Range: $1,10,000 to $260,000

At Shadow Strategies, you will join a culture defined by innovation, purpose, and meaningful impact. We seek multiple levels who shape mission software and infrastructure by refining requirements, managing technical workflows, enabling iterative delivery, and potentially leading engineering teams while aligning technology with mission needs. If you are inspired by complexity, motivated by clarity, and committed to excellence, we invite you to become part of something exceptional.

This role supports mission software and infrastructure efforts across agile teams, including both greenfield development and integration with legacy systems, with a focus on delivering clarity and technology alignment. You will serve as a Systems Engineer as an individual contributor and/or engineering team lead depending on level and assignment, supporting mission software and infrastructure efforts through requirements development, technical coordination, agile workflows, and development releases for developers, designers, product leads, stakeholders, engineering teams, and end users. This capability enables clear requirements, stakeholder alignment, and technical decisions that support operational success while keeping technology aligned with mission objectives.

What You’ll Do

• Gather and refine requirements to establish clear, testable needs for mission software and infrastructure efforts
• Translate stakeholder needs into requirements that guide development activities and delivery outcomes
• Manage technical workflows that support software and infrastructure development across agile teams
• Lead or support engineering teams through development cycles, iterations, and releases, depending on assignment
• Coordinate across developers, designers, product leads, and stakeholders to maintain alignment with mission objectives

Who This Might Be a Fit For

• You have experience translating ambiguous or evolving needs into clear, testable requirements
• You are comfortable leading or supporting engineering efforts across complex development cycles
• You understand how technical requirements, stakeholder needs, and end-user outcomes intersect
• You prefer clarity over cleverness and durable solutions over quick fixes
• You communicate effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders and collaborate within agile teams to support iterative delivery

Required Skills

• Requirements gathering and refinement
• Systems engineering practices
• Testable requirements development
• Agile development methodologies
• Cross-functional technical communication

Helpful Experience Areas

• SCRUM development environments
• Engineering team leadership
• Iterative software delivery practices
• Greenfield development efforts
• Legacy system integration experience

Years of Experience and Degree Requirements

Requirements will depend on what level you are being considered for, but at minimum we require a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or a related field and 5 years of experience

OR 9 years of experience without a degree

Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Work Environment

Based in Columbia, MD. Primarily in the office in Columbia, MD. Multidisciplinary teams supporting mission systems in classified environments. Ownership and leadership expectations depend on level. Junior contributors are trusted to work independently while drawing on available mentorship and resources. Senior individual contributors are trusted to shape technical direction and connect evidence to execution.

What Comes With It

You will have what you need to do your best work:

• Fully covered health insurance for medical, dental, and vision
• Paid parental leave: 16 weeks if you give birth, 4 weeks if your partner does
• Flexible leave: 36 days total each year, including 25 days of PTO and 11 paid holidays
• 401(k) for your future
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Annual health stipend if you opt out of our insurance

The Extras?

No points systems. No bean bags. Just clarity, autonomy, and a mission that matters.

Shadow invests in exceptional people because demanding work requires more than a paycheck. Our benefits are designed to provide meaningful support inside and outside the mission.

See our benefit plan at: https://www.shadowstrategies.io/benefits

Shadow Strategies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a workplace that values diversity and fosters inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual’s particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements.