Technical Lead

Software Engineering Institute | Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% employer retirement contribution

Tuition benefits for dependent children

Access to wellness programs

Paid parental leave

Eligibility for relocation assistance

Job summary

A leading software engineering institute is seeking a Software Development Technical Leader to support U.S. Navy customers. This role involves technical leadership in software acquisition and sustainment for critical fleet operations. Candidates should have extensive experience in C/C++ development and software architecture. Responsibilities include guiding technical teams, advising on software design, and analyzing system interfaces. This position offers competitive benefits and supports mission-critical applications.

Qualifications

• 10 years of relevant experience with a BS, or 8 years with a Master's, or 5 years with a PhD.
• Experience with large scale Navy acquisition programs.
• Deep understanding of C/C++ software development.

Responsibilities

• Support Naval software acquisition and sustainment activities.
• Provide technical leadership for a fleet-facing maintenance application.
• Lead software development efforts from concept through deployment.

Skills

C/C++ proficiency

Software architecture expertise

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field

Master's degree in relevant field

PhD in relevant field

Tools

C#

Java

Python

Job description

The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) advances the state of the art in software engineering and cybersecurity and serves as a national resource for secure, resilient software systems. The SEI works closely with academia, the U.S. Department of War, other government organizations, and industry to improve the development, acquisition, and sustainment of software-intensive systems.

Our core purpose is to help organizations acquire and operate software-reliant systems that are secure, reliable, sustainable, and mission-effective, delivered on time and within budget.

If you are creative, curious, collaborative, technology-focused, and motivated to solve complex problems in support of national defense, we encourage you to apply.

About the Role

We are seeking a Software Development Technical Leader to support U.S. Navy customers in the acquisition of a software-based maintenance and readiness application critical to fleet operations and national security. This position provides technical leadership across the software acquisition lifecycle, including architecture analysis, software development oversight, risk reduction, and sustainment planning. The role requires close collaboration with Naval Program Executive Offices (PEOs) and Program Management Offices (PMOs), sustainment organizations, contractors, and fleet stakeholders to ensure software solutions meet operational, maintainability, and long-term supportability requirements.

The ideal candidate combines hands‑on software expertise (C/C++) with experience supporting Naval acquisition programs, legacy‑dependent systems, and operational environments. This role includes guiding technical teams, evaluating architectural tradeoffs, developing prototypes, analyzing existing source code, and leading customer engagements that inform acquisition and sustainment decisions.

What You’ll Do

• Support Naval software acquisition and sustainment activities in accordance with DoD 5000-series acquisition guidance, including architecture analysis, software engineering, integration, testing, deployment, and long-term sustainment planning
• Provide technical leadership for a fleet‑facing maintenance and readiness application supporting operational availability across afloat and ashore environments.
• Advise Navy Program Executive Offices (PEOs), Program Management Offices (PMOs), and government stakeholders on software design decisions, technical risks, modernization strategies, and tradeoffs associated with large, legacy‑dependent systems
• Lead software development efforts from concept through deployment, with an emphasis on C and C++‑based implementations supporting high‑performance and mission‑critical use cases
• Demonstrate software architecture expertise by developing and maintaining design artifacts such as data‑flow diagrams, sequence diagrams, interface control definitions, and quality attribute specifications to support scalable, maintainable, and resilient solutions
• Analyze existing source code, system interfaces, and data flows to identify technical debt, sustainment risks, and modernization opportunities.
• Develop prototypes and technical demonstrations to support risk reduction, acquisition decision‑making, and capability maturation
• Collaborate with senior U.S. Navy and government stakeholders, contractors, integrators, SEI staff, and leadership to assess needs and deliver technically sound recommendations
• Lead and mentor a team of developers, fostering disciplined engineering practices, continuous improvement, and mission focus
• Support customer engagements such as technical interchange meetings (TIMs), design reviews, and acquisition milestone activities, providing clear, defensible technical input
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, software development best practices, and Naval digital modernization initiatives relevant to sustainment and maintenance systems

Who You Are

• Ability to obtain and maintain an active Department of War (DoW) security clearance; an existing SECRET or higher clearance is preferred
• Previous experience leading, architecting, or developing large scale Navy acquisition programs including Aegis Combat System, SM‑series interceptors, Sea Sparrow Missile System and/or Surface Electronic Warfare programs
• Previous experience working with large scale Naval Command elements such as NAVSEA, NAVAIR, NAVWAR, NAVFAC, NIWC or their predecessors such as SPAWAR

Education and Experience Requirements:

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline with ten (10) years of relevant experience; OR Master’s degree in the same fields with eight (8) years of experience; OR PhD in the same fields with five (5) years of experience
• Proven experience designing and implementing complex software architectures for mission‑critical or sustainment‑focused systems
• Demonstrated ability to identify, analyze, and balance architecture drivers, tradeoffs, extensibility, and long‑term maintainability
• Deep understanding of C and C++ software development, including analysis of existing codebases
• Working knowledge of C#, Java, and Python
• Experience across the full software development lifecycle, including the use of static analysis tools and techniques to improve software quality and security
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and engage credibly with government and contractor stakeholders
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to government decision‑makers
• Willingness to work directly with U.S. military and government stakeholders in support of mission success
• Ability to travel up to 25% to SEI offices, sponsor sites, conferences, and offsite meetings

Why Work Here

• Our benefits philosophy centers on choice, control, and well‑being. Through Carnegie Mellon University, SEI offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
• The opportunity to join a world‑class organization with a significant impact on government software systems
• Work alongside leading experts to solve high‑consequence national security challenges
• An 8% employer retirement contribution with no employee contribution requirement
• Tuition benefits for you and your dependent children
• Access to university resources, including wellness programs, transit benefits, and onsite fitness facilities at select locations
• Paid parental leave and military leave
• Eligibility for relocation assistance and additional benefits