Description

We are seeking an experienced Lead Software Engineer to join our team in developing unmanned and autonomous ships for the US Government. The candidate will help design, code, and test software as part of a Scrum team in Arlington, VA, and will assist in coaching and mentoring junior and mid-level developers. Joining other senior developers, the candidate will help to guide projects of significant national importance. Our team of over thirty developers supports a variety of projects, making existing ships operate autonomously as well as working to support new ships through development within design, build, and test phases. Our software handles ship automation, autonomous navigation, sensor processing, and communications. The team also develops simulations to be used for verification and software testing.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and debug mission critical software source code.
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle
• Serve as technical lead for small projects and mentor other engineers.
• Perform peer reviews of software
• Collaborate with the continuous process improvement to help the team improve
• Assist with evaluating field tests
• Communicate with client project team members.
• Some travel (up to 25%)

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in computer science or STEM  field plus 4+ years of software development, or 2+ with a masters degree, and at least 2+ using Linux and C++
• Significant experience working in a team environment, including experience providing guidance and coaching to other developers
• Experience designing complex systems, taking into account performance and user requirements
• Exposure to one or more of the following: high availability, sensor fusion, target tracking, path planning, communications systems, or military systems integration
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Atlassian tool suite
• Familiarity with automated build processes (Bamboo, Jenkins, etc.)
• Familiarity with game theory, artificial intelligence, petri nets, safety critical software
• Demonstrable problem-solving skills
• Active Secret Security Clearance preferred

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

July 9, 2025

Pay Range:

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.