Lead Software Engineer

Leidos is looking for a Software Engineer focusing on System Management supporting our Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) program. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless integration and functionality of air traffic management systems. Your expertise will contribute to the modernization and enhancement of the systems that support air traffic control operations. TFDM is the surface management solution that will provide NextGen Air Traffic Control capabilities to improve air traffic operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). The TFDM program is a Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) NextGen program based on airport surface management that provides efficiency for both the airport surface and terminal airspace by providing a new and comprehensive integrated surface traffic control and management system. Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Location: This position is in our Gaithersburg, MD office 3 days a week and 2 days a week from home office. Travel: 25% travel is required for this position. Travel will be to various airports across the country as the TFDM system is deployed to 89 airports. The travel will generally be between 1 to 2 weeks per trip. Technical Skills (Required) Core Technologies: Ansible - Deep experience with playbooks, roles, custom plugins, callbacks, and inventory systems Python - Strong scripting, automation, and tool development Bash/Shell scripting - Complex build orchestration and system automation Linux system administration - Red Hat Enterprise Linux, package management, integration of Linux technologies, etc. Demands strong foundational Linux administration and management of the full lifecycle of systems from bare metal to operational deployment across multiple environments. Container technology - Podman/Docker, container builds, orchestration Infrastructure & DevOps: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices Configuration management at scale CI/CD and build automation Release management and versioning Git workflows and collaboration Systems Knowledge: Network configuration (VLANs, IP schemes, switch configs) Physical hardware provisioning (PXE boot, kickstart) Virtual machine lifecycle management (VMware and KVM) Multi-environment deployment (dev/test/prod/lab) Package ecosystem management (RPM, pip, Ansible Galaxy) Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field 4+ years of proven experience in Software Engineering Technical Skills (Highly Desirable) Ansible best practices YAML templating and variable hierarchies Ansible vault and secrets management Multi-site infrastructure coordination Custom Ansible plugin development AI assisted development Domain Experience Enterprise infrastructure management Mission-critical system deployment Multi-processor-type system architectures Air-gapped or classified environments Qualities & Soft Skills Systems Thinking: Understand complex interdependencies (200+ Ansible roles, multiple processor types) Trace issues across numerous environment configurations See how changes ripple through the architecture Systematic & Methodical: Follow documented workflows (TCM verification, CAS validation) Test thoroughly before deployment Problem-Solving Approach: Debug across multiple abstraction layers Work within constraints of existing architecture Collaboration: Work with established patterns rather than reinventing Coordinate across multiple sites and environments ATMC 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: May 26, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. 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. 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 $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. 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 here. Securing Your Data Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to .... Commitment and Diversity 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.