Senior Software Engineer Lead

Description

Leidos is seeking talented engineers to join our spacecraft and payload development teams in San Diego, CA and Huntsville, AL. This is an exciting opportunity to leverage your expertise in successfully deploying complex engineering projects, while contributing to our national defense mission.

We are looking for engineers who thrive in fast-paced environments and have a passion for developing and delivering high-tech solutions. While being an experienced engineer with Space DNA who has worked on LEO, MEO, and GEO is important, and we value and welcome those with experience working for organizations like SDA, RCO, or DARPA, we are most excited about candidates who have demonstrated success in delivering complex, reliable space systems under tight timelines.

As a Software Engineering Lead at Leidos, you will lead a team of software engineers and collaborate with other software and algorithm engineers in addressing emerging challenges in space sensor capabilities. The candidate will primarily work to develop ground-based applications in support of space-based software using Agile software development methodologies. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring the capability, quality, and reliability of our ground-based software. This role offers a fantastic opportunity to contribute to Leidos mission of delivering cutting-edge solutions for next-generation space capabilities. But unlike the competition, at Leidos you will have the work life balance you deserve. Put your strong leadership and technical expertise to play at Leidos. Join our team in striking the balance of technical rigor with the need for rapid development and market readiness.

If you have a track record of success in delivering complex projects and are eager to make a meaningful impact on national defense, we want to hear from you.

Primary Responsibilities

As a software engineering lead, you will have a role consisting of:

• Lead the development of ground software for sensor applications and programs.
• Participate in development phases from detailed requirements flow down, trade studies, processing architecture design, hardware selection, firmware and software development, sensor and payload integration and test, spacecraft integration and test, and on-orbit support.
• Actively working with multi-domain team of engineers including software, firmware, electrical, optical, and test engineers to coordinate software efforts across multiple programs, including embedded software, ground support software, test equipment software, and software-in-the-loop (SWIL) and hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulators.
• Analyze user requirements to derive software design and performance requirements.
• Assist with developing and executing test procedures for software components.
• Interface with system engineers to derive software requirements and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
• Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) tools like Jenkins Agents or GitLab Runners.
• Familiarity with security testing tools and practices to identify vulnerabilities in software and static code analysis
• Proficiency using industry-standard tools and frameworks such as PyTest, GTest, Xray for Jira or similar technologies.
• Strong analytical background including the use of Matlab to model complex algorithms
• Demonstrated experience working in and leading engineering teams.
• Mentor Junior software engineers in good engineering practices.

Basic Qualifications

Were looking for Software Engineers possessing the basic software foundational skills such as:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Computer Engineering from an ABET-accredited university and 12+ years experience or Masters Degree with 10+ years of experience. May possess a Ph.D. with 8+ years of experience.
• Experience designing complex software systems
• Experience leading a team of 5+ software engineers.
• Experience working with a multi-domain team of engineers including software, firmware, electrical, optical, and test engineers.
• Understand and experience with Agile Principles and the Scrum framework.
• Understand and perform software code development using C, C++, and Python with the ability to write, maintain, and troubleshoot code.
• Strong debugging skills to analyze, identify, and isolate software defects and issues in a systematic methodology.
• Experience with Integration & Test, including test automation.
• Familiarity with and understanding of security test tools and practices to identify vulnerabilities in software and static code analysis.
• Proficient in using version control systems (e.g., GitLab) to manage source code in a defined branching structure.
• Experience working SDA, MDA, AFRL, and Air Force space programs.
• U.S. citizen and must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of containerization technologies like Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes.
• Experience with image processing algorithms, Kalman filtering, and/or closed-loop control systems.
• Able to obtain a top-secret clearance.

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.

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.