Software Engineer - Senior

About the role

You will lead the design and delivery of high-impact software systems for defense applications, owning complex solutions from initial concept through production deployment. Your work will center on transforming oceanic sensor data into actionable intelligence that directly supports undersea operations and real-time decision-making for warfighters. You will architect and implement full-stack systems that span user interfaces, backend services, APIs, and data layers while adhering to strict performance, reliability, and security standards. This role requires solving complex, ambiguous challenges and mentoring other developers to foster a culture of quality and continuous improvement. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams to integrate systems and optimize performance across the entire solution stack. Your responsibilities include defining technical direction, enforcing best practices, and creating the technical documentation necessary for long-term maintainability. You will design, develop, and operate Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and tool integrations that enable agentic AI capabilities for mission users. Through your leadership, you will ensure that software solutions are operationally relevant and delivered efficiently to support national security missions.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the design and implementation of complex full-stack systems that support AI and analytics missions for defense applications.
• Architect end-to-end solutions that integrate user interfaces, backend services, APIs, and data layers to meet mission requirements.
• Develop and maintain RESTful APIs, microservices, and event-driven architectures that power critical mission workflows and operations.
• Build and refine operator-facing dashboards and user interfaces that transform sensor data into clear, actionable insights for decision-makers.
• Provide technical mentorship to mid-level and junior developers, fostering a culture of quality, continuous learning, and improvement across engineering teams.
• Define and enforce coding standards, best practices, and development processes to ensure consistency and excellence across engineering organizations.
• Lead technical decision-making processes, including technology selection and architectural direction for critical defense initiatives and capabilities.
• Partner with cross-functional teams such as data engineers, AI/ML engineers, and mission analysts to optimize system integration, performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Oversee code reviews to ensure software implementations meet stringent security, performance, reliability, and compliance standards.
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, system specifications, and architectural decision records to support future development and maintenance.
• Identify and implement optimizations that improve scalability, throughput, efficiency, and overall system performance in demanding operational environments.
• Design, develop, and operate Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and tool integrations that enable agentic AI capabilities for mission users and operational workflows.
• Manage and enhance CI/CD pipelines, build automation, and DevSecOps practices to ensure secure and efficient development across the entire lifecycle.

Requirements

You bring a proven track record of hands-on software development, with experience building production-grade systems in defense or related high-stakes environments that demand operational reliability. You are forward-thinking, flexible, and comfortable navigating ambiguity while pushing technical boundaries to deliver innovative solutions. You take ownership of problems, framing and driving solutions from discovery through delivery while maintaining focus on mission success and operational impact. You dive deep into system behavior, using prototypes and experiments to validate approaches and ensure solutions meet demanding performance criteria. You stay current with emerging platform features and development practices, continuously seeking ways to innovate within defense and maritime technology domains. Teaching and communication are core to your role, as you break down complex technical concepts for diverse audiences including both technical and non-technical stakeholders. You are mission-driven, with "operationally relevant" being more than a phrase-it is your standard and the measure of your success in every project you undertake.

You possess 8+ years of hands-on software development experience building production systems that operate in demanding environments and require high reliability and security. You hold an active TS/SCI clearance with the ability to obtain CI Polygraph, demonstrating your eligibility for government security requirements. You have expertise in multiple programming languages and technology stacks, including modern JavaScript frameworks such as React, Angular, or Vue, and at least one backend language such as Python with FastAPI or Django, Node.js, Java with Spring, or Go. You demonstrate a strong understanding of software architecture patterns, system design principles, and API design for both REST and GraphQL implementations in complex systems. You have experience with relational and non-relational databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis, understanding their appropriate use cases and performance characteristics. You bring experience with cloud-native development, containerization using Docker and Kubernetes, and secure coding practices essential for defense and maritime applications. You have a demonstrated history of leading technical teams, mentoring developers, and establishing development processes that ensure quality, performance, and operational excellence across project lifecycles. You possess deep knowledge of secure coding practices, authentication, and authorization mechanisms necessary for protecting sensitive defense systems and data.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with sonobuoy sensors, ocean data pipelines, or maritime defense applications.

Practical notes

This role is based at Bolling AFB and follows standard working hours, with occasional travel to client sites. It requires U.S. citizenship and eligibility for government clearance.