Principal software engineer

About the Team:

Information processing and sense-making systems are the lifeblood of national security efforts, facilitating an understanding of the global situation, strategic planning, and tactical execution. The reliability, accessibility, and sophistication of these systems can determine the outcomes of conflicts before they begin. STR's Analytics and Command & Control (AC2) Division focuses on developing actionable, advanced technology solutions to provide asymmetric advantages within the information domain.

The Mission Applications (MA) Group within the AC2 Division specializes in ensuring the technology that STR creates produces outsized mission impact. Staff within the MA group have a deep understanding of missions and technology needs for national security with skills targeting transition of technology to operational use, including product management, user experience design, integration and mission engineering, DevSecOps, and program management. MA staff combine with other science and engineering staff from the various STR research and development groups to form dedicated product teams focused on accelerating the operational transition of cutting-edge software technologies.

The Role:

A mission software engineer develops and deploys software essential for a specific, real-world objective or "mission" in partnership with our customers. As a Principal Mission Software Engineer in the Mission Applications Group, you have: 1) expertise in developing and deploying software solutions in complex and high-security environments, and 2) unique domain knowledge in planning/monitoring/debriefing large complex missions.

You will work as a leader of tightly knit Agile software teams to design, develop, and maintain software systems deployed in operational use. You have experience managing customer relationships while simultaneously leading engineering teams to ensure the delivered product meets the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance. This role includes:

• System Integration: Leading design and writing code that integrates various components into a single, cohesive system leveraging a component and feature team construct
• Customer Collaboration: Working closely with end-users and customers, who are typically military or Government operators, to understand their requirements and translate them into software features. You are experienced in product discovery best practices.
• Deployment and Field Testing: Traveling to integration sites to deploy, test, and triage software in secure operational environments

Who You Are:

• This position requires a Secret security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is needed by U.S. Government
• BS, MS in Computer Science or related technical field with at least 10 years of work experience
• Prior US Military Service with experience in joint planning, large force battle monitoring, and fluidity with large force debrief best practices
• Demonstrated competency in Java
• Experience designing, building, testing, debugging, and maintaining a large codebase
• Experience with the following:
  • Object-oriented programming principles
  • Service oriented architectures or micro-service architectures
  • Containerization/orchestration tools such as Docker and Kubernetes
  • Agile software lifecycle methodologies and tools, such as JIRA and SonarQube
  • DevOps or CI/CD tools such as Gitlab
  • Test-driven development methodologies
• A demonstrated ability to adopt new languages, libraries, and technologies
• Organized, detail-oriented, and with an ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Demonstrated experience as an effective communicator to both technical and non-technical audiences

Even Better:

• Active Security Clearance at the Top Secret level with SCI Eligibility
• USN or USAF Warfighting Development Center Graduate (e.g., TOPGUN, USAF Weapon School, SMWDC, etc.)

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $206,000 - $284,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at for more info.

STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at [email protected] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.