Lead Software EngineerLocation: Hybrid in the Aurora, CO area
Clearance: Ability to Obtain and Maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance Preferred
DeNOVO Solutions is seeking a highly capable
Lead Software Engineer to drive system architecture, technical direction, and development standards across mission-focused applications supporting defense and intelligence programs. This role is ideal for a technical leader who thrives on designing scalable and secure systems, guiding engineering teams, and solving complex technical challenges in high-impact environments.
You'll serve as the primary technical authority for the team, helping shape long-term architecture decisions, enforcing engineering best practices, and ensuring the delivery of maintainable, high-quality software solutions across backend, frontend, and integrated systems.
You'll Shape Technical Direction- Lead architectural decisions and define technical standards that influence mission-critical systems and long-term platform strategy.
You'll Solve Complex Engineering Challenges- Work across distributed systems, authentication frameworks, APIs, and modern frontend technologies to deliver scalable and secure applications.
You'll Mentor and Elevate Teams- Guide and mentor engineers through technical leadership, code reviews, architecture discussions, and development best practices.
You'll Build for Long-Term Mission Success- Design maintainable, secure, and scalable systems that can evolve alongside operational mission requirements.
A Day in the Life- Lead system architecture and technical direction across multiple applications and services.
- Design scalable, resilient, and secure software solutions supporting mission and operational requirements.
- Serve as the primary technical authority for development teams and engineering initiatives.
- Establish and maintain development standards, coding practices, and software engineering best practices.
- Lead architecture discussions and make key technology decisions across backend, frontend, and infrastructure components.
- Design and develop backend services and APIs using Python-based frameworks and technologies.
- Develop and maintain secure authentication and authorization solutions using OAuth2, Keycloak, and related identity management technologies.
- Guide API strategy, interface design, and integration standards across distributed systems.
- Collaborate with engineers, architects, DevSecOps teams, and mission stakeholders to align technical execution with operational needs.
- Conduct code reviews and ensure high standards for code quality, maintainability, security, and performance.
- Troubleshoot and help resolve complex technical issues across applications and environments.
- Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through coaching, technical guidance, and collaborative development practices.
- Support modernization efforts involving cloud-native, containerized, and microservice-based architectures where applicable.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or related technical discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- 15 years of progressive experience in similar roles.
- Experience leading software engineering teams or serving as a senior technical lead.
- Strong experience developing backend applications and services using Python.
- Experience designing and securing APIs and distributed application architectures.
- Experience implementing authentication and authorization solutions using OAuth2, Keycloak, or similar technologies.
- Experience with modern frontend frameworks such as Vue, Angular, or React.
- Strong understanding of scalable system design, software architecture, and application security principles.
- Experience conducting code reviews and enforcing software development best practices.
- Ability to work collaboratively across engineering, operations, and stakeholder teams.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience supporting cloud-native or hybrid application environments.
- Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
- Familiarity with DevSecOps methodologies and CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience supporting Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, or other federal mission environments.
- Familiarity with microservices architectures and distributed systems.
- Active U.S. Security Clearance preferred.
What Success Looks Like- Applications are scalable, secure, maintainable, and aligned with mission requirements.
- Engineering teams follow consistent development standards and best practices.
- Complex technical challenges are resolved efficiently and strategically.
- APIs and authentication systems are reliable, secure, and well-documented.
- Engineers are mentored effectively and technical collaboration across teams is strengthened.
Salary RangeSalary Range:
$145,000 - $195,000 annually for candidates in the Denver/Aurora, CO market. Compensation may vary based on experience, technical expertise, certifications, clearance status, leadership background, and mission requirements. Candidates with advanced architecture expertise, cloud-native development experience, or active security clearances may be considered above the listed range.
Pay Range: $145,000 - $195,000 per hour
