Leidos Defense Systems is seeking a talented Software Engineer to develop high-performance applications and backend systems supporting advanced sensors and mission systems. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy building performant software and want to grow into broader system-level and real-time development over time. We have offices across the United States engaging in the defense, space, cyber and commercial fields, we provide responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific and IT solutions.

Primary Responsibilities:

Candidate will support advanced technology radar programs develop user-facing and backend software that interfaces with high-performance sensor and data processing systems. These applications are tightly coupled with real-time data pipelines and hardware systems, requiring strong understanding of performance, data flow, and system behavior.

Engineers in this role are expected to grow into broader system ownership over time, contributing across application, middleware, and real-time components as needed.

• Develop, and maintain C++-based applications and backend systems
• Build software supporting data processing, visualization, and system control
• Analyze and improve performance, latency, and scalability of software systems
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software, systems, and hardware engineers
• Support integration, testing, and deployment of software in operational environments
• Contribute to evolving system capabilities, including future real-time and high-throughput processing components
• Contribute to development and improvement of systems and features end-to-end

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science degree from an ABET-accredited school with a strong demonstration of the skills listed below plus 2-4 years of experience in software development OR Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science degree from an ABET-accredited school with a strong demonstration of the skills listed below plus 4-8 years of experience in software development.
• Must be a US citizen, possess and able to maintain an active secret clearance
• Candidate must be a resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL, area

Candidate must have excellent teamwork skills and possess strong fundamentals in the following:

• Experience with C++ or similar systems-level programming language
• Experience with Linux-based systems
• Experience with higher-level user application development
• Experience working with performance-sensitive, distributed, or systems-oriented applications
• Experience with multithreaded or concurrent programming
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies and work across different layers of the software stack

Preferred Qualifications:

Candidate with additional skills in the following is preferred:

• Experience with messaging frameworks (e.g., ZeroMQ or similar)
• Experience with containerization and CI/CD pipelines
• Exposure to radar, RF, or sensor systems
• Experience with tools such as MATLAB or similar for analysis or prototyping

Original Posting:
May 5, 2026

Pay Range:
Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00

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.