Software Engineering Lead

Leidos Holding • $107K — $195K *
Information Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field; Master's preferred.
  • 10+ years of software engineering experience, with 5+ years in leadership roles on large Federal IT programs.
  • Experience with NIH, HHS, CMS, or other Federal agencies.
  • Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies and secure software development lifecycle (SDLC).
  • Hands-on experience with Java, Python, Ruby, and RESTful APIs.
  • Experience with AWS cloud services and cloud-native application development.
  • Familiarity with Federal cybersecurity compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

  • Lead design, development, and sustainment of enterprise software applications for NIH/NCI.
  • Provide technical leadership across the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) using Agile methodologies.
  • Establish software engineering best practices and enforce coding standards.
  • Develop enterprise applications using Java, Python, and cloud technologies.
  • Lead cloud modernization initiatives, including application migration and containerization.
  • Design and support application hosting environments for high availability and performance.
  • Collaborate with stakeholders to develop requirements and support production operations.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on impactful projects supporting biomedical research.
  • Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams.
  • Access to continuous learning and professional development opportunities.
  • Engagement with cutting-edge technologies in cloud computing and software engineering.
  • Potential for career advancement within a leading organization in the health sector.
Full Job Description
The Leidos Health & Civil Sector is seeking a Software Engineering Lead to support the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT) Business Information Technology Solutions Development and Integration Services (BITSDIS) 2 program.

** This posting is for future business - not yet awarded **

The Software Engineering Lead will oversee the design, development, modernization, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment of enterprise software solutions supporting NCI. In addition, the Software Engineering Lead will provide technical leadership for software engineering teams responsible for delivering secure, scalable, cloud-native applications that advance NCI's biomedical research and business mission.

Working under the direction of the Technical Lead, the Software Engineering Lead will collaborate closely with Government stakeholders, technical Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), solution architects, AI/ML engineers, data engineers, cybersecurity specialists, and DevSecOps teams to ensure the successful delivery of modern software solutions that support scientific research, clinical operations, and enterprise business systems.

The successful candidate will champion modern software engineering practices, Agile development methodologies, DevSecOps, cloud-native architectures, and continuous innovation while ensuring high-quality, secure, and maintainable software solutions aligned with NIH and NCI standards.

Key Responsibilities
  • Lead the design, development, modernization, testing, deployment, and sustainment of enterprise software applications supporting NIH/NCI scientific, clinical, and business operations.
  • Provide technical leadership across the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) using Agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, to deliver secure, scalable, and high-quality software solutions.
  • Establish and enforce software engineering best practices, coding standards, configuration management, and DevSecOps processes to support continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD).
  • Develop and maintain enterprise applications using technologies including Java, Python, Ruby, Oracle, NoSQL databases, MongoDB, AWS cloud services, and serverless computing.
  • Lead cloud modernization initiatives, including application migration, containerization, automation, and implementation of cloud-native solutions within NIH/NCI-managed AWS environments.
  • Design, implement, and support application hosting environments using on-premises and cloud infrastructure while ensuring high availability, performance, and scalability.
  • Oversee database design, administration, security, and data integrity for enterprise applications and scientific data platforms.
  • Collaborate with business analysts, quality assurance teams, systems engineers, and Government stakeholders to develop requirements, conduct application demonstrations, support production operations, and deliver user training.
  • Support software quality assurance activities, including Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V), automated testing, code reviews, and release management.
  • Ensure compliance with NIH, NCI, HHS, FISMA, FedRAMP, Section 508, and enterprise cybersecurity requirements, including secure authentication, cloud security, and continuous monitoring.
  • Provide technical leadership supporting Oracle Clinical (OC), C3D, Oracle WebLogic, and related clinical research application environments, including installation, upgrades, maintenance, and operational support.
  • Prepare technical documentation, architecture artifacts, and engineering recommendations while supporting continuous improvement and adoption of emerging technologies that advance NIH/NCI research and business missions.


Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical discipline. Master's degree preferred.
  • Minimum 10 years of progressive software engineering experience, including 5 years leading enterprise software development teams on large Federal IT programs.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting NIH, HHS, CMS, or other Federal civilian agencies.
  • Strong knowledge of modern software development methodologies, Agile frameworks, DevSecOps, and secure software development lifecycle (SDLC).
  • Hands-on experience with Java, Python, Ruby, Oracle, RESTful APIs, and modern software engineering frameworks.
  • Experience implementing DevSecOps, CI/CD pipelines, configuration management, automated testing, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
  • Experience developing and deploying cloud-native applications using Amazon Web Services (AWS), including services such as Lambda, S3, API Gateway, CloudFront, DynamoDB, Aurora, Neptune, Redshift, QLDB, and related cloud technologies.
  • Experience with containerization, cloud migration, application hosting, and enterprise application modernization.
  • Experience designing and administering relational and NoSQL databases, including Oracle and MongoDB.
  • Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and modeling techniques, including BPMN and ArchiMate.
  • Experience supporting Federal cybersecurity and compliance requirements, including FISMA, FedRAMP, Section 508, and secure authentication technologies such as SAML.
  • Experience collaborating with Government stakeholders, business analysts, quality assurance teams, and technical staff to deliver enterprise software solutions.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present technical information to both technical and executive audiences.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust / ADPII Clearance.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience supporting HHS, NIH or NCI biomedical research environments.
  • Experience supporting NIH cloud initiatives, including NCI Cloud Computing Platform Management Services and NIH cloud modernization efforts.
  • Experience supporting biomedical research, scientific computing, clinical research systems, or healthcare information technology environments.
  • Experience with Oracle Clinical (OC), C3D, Oracle WebLogic Suite, and scientific database hosting environments.
  • Experience leading application modernization initiatives involving microservices, serverless computing, containerization, Kubernetes, and cloud-native architectures.
  • Experience supporting Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V), software quality assurance, and automated testing frameworks.
  • Familiarity with AI-assisted software development, intelligent automation, and modern software engineering tools.


Desired Characteristics
  • Strong customer focus and mission orientation.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams in a collaborative environment.
  • Commitment to quality, innovation, and continuous process improvement.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and executive audiences.


Original Posting:
August 25, 2026

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.

Pay Range:
Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

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.

About Leidos Holding

Leidos Holding Careers

Joining Leidos Holding presents an unparalleled opportunity to advance one's career with a leader in innovation and technology. The company offers a plethora of job opportunities aimed at fostering professional growth and development in a diverse and inclusive environment.

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Leidos Holding is actively seeking skilled professionals who are passionate about leveraging their expertise to drive innovation and leadership in their fields. With a variety of open positions, Leidos Holding provides a platform for individuals to challenge themselves in a dynamic work environment.

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At Leidos Holding, innovation is at the core of everything they do. Employees are encouraged to think creatively and push boundaries. The company supports this drive for innovation through comprehensive professional development and diversity training programs that are designed to enhance skills and foster leadership.

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Leidos Holding is committed to creating a workplace where diversity is not only recognized but celebrated. With a culture that values and promotes diversity, Leidos Holding ensures that all team members have the opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow.

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For those starting their career, Leidos Holding offers internship programs that provide a robust foundation in the industry. Internships are a great way to develop essential skills, gain valuable work experience, and build professional networks.

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Employees at Leidos Holding enjoy a range of benefits designed to support their professional and personal lives. The company culture is built on a foundation of respect and integrity, providing a supportive and collaborative environment where every team member is valued.

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