Principal Software Engineer

Software Engineer IV – Satellite Ground Systems📍 Location: Aurora, CO💰 Salary: $220,000–$260,000🔒 Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI required; CI Polygraph preferred💼 Employment Type: W-2 Long-Term ContractAbout the Opportunity:Talent Stack is representing a confidential defense and aerospace client seeking a senior Software Engineer to develop mission-critical software for advanced satellite ground systems.This is a long-term W-2 contract supporting a government contractor.You will work with software engineers, systems engineers, architects, and technical leaders in an Agile environment to build software used for satellite planning, scheduling, and ground-system operations.The technology environment includes Java, multi-threaded applications, AWS, microservices, Docker, Kubernetes, automated testing, DevSecOps, and CI/CD.What You’ll Do:Design, develop, test, integrate, deliver, and maintain software for advanced satellite ground systems.Build object-oriented Java applications that are modular, secure, maintainable, and suitable for mission-critical environments.Develop multi-threaded software that manages concurrency, synchronization, shared resources, and performance-sensitive workloads.Create planning and scheduling capabilities used to coordinate missions, resources, dependencies, and operational workflows.Translate complex system requirements into scalable software designs and testable functionality.Participate in requirements analysis, technical design, coding, testing, integration, deployment support, and ongoing maintenance.Collaborate with engineers, architects, and technical leaders to evaluate requirements, resolve technical challenges, and support sound engineering decisions.Contribute to Agile planning, backlog refinement, design reviews, code reviews, demonstrations, and retrospectives.Develop and integrate microservices within multi-tiered AWS environments.Build automated tests and support DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines for software builds, testing, integration, packaging, and deployment.Troubleshoot software defects, integration issues, concurrency problems, and application performance concerns.Maintain technical documentation covering software designs, interfaces, testing, and system behavior.Follow software lifecycle, security, configuration management, documentation, and verification practices required in defense and government contracting environments.Required Qualifications:U.S. Citizenship is required.Active and transferable U.S. government-issued Top Secret/SCI clearance required before the start date. An active Top Secret clearance that can be crossed over to TS/SCI may also be considered.Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics.At least 8+ years of relevant professional software engineering experience.Internships, co-ops, research assistantships, academic projects, capstone projects, classroom work, and graduate research do not count toward the required years of experience.Willingness to work as a long-term W-2 contractor supporting a government contractor.Professional experience designing, developing, testing, and maintaining object-oriented Java applications in production, operational, or mission-critical environments.Strong knowledge of object-oriented software design, including abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, composition, interfaces, and reusable design principles.Hands-on experience developing multi-threaded Java applications involving concurrency, synchronization, thread safety, parallel processing, or shared-resource management.Experience developing planning and scheduling software or comparable systems that coordinate resources, activities, dependencies, workflows, or operational sequences.Experience testing, debugging, integrating, delivering, and maintaining Java software throughout the software development lifecycle.Ability to translate complex technical and operational requirements into scalable designs and working software.Ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, architects, technical leaders, and other stakeholders in an Agile environment.Strong analytical, troubleshooting, debugging, and root-cause analysis skills.Preferred Qualifications:Background developing satellite planning and scheduling software.Familiarity with satellite ground systems, mission planning, command and control, resource scheduling, or related aerospace applications.Knowledge of the Scaled Agile Framework.Experience designing, developing, and deploying microservices in AWS environments.Hands-on use of AWS services to support secure, scalable, and distributed applications.Proficiency with Docker and Kubernetes for packaging, deploying, orchestrating, and managing containerized applications.Knowledge of automated testing, DevSecOps practices, and CI/CD processes.Familiarity with Confluence for technical documentation and team collaboration.Proficiency with Eclipse or a comparable Java development environment.Familiarity with Jira for Agile planning, task management, and defect tracking.Knowledge of Jenkins for automated builds, testing, integration, and deployment.Ability to create and maintain Java unit tests using JUnit.Familiarity with Apache Kafka for event-driven, distributed, or asynchronous applications.Proficiency with Spring Boot for developing Java services, backend applications, REST APIs, and microservices.Prior work in defense, aerospace, intelligence, satellite, national security, or government contracting environments.Current CI Polygraph.Why Join This OpportunityWork on advanced satellite ground-system software supporting critical defense missions.Collaborate with experienced engineers, architects, and technical leaders.Contribute across the full software development lifecycle using modern cloud, microservices, automation, and DevSecOps technologies.Receive competitive compensation, benefits, and relocation assistance through a long-term W-2 contract assignment.BenefitsMedical, dental, and vision insurance401(k) with company matchPaid time off and paid holidaysLife and disability insuranceEmployee Assistance ProgramProfessional development opportunitiesEmployee referral programFSA and HSA options, where applicable$8,000 in grossed-up relocation assistanceThird-Party Recruiter PolicyNo third-party recruiting agencies or staffing firms, please. Direct applications only. Unsolicited resumes submitted by agencies or third-party recruiters will not be accepted and will not create any obligation or fee. Candidates must apply directly through Talent Stack for consideration.