Lead Embedded Software Engineer
Lead Embedded Software Engineer
*Herndon Virginia*
*Employment Type*
Full-time permanent
*Base Salary*
$160,000-$180,000 per year
*Work Arrangement*
100% onsite in Herndon Virginia
*Travel*
Less than 10% occasional travel
*Security Clearance*
Active Department of Defense Secret clearance required
*Visa Sponsorship*
Not available
*Relocation*
Assistance not available
The Opportunity:
A leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Lead Embedded Software Engineer to guide the development of mission-critical embedded systems. This is a hands-on technical leadership role focused on expanding the use of Rust, modernizing legacy software and delivering maintainable, memory-safe solutions for complex real-time platforms.
You will set engineering direction across multiple product lines, mentor software teams and remain closely involved throughout requirements, architecture, implementation, hardware-software integration and formal testing.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead embedded software development and provide technical direction to multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Drive the adoption and deployment of Rust, including associated techniques, idioms, design patterns, tooling and memory-safe development practices.
- Guide the integration or conversion of legacy embedded software to Rust across multiple product lines.
- Translate technical and operational requirements into working, maintainable software solutions.
- Lead all phases of the software-development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, hardware-software integration and formal test.
- Collaborate with hardware, systems and software engineers to define interfaces, performance requirements and overall system design.
- Investigate complex issues, identify root causes and implement reliable corrective solutions.
- Develop software test plans, procedures and supporting technical documentation.
- Use modeling tools, prototypes and experimental testing to evaluate designs and operating results.
- Participate in peer reviews and oversee defect identification, tracking and resolution.
- Develop embedded software using Rust, C, C++ and Python for real-time operating systems including VxWorks, Linux and Integrity.
- Serve as a technical mentor and independent reviewer for junior engineers.
- Support occasional travel of less than 10% for onboarding, integration or Scrum activities.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science or a related discipline, plus at least nine years of relevant experience.
- Alternatively, a graduate degree plus at least seven years of relevant experience, or at least 13 years of relevant experience in place of a degree.
- At least three years of experience leading software-development teams.
- At least two years in an Agile software-lead or comparable technical leadership role.
- Professional experience developing software in Rust.
- At least five years of C or C++ development and object-oriented design experience.
- At least five years of Earned Value Management tracking experience.
- At least three years of experience leading software proposals, including cost estimates and proposal packages.
- Experience leading large software-planning efforts and working throughout the full software-development lifecycle.
- Active United States Department of Defense Secret security clearance.
- Current authorization to work in the United States without employer sponsorship.
Preferred Experience
- Development of embedded and real-time software systems.
- Object-oriented design and implementation using UML or modeling tools such as IBM Rhapsody, MagicDraw or Cameo.
- Development of device drivers and Board Support Packages for real-time embedded platforms.
- Information Assurance or cryptography.
- NSA Type 1 certification or software-certification standards such as DO-178.
- Strong written, verbal and technical communication skills.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive full benefits package
- Senior technical leadership opportunity on mission-critical aerospace and defense systems
- Long-term product, architecture and team-development responsibility
The Ideal Candidate:
You are an experienced embedded-software leader who combines hands-on Rust and C or C++ expertise with the ability to guide teams, modernize legacy systems and deliver reliable software in demanding mission-critical environments. You are comfortable owning technical direction, proposal planning, Earned Value tracking and cross-functional execution while mentoring the engineers around you.
Equal Opportunity
Qualified applicants will receive consideration without discrimination based on any status protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Pay: $150,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Education:
- Bachelor's (Preferred)
Experience:
- Embedded software: 10 years (Preferred)
- Rust (programming language): 3 years (Preferred)
- C++: 5 years (Required)
Security clearance:
- Secret (Preferred)
Work Location: In person