Senior Software Developer (NLP)

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what’s possible.Job DescriptionParsons is seeking a Senior Software Developer to support our cutting-edge Drone Armor counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) program. The Senior Developer will design and implement logical, functional software code across multiple programming languages, make informed technology choices for different environments, rapidly diagnose and correct complex software issues in mission-critical systems, and help design, integrate, and optimize natural language processing (NLP) capabilities in support of operational missions.What You'll Be DoingAdvanced Software Design & DevelopmentCreate logical and functional software code in a variety of programming languages to support Drone Armor capabilitiesLead the design and implementation of software components, services, and interfaces based on system and mission requirementsEnsure solutions are robust, secure, maintainable, and aligned with program architecture and coding standardsDesign and implement services and pipelines that incorporate NLP models and text processing components into C-UAS workflows (e.g., analysis of communications, reports, or operator inputs)NLP Integration & Applied AICollaborate with data scientists and ML/NLP engineers to integrate NLP models into production systemsImplement and optimize NLP pipelines for tasks such as classification, entity extraction, summarization, translation, or intent detection, as required by mission needsIntegrate large language models and other NLP components via APIs or model-serving infrastructure, ensuring performance, reliability, and securityWork with stakeholders to translate mission and operational requirements into concrete NLP features and user-facing capabilitiesTechnology Evaluation & Trade-OffsUnderstand and articulate the benefits and risks associated with different coding languages and frameworks in various functional environmentsRecommend appropriate languages, tools, and design patterns based on performance, security, maintainability, and integration needsEvaluate and recommend NLP libraries, frameworks, and platforms (e.g., transformer-based toolkits, vector databases, or text analytics services)Provide technical guidance to developers on language and framework selection, coding practices, architectural decisions, and NLP integration strategiesTroubleshooting, Debugging & QualityReact to software problems quickly and effectively, correcting code and related configurations as necessaryDebug complex issues across multiple layers (application, service, interface, data) and environments (development, integration, field)Diagnose and resolve issues specific to NLP-enabled features, including latency, accuracy, unexpected outputs, and integration failuresSupport and refine unit, integration, and system-level tests, including tests for NLP components (e.g., input validation, model behavior checks, regression tests on text datasets) to validate functionality and prevent regressionsLeadership & CollaborationServe as a senior technical resource within the development team, mentoring junior and mid-level developersCoach team members on best practices for integrating NLP capabilities into existing architectures and workflowsCollaborate with systems engineers, test engineers, data scientists, NLP/ML engineers, and field personnel to resolve issues and improve system performanceContribute to technical reviews, design walkthroughs, and continuous improvement of development and AI/NLP integration practicesWhat Required Skills You'll BringEducationBachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering, or other engineering or technical discipline is required with 5 years of experience OR8 years of relevant software development experience may be substituted for educationExperienceExperience creating logical and functional software code in multiple programming languagesExperience understanding and clearly articulating the benefits and risks of different coding languages in different functional environmentsExperience reacting to software problems and correcting programs as necessary in complex or mission-critical systemsExperience integrating or supporting NLP or text-analytics capabilities in production or mission-focused software systemsTechnical CompetenciesProficiency in one or more modern programming languages (e.g., Python, C++, Java, C#, Go, or similar), with working knowledge of othersStrong grasp of software engineering best practices, including design patterns, code reviews, version control, and CI/CD workflowsDemonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex software defects efficientlyFamiliarity with NLP concepts and tools such as tokenization, embeddings, transformer models, and vector search, and with common NLP frameworks or librariesStrong analytical and communication skills, capable of explaining technical and NLP-related trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholdersSecurity & CitizenshipMust be a US CitizenSECRET security clearanceWhat Desired Skills You'll BringAdvanced Education & CertificationsBachelor’s or higher degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related disciplineRelevant certifications in software architecture, cloud platforms, AI/ML, or DevSecOpsSpecialized ExperienceExperience supporting DoD, defense, or C-UAS-related software systemsExperience with distributed, real-time, or high-availability systemsExperience applying NLP in operational, defense, or intelligence contexts (e.g., processing reports, chat/voice transcripts, or multilingual text sources)Additional Technical SkillsExperience with containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), and cloud-native developmentExperience with NLP/ML ecosystems and tools (e.g., transformer-based frameworks, vector databases, or LLM APIs) and related deployment patternsFamiliarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and modern issue tracking/ALM toolsSecurity Clearance RequirementAn active Secret security clearance is required for this position.This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what’s next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.Salary Range: $103,500.00 - $181,100.00We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!Parsons is aware of fraudulent recruitment practices. To learn more about recruitment fraud and how to report it, please refer to https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.