AI Software Developer - All Levels Remote

Leidos • Gaithersburg, MD

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

Leidos is seeking AI Software Developers (Jr, Mid, Senior levels) to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector. You will support the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP), a mission-critical, future-ready automation platform built on a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, enabling next-generation air traffic management capabilities. The role embraces an AI-first engineering mindset, utilizing emerging AI capabilities and modern development practices to accelerate delivery, improve software quality, and evolve the design and build of mission-critical systems. This position operates within a SAFe/Agile framework as part of an Agile Release Train (ART), delivering iterative value. You will design and implement software solutions independently, collaborating with systems engineering, product delivery, and DevSecOps teams, with a primary focus on developing microservices-based applications. Experience with AI-enabled or data-driven systems is advantageous. This position supports government programs and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Public Trust investigation. The role focuses on building and modernizing real-time, safety-critical systems using traditional systems engineering and AI-augmented software development practices, applying AI tools to accelerate development, improve quality, and enhance system reliability for national air traffic operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience in lieu of degree). A completed Master's degree will account for 2 additional years of experience.
• 2 or more years (Junior Level) / 4 or more years (Mid Level) / 8 or more years (Senior Level) of experience
• Proficiency in Java or C++ with demonstrated experience building production software
• Experience designing and developing microservices-based applications
• Strong understanding of RESTful API design and implementation
• Experience with distributed systems and event-driven architectures
• Proficiency with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
• Experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL, Oracle) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Cassandra)
• Solid experience with Git and collaborative development workflows
• Familiarity with Agile/SAFe frameworks and iterative delivery
• Strong debugging, problem-solving, and analytical skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust
• Experience with performance engineering including profiling, benchmarking, and optimization of distributed services
• Knowledge of interface stability practices and API versioning for service-based architectures
• Experience modernizing legacy software into service-oriented or microservice implementations
• U.S. citizenship required
• Successful completion of background investigations as required by the government customer

Nice To Haves

• Python programming proficiency
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Cloud platform experience (AWS, Azure) including managed services
• Experience with message brokers (Kafka, RabbitMQ) and streaming architectures
• Knowledge of domain-driven design and data mesh patterns
• Experience in aviation, defense, or safety-critical software domains
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools (Terraform, Ansible)
• Experience with AI-assisted development tools (e.g., code generation, automated testing, intelligent debugging)
• Experience with performance-critical distributed systems in operational or real-time environments
• Commutable distance to Gaithersburg, MD; Eagan, MN; or Egg Harbor Township, NJ.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop microservices that form the backbone of the L-CAP automation platform
• Collaborate with architects to translate system designs into robust, scalable implementations
• Implement RESTful APIs and event-driven integrations within a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture
• Integrate with relational and NoSQL databases, ensuring data consistency and performance
• Perform performance tuning and optimization of services operating in distributed environments
• Conduct and lead code reviews, enforcing coding standards and best practices across the team
• Mentor junior developers, providing technical guidance and supporting their professional growth
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues spanning multiple services, APIs, and infrastructure layers
• Contribute to technical documentation including design documents, API specifications, and runbooks
• Participate actively in SAFe/Agile ceremonies and contribute to PI planning and backlog refinement
• Perform performance engineering activities including profiling, optimization, and latency analysis for distributed ATC services
• Maintain interface stability and backward compatibility when modernizing existing operational software into service-based implementations
• Modernize legacy ATC automation functions into cloud-native service implementations preserving operational behavior and performance characteristics
• Embrace an AI-first engineering culture by actively adopting AI-assisted development tools, automation, and modern engineering practices that improve productivity, code quality, and delivery velocity.

Benefits

• You’ll work on systems where performance, precision, and reliability matter — every second.
• This is not experimental AI for prototypes. This is disciplined, responsible AI applied to mission-critical software that supports national infrastructure.
• If you’re excited by solving complex problems in regulated, real-world environments — and using AI as a force multiplier rather than a shortcut — we’d like to talk.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level