Principal Software Developer

Leidos • Gaithersburg, MD

1d

About The Position

We are seeking a Principal Software Developer who will be a member of a dynamic team Air Traffic Management program - SkyLine-X™ SkyLine-X™ provides an array of advanced air traffic management capabilities to improve aircraft safety, performance, and efficiency across the world’s airspace. Primary Responsibilities: Serve as a principal technical authority for software engineering across one or more programs, influencing architecture, design, and long-term technical strategy Lead the design and development of complex, mission-critical software systems, ensuring alignment with performance, safety, security, and scalability requirements Drive system-level and cross-program architectural decisions, including integration strategies and technology selection Define and oversee the strategic adoption of AI-assisted software development across teams and programs Establish enterprise- or program-level policies, guardrails, and governance for responsible AI usage, including validation standards, traceability, security, compliance, and risk management Evaluate the impact of AI-assisted development on safety-critical systems, ensuring that its use aligns with regulatory, operational, and mission assurance requirements Provide expert-level evaluation of AI-generated outputs, identifying systemic risks, failure modes, and unintended consequences at scale Champion the development of standardized AI-assisted workflows, reusable components, and tooling that improve productivity while maintaining engineering rigor Lead technical reviews, architecture reviews, and code reviews, setting and enforcing the highest standards for software quality (both human- and AI-generated) Mentor and develop senior and mid-level engineers, fostering technical growth and promoting best practices in both software engineering and AI-assisted development Collaborate with program leadership, systems engineering, cybersecurity, and other stakeholders to align software strategy with mission objectives Drive continuous improvement across development processes, tool chains, and engineering culture, including responsible integration of emerging AI technologies

Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance (US Citizenship required)
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field and a minimum of 12 years of prior relevant experience, or a master’s degree and a minimum of 10 years of prior relevant experience
• Expert-level proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, or Qt, with extensive experience delivering and maintaining large-scale production systems
• Demonstrated experience leading software architecture and technical strategy across teams or programs
• Deep experience applying AI-assisted software development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Roo Code, or similar) and shaping their adoption in professional environments
• Expert ability to evaluate, validate, and govern AI-generated code and outputs, including identifying systemic risks, security vulnerabilities, and performance tradeoffs
• Strong understanding of software architecture, distributed systems, and system-level design tradeoffs
• Proven experience establishing engineering standards, best practices, and development processes across teams
• Ability to operate independently at a strategic level while influencing and aligning multiple stakeholders
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences

Nice To Haves

• Experience defining AI governance frameworks, policies, or standards within a program or organization
• Experience working in regulated, safety-critical, or mission-critical environments (e.g., air traffic management, aviation, defense, or similar domains)
• Experience integrating AI-assisted development into secure, enterprise-grade development environments and toolchains
• Prior experience serving as a technical lead, architect, or principal engineer across large-scale systems
• Experience influencing organizational technology strategy or contributing to innovation initiatives involving AI

Responsibilities

• Serve as a principal technical authority for software engineering across one or more programs, influencing architecture, design, and long-term technical strategy
• Lead the design and development of complex, mission-critical software systems, ensuring alignment with performance, safety, security, and scalability requirements
• Drive system-level and cross-program architectural decisions, including integration strategies and technology selection
• Define and oversee the strategic adoption of AI-assisted software development across teams and programs
• Establish enterprise- or program-level policies, guardrails, and governance for responsible AI usage, including validation standards, traceability, security, compliance, and risk management
• Evaluate the impact of AI-assisted development on safety-critical systems, ensuring that its use aligns with regulatory, operational, and mission assurance requirements
• Provide expert-level evaluation of AI-generated outputs, identifying systemic risks, failure modes, and unintended consequences at scale
• Champion the development of standardized AI-assisted workflows, reusable components, and tooling that improve productivity while maintaining engineering rigor
• Lead technical reviews, architecture reviews, and code reviews, setting and enforcing the highest standards for software quality (both human- and AI-generated)
• Mentor and develop senior and mid-level engineers, fostering technical growth and promoting best practices in both software engineering and AI-assisted development
• Collaborate with program leadership, systems engineering, cybersecurity, and other stakeholders to align software strategy with mission objectives
• Drive continuous improvement across development processes, tool chains, and engineering culture, including responsible integration of emerging AI technologies

Benefits

• Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision.
• That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers.
• Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement.
• More details are available here.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees