Senior Lead Software Engineer - Network Infrastructure and Automation

Nightwing•Sterling, VA

9d•$122,000 - $253,000•Onsite

About The Position

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers’ most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets. SENIOR LEAD SOFTWARE ENGINEER - NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE & AUTOMATION At Nightwing, we are on a mission to develop resilient and scalable network infrastructure systems that support critical missions. We're looking for a talented Senior Lead Software Engineer who excels at solving complex networking challenges and building high-performance, software-defined solutions. In this role, you will collaborate with an innovative team to design cutting-edge network automation systems using advanced technologies like software-defined networking, infrastructure-as-code, and AI-driven operational intelligence. This onsite role is based at our National Business Park, Maryland location. About the Role: As a Senior Lead Software Engineer at Nightwing, you will be responsible for creating network infrastructure and automation systems that operate at scale, maintain reliability under demanding conditions, and incorporate advanced technical approaches. You will have opportunities to work on projects involving software-defined datacenter networking, multi-cloud orchestration, network automation frameworks, and real-time infrastructure intelligence applications. You'll play a key role in building technologies that protect the nation's security and advance critical network capabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) or equivalent practical experience
5+ years of experience in network infrastructure development and DevOps networking engineering
Hands-on practical experience delivering system design, application development, testing, and operational stability
Strong experience developing software with Python and Shell Scripting for network automation and infrastructure management
Deep understanding of networking protocols and technologies including BGP, VRF, MPLS, IP, TCP, and UDP as applied to datacenter and mission-critical contexts
Experience with VMware NSX-T or similar SDN platforms for software-defined networking solutions including logical switching, routing, load balancing, distributed firewall, and micro-segmentation
Proficiency in Linux-based development environments and infrastructure automation
Strong experience with distributed systems and containerized applications using technologies such as Kubernetes, Podman, or Docker
Experience with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI) for infrastructure automation pipelines and infrastructure-as-code practices (Ansible, Terraform)
Knowledge of DevSecOps tools and workflows, including version control systems like Git
Exceptional problem-solving and critical thinking skills with ability to decompose complex network infrastructure challenges and perform root cause analysis across distributed systems
Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams
Active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph
U.S. citizenship required

Nice To Haves

Experience with network virtualization platforms including Cisco ACI, Calico, OVN (Open Virtual Network), or Cilium for container networking
Experience working with event-driven architectures, messaging systems like Kafka, and network APIs such as RESTful services, gRPC, or NETCONF/RESTCONF
Knowledge of machine learning frameworks and their application to network analytics, traffic analysis, or anomaly detection
Demonstrated experience leveraging AI-assisted software development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code) within engineering workflows with ability to validate outputs for correctness, performance, and security
Experience integrating and applying LLMs to network operations workflows for force multiplication (automated documentation, incident analysis, configuration generation)
Knowledge in policy-as-code frameworks, network security automation practices, and zero-trust architecture implementation
Understanding of network visibility and analytics tools, flow telemetry, and observability frameworks
Familiarity with network hardware integration and software-defined infrastructure controllers
Understanding of multithreading, parallel processing, and asynchronous programming techniques as applied to network automation

Responsibilities

Lead the development, implementation, and delivery of software-defined networking (SDN) solutions for software-defined networks, ensuring timelines, technical requirements, and network performance standards are met across highly resilient and scalable infrastructure
Design, develop, and implement network automation solutions and infrastructure management platforms using Python and modern web technologies to reduce manual intervention and improve operational efficiency
Develop and maintain network automation frameworks, APIs, and tooling that integrate with network devices, controllers, and monitoring systems, writing clean, maintainable infrastructure-as-code that adheres to coding standards
Integrate AI-driven analytics and automation capabilities into network operations to augment performance monitoring, anomaly detection, and predictive maintenance workflows
Drive adoption and governance of approved AI-assisted engineering practices across teams to improve code quality, delivery speed, and operational outcomes (e.g., AI-assisted code review/refactoring, test acceleration, release readiness, incident/root-cause analysis)
Build and optimize containerized network applications (Kubernetes, Helm) and microservices architectures for network management and orchestration
Develop solutions for event-driven network automation and large-scale infrastructure workflows using modern protocols and APIs
Collaborate with network architects, security teams, product owners, and infrastructure engineers in an Agile environment, conducting code reviews and troubleshooting network applications to meet performance and reliability requirements
Mentor engineers on network automation and infrastructure-as-code principles while influencing technical direction by evaluating emerging SDN technologies and DevSecOps methodologies
Maintain adherence to agile development practices and modern DevSecOps workflows with a focus on security and reliability