Senior Numerical Algorithm Software Engineer

SciTec•Boulder, CO

2d•$156,000 - $193,000

About The Position

SciTec, a subsidiary of Firefly Aerospace, is a defense contractor specializing in advanced technologies for U.S. National Security and Defense. For over 45 years, SciTec has supported Department of Defense customers by developing innovative remote sensing algorithms, tools, and techniques for missile defense, intelligence, surveillance, & reconnaissance, space domain awareness, and aircraft survivability missions. SciTec exclusively works on U.S. government contracts requiring U.S. citizenship and cannot sponsor work visas. This role supports radar modernization programs focused on ultra-low-latency signal processing, data fusion, and advanced tracking algorithms for upgraded ground-based radar systems. The ideal candidate will be proficient in multiple programming languages and comfortable collaborating with scientists, engineers, and developers in a fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include rapid prototyping of advanced radar algorithms and transitioning them into optimized C++ implementations on Linux within government frameworks, directly contributing to the modernization of legacy radar systems with digital architectures, scalable processing pipelines, and mission-ready performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field
8+ years of experience developing numerical algorithms for radar signal processing or related sensor-processing applications
Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing algorithms in Python and C++
Strong foundation in numerical methods, linear algebra, probability/statistics, and optimization techniques
Experience working with real radar data (e.g., I/Q samples, pulse-compressed data, tracking data, or radar simulations)
Proven ability to evaluate algorithm performance, including error analysis, validation, and benchmarking
Experience working in Linux-based development environments and modern software development practices (version control, testing, CI/CD)
Ability to work effectively in Agile or iterative development environments
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to convey complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance (active clearance preferred)

Nice To Haves

PhD in Applied Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
Experience with advanced radar DSP techniques (e.g., CFAR, MTI/MTD, beamforming, calibration, Doppler processing, tracking filters, estimation algorithms, inverse problems)
Familiarity with machine-learning methods applied to radar data (e.g., classification, anomaly detection, deep learning-based radar feature extraction)
Experience optimizing radar algorithms for performance (parallel computing, GPU acceleration, vectorization, memory optimization)
Knowledge of DoD radar mission systems, radar phenomenology, or ground-/air-based radar architectures
Experience transitioning radar algorithms from prototype to production in operational radar environments
Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes)
Experience with radar modeling and simulation environments supporting system development
Prior experience leading technical efforts or mentoring junior engineers
Active DoD security clearance

Responsibilities

Lead the research, development, and maturation of advanced numerical algorithms for radar signal and data exploitation, including detection, tracking, estimation, clutter suppression, and processing for modernized radar architectures.
Design, implement, and optimize high-performance radar tracking algorithms in Python and C++, with emphasis on scalability, latency reduction, and robustness for operational radar missions.
Develop and tune Kalman filtering, tracking, and data exploitation algorithms in Python and C++.
Develop and optimize Resource Management algorithms based on mission requirements.
Architect and develop end-to-end radar processing pipelines, from raw I/Q ingest through DSP chains, feature extraction, tracking, and production deployment in mission environments.
Advance radar modeling, simulation, and algorithm-evaluation toolchains, including reusable frameworks that support rapid prototyping, validation, and integration of new radar capabilities.
Define and execute quantitative radar-performance assessments including detection metrics, tracking accuracy, false-alarm characterization, sensitivity studies, and validation using real radar data.
Collaborate cross-functionally with software engineers, system architects, RF engineers, and mission stakeholders to integrate algorithms into operational radar systems and ensure mission alignment.
Provide technical leadership within Agile development teams, mentor junior engineers, drive radar-focused best practices, and contribute to shared DSP and algorithm codebases.
Support proposal efforts, technical roadmaps, and customer engagements by clearly articulating radar algorithmic approaches, performance advantages, and modernization benefits.
Ensure compliance with mission assurance, cybersecurity, and software-quality standards relevant to DoD radar programs.
Other duties as assigned.