Sr. Software Engineer

Sr. Software EngineerLocation: Atlanta, GeorgiaEmployment Type: Contract to PermJob Location Requirement: OnsiteSecurity & Citizenship RequirementsDue to U.S. federal research contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. Citizens. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active Secret security clearance.Role OverviewAn experienced Senior Software Engineer is sought to support high-impact programs for U.S. government sponsors. This role involves designing, developing, testing, and deploying software for complex autonomous systems. The position requires technical leadership across the software development lifecycle, guiding development teams, and ensuring solutions meet sponsor, safety, and security requirements.Project/Unit DescriptionOur Apex client is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to support a full-time research-focused position within an advanced autonomy and systems engineering division. This organization conducts research in support of U.S. Department of Defense sponsors, with a primary focus on autonomous and uncrewed aircraft programs. Core areas of expertise include autonomous systems, systems engineering, avionics engineering, embedded software development, and test and evaluation.Key ResponsibilitiesDesign, develop, debug, enhance, and document software solutions for complex systems.Apply computing and engineering principles to define system requirements and software designs aligned with hardware limitations.Lead and contribute to software architecture, design reviews, and code reviews.Manage feature development branches, production releases, and issue triage.Develop and deploy software to Linux target systems and test environments.Create software development estimates and support project planning.Author technical reports, documentation, and presentations.Compile and integrate technical content from multidisciplinary teams into final deliverables.Lead and contribute to white papers, proposals, and future research initiatives.Support and guide development teams through technical leadership and mentoring.Collaborate directly with sponsors to curate requirements, define sprint work items, and prioritize development backlogs.Additional ResponsibilitiesServe as a subject matter expert for software engineering tools and technologies.Act as a maintainer of large, multi-language codebases, enforcing code quality, stability, and security standards.Manage and review overall software requirements and design artifacts.Deliver technical briefings and presentations to internal and external stakeholders.Ensure software complies with military, safety, and security standards.Required Minimum QualificationsExperience developing software for complex systems using disciplined engineering processes.Experience managing software development across the full project lifecycle.Experience developing, integrating, or testing unmanned autonomous system capabilities.Strong experience with C and C++ software development.Experience with Python and Bash scripting.Experience developing and deploying software on Linux systems.Experience with multi-threaded and multi-process applications.Working knowledge of software inter-process communication (IPC) mechanisms, including shared memory, pub-sub messaging, and RPC.Understanding of design tradeoffs for distributed systems.Experience with containerized software development.Experience leading sponsored research efforts and working directly with external sponsors.Preferred QualificationsActive Secret clearance.Experience providing technical leadership for complex, high-value engineering programs.Experience with software architectures, requirements definition, and interface design for autonomous systems.Experience developing and fielding autonomous system solutions.Background supporting military or defense-related unmanned air systems (UAS/UAV).Familiarity with open systems architecture frameworks (e.g., FACE™, OMS/UCI).Education and Length of ExperienceThis is an open-rank position, with the final level determined based on qualifications and experience. Accepted disciplines include Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.A Bachelor's degree with 9+ years of related experience.A Master's degree with 7+ years of related experience.A PhD with 4+ years of related experience.Travel RequirementsTravel for this position is approximately 10%–25%.Compensation & BenefitsThis position has a salary range of $155,340.00 to $202,200.00 and a contract pay rate range of $70.00 to $100.00 per hour. Specific compensation will be determined based on experience and qualifications. A comprehensive benefits package is available to eligible employees.This employer is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.