Lead Software Engineer

Lead Software EngineerSterling, Virginia, United StatesWhat Impact You'll HaveWe are seeking a Lead Software Engineer to guide a high-performing development team on a mission-enabling program with high impact on National Security. This role blends hands-on engineering, technical leadership, and cross-functional coordination. You will serve as the developer point of contact for design discussions, customer engagements, and Chief Engineer reviews while continuing to contribute directly to architecture, development, and delivery.This position is ideal for a senior engineer/developer ready to step into broader ownership — leading by example, mentoring teammates, and shaping the technical direction of a rapidly evolving product line.What You'll Be OwningServe as the development team's POC for engineering, design, and architecture meetings; represent the team in cross functional technical discussions.Design, implement, test, and deploy full stack features using modern frameworks and cloud-native patterns.Develop CONOPs, user guides, release notes, and technical artifacts supporting software delivery and stakeholder adoptionGuide junior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, pair programming, and structured skill development.Partner with test engineering teams to ensure functionality, usability, performance, and reliability meet product expectations.Collaborate with Chief Engineers, Product Owners, and customer stakeholders to align feature development with organizational goals and delivery schedules.Assist with staffing, onboarding, and team structure decisions; help maintain a healthy engineering culture.Produce monthly summaries highlighting progress, risks, mitigations, and upcoming milestones.Host stakeholder demos, present product designs, and communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences.Identify opportunities to improve development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, documentation, and team efficiency.Contribute to long-term architecture planning, technology selection, and product evolution strategies.What You Must HaveActive TS/SCI w/polygraph7+ years of professional software engineering experience, including full-stack developmentStrong proficiency in modern web frameworks (e.g., React, Angular, Vue), backend languages (e.g., Node.js, Python, Java, Django), and RESTful API designDemonstrated ability to lead technical discussions, drive consensus, and make architectural decisionsGrowth mindset – ability to tackle complex technical issues with patience, positivity, and a forward-looking perspective that keeps the team focused and productiveProven experience mentoring engineers and improving team capabilityFamiliarity with automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and DevSecOps practicesExcellent communication skills — able to translate complex technical concepts for diverse audiencesAbility to work in fast-paced, customer-facing environments with evolving requirementsWhat Would Be Nice to HaveExperience with containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes)Experience working with government or defense customersBackground in distributed systems, microservices, or event-driven architecturesExperience with infrastructure-as-code (Terraform, CloudFormation)Prior involvement in staffing, interviewing, or team-building activitiesExperience hosting demos, conducting design reviews, or presenting to executive stakeholdersKnowledge of telecommunications protocols, packet capture tools and methodologiesPay Range: At GRVTY, we understand that compensation is influenced by many factors—such as geographic location, federal contract labor categories, wage rates, prior experience, skillsets, education, and certifications. We're proud to offer a work environment that empowers our team to achieve a strong work-life balance. GRVTY provides competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and meaningful opportunities for professional growth. Our benefits package is designed to support the well-being of our employees and their families, and includes coverage in areas such as healthcare, financial wellness, retirement planning, family assistance, continued education, and paid time off.Virginia Pay Range$177,680 - $212,254 USDWhy Choose GRVTYThe toughest national security challenges demand vision and ingenuity, not just resources. We deliver mission and technical expertise to outpace our adversaries. We're purpose-built to tackle the most entrenched, systemic national security issues around the world.We partner with our customers to help them overcome challenges in every corner of technology and defense—including the ones still being explored. Our growing capabilities create complementary advantages, giving on-the-ground operations the edge they need to succeed. We muster everything we have to answer every challenge presented, every day of our lives.At GRVTY, we believe that when our employees thrive, our company thrives. That's why we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance.Robust health plan including medical, dental, and visionHealth Savings Account with company contributionAnnual Paid Time Off and Paid HolidaysPaid Parental Leave401k with generous company matchTraining and Development OpportunitiesAward ProgramsVariety of Company Sponsored EventsEEO StatementGRVTY 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, disability, or status as a protected veteran and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.Anyone requiring reasonable accommodations should email View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io with requested details. A member of the HR team will respond to your request within 2 business days.Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (eeoc.gov)Please review our current job openings and apply for the positions you believe may be a fit. If you are not an immediate fit, we will also keep your resume in our database for future opportunities.