Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

SAIC is seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer onsite in Colorado Springs, CO to serve as the Software Engineer for multiple mission-critical software development projects. This role will balance hands-on technical contributions and input on software development best practices at the project level.

This position focuses on delivering software efforts for multiple projects, while also collaborating with the broader technical organization to define and refine software development standards, practices, and tools for consistent implementation across the program.

Responsibilities:

Project-Specific Delivery:

• Software design, development, and testing for 2–4 mission-critical projects, ensuring technical excellence and on-time delivery.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define software requirements, architecture, and deliverables.
• Participate in implementing cloud-native applications, web front ends, and scalable back ends using Agile methodologies.
• Conduct code reviews, resolving issues, and maintaining adherence to project goals.
• Work with engineers across disciplines (DevSecOps, software, data) to build secure pipelines and deliver solutions utilizing Kubernetes, Kafka, and microservices.

Standards and Alignment:

• Adhere to established standardized software development practices across projects.
• Define and improve development tools, frameworks, and workflows to enhance productivity, quality, and security.
• Promote and implement secure development practices, including secure coding, vulnerability scanning (e.g., Trivy), and continuous testing.
• Provide critical feedback on code, processes, and designs during reviews and evaluations.

Hands-On Contributions as Needed:

• Contribute to development by writing key code, resolving complex technical challenges, and creating architectural proofs of concept.
• Support rapid prototyping and provide engineering assistance during high-pressure development cycles.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field and 15+ years of software development experience, or Master’s with 13+ years of experience.
• 7+ years of experience in back-end (Python, Java, C#, Go) and/or front-end (React, Angular, Vue.js, HTML5/CSS3) development.
• Expertise in cloud-native architecture and multi-cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, DAF Cloudworks, GCP).
• Proficient with DevSecOps tools: Git, Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, Helm.
• Skilled in building RESTful/GraphQL APIs, microservices, and event-driven architectures (Kafka, RabbitMQ).
• Experience automating CI/CD pipelines with testing, security scanning, and deployment workflows.
• Knowledgeable in testing tools (JMeter, Selenium, Jest) for unit and end-to-end testing.
• 3+ years working with government, defense, and intelligence project development requirements and processes.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, including experience with internal and external stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications:

• Master’s in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Cloud certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect.

Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

Overview

SAIC accepts applications on an ongoing basis and there is no deadline. SAIC® is a premier mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, intelligence, and civilian markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services, and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives. We are approximately 23,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.3 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.