Scientist, Software Engineer

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers' mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers' mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Scientist, Software Engineering

Job Code: 43995

Job Location: Carlsbad, CA

Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days- totaling 80 hours worked- and have every other Friday off

Job Description:

We are seeking a Software Engineer Scientist to modernize a legacy real-time embedded C/C++ codebase, incorporating memory-safe concepts and ensuring compliance with the latest NSA security requirements. This leader will be vital in shaping technical strategies, mentoring the engineering team, and ensuring the successful adoption of modern secure coding practices within a high-assurance cryptographic system. Alongside leading immediate modernization efforts, this role involves developing strategies and long-term technical visions to extend the design for future products and systems. The position requires onsite work in a secure facility and an active DoD Secret clearance.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the technical effort to refactor and modernize the embedded C/C++ software baseline with memory-safe principles.
• Translate NSA security and robustness requirements into actionable engineering tasks.
• Establish coding standards, design patterns, and automated analysis/testing pipelines that enforce memory safety.
• Guide the adoption of modern programming practices, tools, and frameworks to mitigate memory safety vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, use-after-free, and race conditions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (systems engineering, cybersecurity, testing, and integration) to ensure requirements traceability and compliance.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to the software engineering team, fostering a culture of secure, modern, and maintainable code.
• Actively participate in technical conversations across the BCS to help develop strategies and articulate a forward-looking vision to extend the design for future information assurance products and systems.
• Serve as the primary technical interface with stakeholders, government customers, and leadership on compliance progress and risk mitigation.
• Support Cost Account Management (CAM) responsibilities, including tasks related to proposal development, resource management, and schedule planning and status updates.

Basic Qualifications (Minimum)

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field a minimum of 12 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 10 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 16 years of prior related experience.
• 12+ years of professional experience in software engineering, including at least 8 years in C/C++ embedded systems development.

Preferred Qualifications

• C/C++ embedded systems development.
• Proven leadership experience managing small-to-mid-sized software teams.
• Familiarity with DoD/National Security Agency software standards
• Strong communication skills with the ability to brief executives and government stakeholders on technical topics.
• Demonstrated expertise in identifying and mitigating memory safety vulnerabilities in legacy codebases.
• Hands-on experience with modern tools for static/dynamic code analysis, fuzz testing, sanitizers, and secure coding frameworks.
• Comfortable using both Linux and Windows operating systems (including command line) for daily software development tasks.
• Solid understanding of software development methodologies (i.e. Waterfall, Agile/SCRUM, etc.)
• Familiarity with software configuration management tools (i.e. Git, Perforce, ClearCase, etc.)
• Active DoD Secret clearance (minimum) and the ability to work onsite in a secure facility.
• Background in high-assurance or safety-critical systems (e.g., avionics, defense)
• Proficiency with Makefiles and embedded build tools (e.g., cross-compilers, linkers, debuggers).
• Experience in integrating and debugging software on embedded targets, including the use of JTAG and hardware/software debug tools.
• Experience developing low-level device drivers and interfaces that interact with FPGAs using memory-mapped registers, interrupts, and related techniques.
• Continuous Integration & Development (CI/CD) experience.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in California is $161,500 - $300,500. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

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