Senior Software Engineer

Compensation $114,000 - $273,000 / year Department Engineering Location Mount Laurel, NJ or Arlington, VA (On-site; at least 3 days per week) Description Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), a leading defense technology company, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our Warfare Systems team. The role focuses on supporting the Department of the Navy’s initiatives in tactical capability development for Navy surface and unmanned platforms, and the engineer will be responsible for architecting and refactoring legacy weapons system software into a modern technology stack, enabling a microservices‑based tactical platform within cloud‑native and tactical‑edge deployment models. Clearance & Location Requirements All applicants must obtain and maintain an active Secret U.S. Security Clearance. This is an on‑site position requiring at least 3 days in the office at the Arlington, VA or Mount Laurel, NJ locations. Key Responsibilities Design, implement, and test complex software in C, C++, Python, JavaScript, and Java within various development environments. Analyze legacy monolithic software programs, recompile and incrementally refactor them to modernize using brownfield and greenfield methodologies. Carry out technical assessments and deconstruct Navy tactical system code for Surface Navy Combat systems. Explore and prototype next‑generation solutions using artificial intelligence, machine learning, distributed processing, and modeling. Interact with customers to elicit requirements and document agreements. Present project status to organization leadership on cost, schedule, and technical progress. Develop software architecture, including hardware and software interfaces between components. Assist in developing user, functional, and technical requirements for tactical systems. Participate in and provide feedback for design and code/peer reviews. Integrate individual software components into complex environments. Support test and integration activities at IDT labs and government Land Based Test Sites (LBTS). Ensure adherence to industry standards for security, programming paradigms, and performance requirements. Understand and interact with complex DoD software systems. Work with small cross‑site teams of software and/or systems engineers. Collaborate with team members to peer‑review architecture design, system requirements, and implemented code. Skills, Knowledge & Expertise Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field, or equivalent full‑time professional experience. 5–10+ years of full‑time professional experience. Experience developing Service‑Oriented Architecture (SOA) software. Familiarity with combat system design and software, and with developing tactical systems software on DoD programs. Proficiency with C, C++, Python, and/or Java programming languages. Experience with Linux OS environments, including shell scripting. Ability to decompose and document requirements and specifications. Understanding of distributed systems, algorithms, data structures, and software design patterns, especially the Strangler Pattern. Experience with Agile software development processes. Proficiency working within a Git CM environment. Comfortable with DevSecOps best practices. Ability to convert vague customer requirements into a refined vision. Ability to identify and describe algorithmic complexity. Ability to work on‑site with potential hybrid flexibility. Familiarity with the software development process (requirements through deployment). Ability to design, develop, and analyze software systems. Ability to model, code, and test algorithms in C++, Python, Java. Ability to model, code, and test GUI applications. Proficiency in at least one modern language (e.g., Python, Java, C++, C#) and/or one modern frontend language (e.g., TypeScript, JavaScript). Understanding of: Windows and Linux file systems. Version control (Git). APIs (REST/gRPC). Modular code design. Ability to review, critique, and harden AI‑generated code. Familiarity with SQL and relational databases (e.g., Postgres). Familiarity with computer networking and various networking protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP, CORBA, DDS). Ability to perform many concurrent assignments and adjust priorities. Strong sense of ownership, urgency, and initiative, with the ability to translate complex or ambiguous requirements into effective technical solutions. Demonstrated ability to build strong cross‑functional relationships across engineering, security, compliance, and other stakeholder groups. Demonstrated leadership capability, including developing strategic plans of action, building and leading teams, and communicating progress at all levels. What Makes You Stand Out Master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or related technical field. Familiar with Agentic AI methodologies and Large Language Models (LLMs). Proven past performance leading technical teams in fast‑paced, challenging environments, with Navy systems and government program offices. Familiarity with the AEGIS Weapon System Common Source Library (CSL) or SSDS Single Source Library (SSL). Experience with AEGIS or SSDS tactical systems. Experience utilizing Make, Maven, and Ant build systems, and X‑Windows. Familiar with Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) methodologies. Experience with Jenkins, Jira, and the Atlassian tool suite. Familiarity with foundational networking concepts such as routing, switching, identity services, intrusion detection, and firewall. Familiarity deploying virtual machines in VMWare vSphere environments, including networking configuration. Familiarity designing complex software development environments with submodules, remote dependencies, and mixed‑code deployments. Familiarity deploying virtual machines and/or containers into Azure cloud environments, including networking configuration. Strong analytical abilities and organizational skill. Problem‑solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguous situations. Excellence in oral, written, and technical communication with peers and non‑technical stakeholders. Initiative, creativity, reliability, teamwork. Attention to detail while seeing the big picture. Experience with cloud computing, virtualization, or containerization technologies. Familiarity with cloud infrastructure such as Azure, AWS, GCP. Experience with big data solutions (e.g., Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, Cassandra). Demonstrated experience using AI coding assistants (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Codeium) for: Code generation. Refactoring and optimization. Debugging and root‑cause analysis. Ability to write effective prompts and iterate with AI to improve code quality and performance. Understanding of AI limitations, hallucinations, and validation techniques. Experience with testing frameworks, including unit testing and interface testing. Experience building user interfaces with a modern component framework such as React, Angular, or Vue. Experience using Storybook or other mock‑testing tooling. Pay Range $114,000 - $273,000 NOTE: Pursuant to New Jersey Senate Bill 2310, IDT must disclose the pay scale associated with a job posting. The posted range does not include bonuses, commissions, or other benefits. The amount may vary based on candidate experience, skills, and education. Job Benefits Generous benefits package. Competitive paid time off and paid holidays. 401(k) with immediate vesting and matching. 9/80 optional schedule (2nd and 4th Friday off every month). Tuition Assistance Reimbursement Program. Professional Development Resources. Pre‑Tax Commuter Benefits. Organization‑wide Monthly Tech Connect Events. Annual Employee Recognition Awards. Regular Social Events and catered lunches. EEO Statement IDT is an Equal Opportunity employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr