Principal Systems Engineer
$140000 - $175000 per year | Gaithersburg, MD | Hybrid | Permanent
A bit about us:
We are a technology consulting and cloud solutions organization specializing in the design, development, and implementation of highly available, secure, and mission-critical systems for government and commercial clients. Our teams partner closely with customers to deliver innovative solutions across cloud strategy, cybersecurity, systems integration, data engineering, machine learning, AI, disaster recovery, and enterprise infrastructure initiatives.
Our approach is built around collaboration and long-term partnership. We work closely with stakeholders at every level of the organization - from executive leadership to engineering and operations teams - to provide scalable, resilient, and secure technology solutions that solve complex business and operational challenges.
With deep expertise in cloud-first architectures, automation, DevSecOps, virtualization, reliability engineering, and large-scale systems integration, we help organizations modernize infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, and support mission-critical environments where performance, security, and resiliency are essential.
Our team consists of highly skilled engineers, architects, developers, and technology specialists who thrive on solving complex technical challenges. We foster a culture centered around innovation, collaboration, continuous learning, and technical excellence while delivering meaningful value to our clients across highly regulated and fast-evolving industries.
Why join us?
Our client offers highly competitive compensation packages, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative, people-first culture that promotes innovation, professional growth, and long-term career development. We are committed to creating an environment where employees are empowered to make an impact, work alongside highly talented teams, and contribute to meaningful, mission-critical initiatives in a supportive and forward-thinking workplace.
Job Details
Software Developer – Senior, Lead & Principal Levels
Java | Cloud-Native Development | AWS | DevSecOps | AI/ML Integration
Location: Gaithersburg, MD (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Multiple Openings
Levels: T3 (Mid/Senior), T4 (Lead), T5 (Principal/Senior Staff)
Industry: Federal Technology | Aviation Systems | Mission-Critical Applications
About the Opportunity
We are seeking talented Software Developers at the Senior, Lead, and Principal levels to support the development and modernization of mission-critical applications within a highly regulated federal technology environment.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to advanced software solutions supporting critical aviation operations, leveraging modern Java technologies, cloud-native architectures, secure development practices, and emerging artificial intelligence capabilities.
The ideal candidates are passionate about building scalable, reliable, and secure software and bring strong hands-on Java development expertise, experience with containerized microservices, and familiarity with modern DevSecOps environments.
These positions offer the opportunity to work on complex, high-impact software initiatives involving cloud modernization, AI-driven automation, and enterprise application development.
The development teams operate within a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) environment, emphasizing collaboration, iterative delivery, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Software Development & Application Engineering
• Design, develop, enhance, troubleshoot, and maintain enterprise applications, microservices, and software frameworks using Java. • Write clean, efficient, maintainable, and well-documented source code throughout the software development lifecycle. • Develop RESTful APIs and support event-driven application architectures. • Apply cloud-native development principles, including 12-factor application methodology, scalability, resilience, and maintainability. • Participate in software design reviews, code reviews, debugging, testing, and release activities. • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality software solutions.
Cloud-Native Development & Modernization
• Build and maintain containerized microservices designed for deployment across AWS and enterprise container platforms. • Develop applications compatible with Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift. • Support application modernization and migration initiatives from on-premises environments to cloud-based platforms. • Develop and maintain application integrations with MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and other enterprise data services. • Collaborate with cloud and infrastructure engineers to optimize application deployment, performance, and reliability.
DevSecOps & Secure Software Development
• Develop and maintain software within automated CI/CD and DevSecOps pipelines. • Apply secure coding principles throughout the software development lifecycle. • Identify and remediate vulnerabilities discovered through static application security testing (SAST) and software composition analysis (SCA). • Manage application dependencies, secrets, and security configurations in accordance with established standards. • Work with DevSecOps tools such as GitLab, Tekton, Argo CD, and HashiCorp Vault. • Support secure software delivery within highly regulated federal environments.
AI/ML Development & Automated Testing
• Contribute to the development and integration of AI-enabled capabilities within enterprise applications. • Support the implementation of AI-driven functionality designed to improve aviation-related operational workflows. • Integrate AI-assisted test-script generation into software development and testing processes. • Collaborate with engineering and quality assurance teams to improve automated testing, code quality, and release efficiency. • Explore opportunities to leverage AI/ML technologies to enhance application functionality and development productivity.
Collaboration & Technical Leadership
• Work closely with software engineers, architects, DevSecOps specialists, testers, and program stakeholders. • Participate in Agile ceremonies, sprint planning, technical discussions, and continuous improvement initiatives. • Troubleshoot complex application issues and contribute to effective technical solutions. • Document software designs, development standards, application configurations, and implementation procedures. • Provide technical guidance and mentorship appropriate to the assigned engineering level.
Required Qualifications
• Strong hands-on experience developing enterprise applications using Java as the primary programming language. • Demonstrated experience writing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and enhancing source code, microservices, and application frameworks. • Experience developing cloud-native applications using containerized architectures. • Strong understanding of RESTful API design, event-driven architectures, and 12-factor application principles. • Experience developing applications for container-based deployment environments such as Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Kubernetes, or Red Hat OpenShift. • Knowledge of secure software development practices, including vulnerability remediation, dependency management, and secrets protection. • Experience working within CI/CD and DevSecOps development environments. • Ability to contribute to AI-enabled application features and AI-assisted testing workflows. • Strong analytical, debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills. • Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary Agile teams.
Preferred Qualifications
Programming & Development
• Additional programming experience with Python or Go. • Experience integrating AI/ML functionality into Java-based applications. • Familiarity with automated test generation using AI or large language models.
Cloud & Container Platforms
• Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Kubernetes, and Red Hat OpenShift. • AWS GovCloud and commercial AWS environments. • Multi-account AWS architectures. • Experience migrating applications from on-premises infrastructure to AWS. • MongoDB and PostgreSQL integration.
DevSecOps & Security
• GitLab, Tekton, Argo CD, HashiCorp Vault, and automated security scanning tools. • Experience remediating SAST/SCA findings. • FISMA High and FedRAMP High environments. • NIST 800-53 security controls and STIG hardening. • Experience developing applications within security-sensitive federal environments.
Industry & Methodology
• Experience supporting federal government technology programs. • Aviation, flight services, or other mission-critical operational systems. • Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
Available Engineering Levels
Software Developer III (T3) – Mid/Senior
• Independently develop, enhance, test, and maintain complex software components. • Take ownership of assigned development tasks and technical deliverables. • Troubleshoot application issues and contribute to design and implementation decisions. • Collaborate with engineering teams to deliver reliable, secure software.
Software Developer IV (T4) – Lead
• Own key development objectives spanning multiple technical areas. • Lead complex application development efforts and guide implementation decisions. • Provide technical direction and support collaboration across engineering teams. • Help establish coding standards, development practices, and architectural consistency.
Software Developer V (T5) – Principal/Senior Staff
• Provide advanced technical leadership for complex software development initiatives. • Lead technical staff and drive the development of new software solutions. • Influence application architecture, technology selection, and long-term development strategies. • Resolve highly complex eng
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