Software Developer 4

We are seeking a Principal Software Developer Engineer to drive the development and architecture of our Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS) platform. In this role, you will independently design and build entire systems and services for secure data exchange solutions across different security domains. As a technical leader on the team, you will guide architectural decisions, mentor other engineers, and improve engineering practices across your director's organization while delivering secure, scalable, and highly performant solutions.

Key Responsibilities

System Architecture & Design

• Drive design of features and subsystems across the director's organization
• Lead architectural decisions for critical components and services
• Identify and mitigate risks in systems and services across the organization
• Collaborate on planning and long-term technical strategy
• Balance technical trade-offs that may affect customers or business goals

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a technical leader and recognized subject matter expert within the team
• Lead technical initiatives that span multiple teams and services
• Influence technology decisions and best practices across teams
• Partner with stakeholders on technical strategy and roadmap planning

Software Development & Implementation

• Write correct, secure, maintainable, and robust code for critical system components
• Develop complete services with focus on security, scalability, and performance
• Drive operational readiness and excellence across features and subsystems
• Ensure high availability and performance of tier 0/1 services
  Create solutions that reduce operational load and technical debt

Cross-Team Collaboration

• Collaborate closely across multiple teams and services
• Participate in cross-organizational programs including architecture reviews
• Interface with external teams and occasionally with partners/vendors

Mentoring & Team Development

• Mentor engineers at all levels within the team
• Lead by example in code reviews and design discussions
• Guide hiring decisions and participate in interview loops
• Share expertise through documentation, tech talks, and training
• Help establish and maintain high engineering standards

Operational Excellence

• Serve as primary point of contact for complex operational issues
• Lead deep dives into incidents and drive root cause analysis
• Develop metrics and dashboards to improve situational awareness
• Ensure operational excellence across owned services

Required Qualifications

• 6-8+ years of relevant software development experience
• BS or MS degree in Computer Science or equivalent domain-specific experience
• Proven experience building and operating mission-critical systems
• Track record of leading technical projects and driving them through others
• Programming Languages: Proficiency in multiple programming languages (e.g., Java, Python, Go, C++) with deep expertise in at least one
• Knowledge of encryption technologies, and secure coding practices
• System Design: Expertise in designing distributed systems, including scalability, reliability, and performance considerations
• Knowledge of Linux-based systems, including performance tuning and troubleshooting
• Cloud Technologies: Experience with cloud-native architectures, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and microservices
• Understanding of network protocols
• Software Engineering: Deep understanding of design patterns, algorithms, and software architecture principles
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and drive them to completion
• Experience mentoring and developing other engineers
• Strong collaboration skills across teams and organizational boundaries
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Zero Trust architectures
• Experience with formal security analysis and threat modeling
• Published technical articles or conference presentations

Career Level - IC4