Junior Software Engineer

Job Description

Job Summary

At most companies, a Junior Software Developer spends years writing unit tests for someone else's features. At Sightline, you'll do meaningful work from day one.

We're a focused team of experienced engineers building specialized analytics software used by Fortune 500 companies across Finance, Telecommunications, Government, and Manufacturing worldwide. You won't navigate layers of management to get things done — you'll work directly alongside senior developers, ship code to real enterprise customers, and develop a full understanding of the application, not just your ticket queue.

Our stack is specialized. We hire for aptitude and attitude, and we'll train the right person on what they need to know.

We actively use AI tools in our development workflow — and we expect every team member to leverage them. You'll work in an environment that treats AI as a productivity multiplier, not a threat. For a junior developer, that means you'll ramp faster, punch above your experience level, and build habits that make you a stronger engineer for the rest of your career.

What You’ll Do

Work directly with senior engineers on Java-based enterprise applications — full stack, not just one slice

Write clean, well-documented code that ships to real customers in regulated industries

Participate in code reviews and architectural discussions — your voice matters

Debug, troubleshoot, and solve problems that actually challenge you

Build and maintain application components and user interfaces

Collaborate using GitHub for version control across the full development lifecycle

Use AI development tools as a standard part of your workflow — we embrace them, we'll teach you how to use them well, and we expect you to use them

Grow rapidly — because in a small team, there's nowhere to hide and no shortage of opportunity

What We’re Looking For

Solid Java fundamentals and understanding of object-oriented programming

Experience with GitHub for source control — branching, commits, pull requests

Comfort working in a professional IDE (IntelliJ IDEA or similar)

Strong problem-solving instincts and a genuine desire to learn

Good communication skills — you'll be talking to people, not just computers

Work Authorization: Must be a U.S. Citizen; Sightline Systems is not able to sponsor international hires for this role

Preferred (but not required – we’ll teach you)

Experience with relational databases and SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, or similar)

Familiarity with web application architecture

Exposure to enterprise Java frameworks, ORM tools, or UI component libraries

Familiarity with AI coding tools (GitHub Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, or similar) — or genuine curiosity to learn

Any coursework or personal projects demonstrating initiative and follow-through

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)

Internship, academic projects, or personal projects demonstrating relevant skills are highly valued

What We Offer

Mentorship and guidance from experienced developers

Opportunities to grow technical skills and career development

Collaborative and supportive team environment

Hands-on experience with real-world enterprise applications

About Sightline

Sightline offers a real-time operations intelligence solution focused on analytics, root-cause analysis and correlation of data from any source -- critical IT systems, applications, storage, databases, manufacturing -- down to the process level. Sightline's powerful analytics go beyond point-in-time data to include over time and real time trend analysis, with abnormal behaviors or events dynamically communicated for appropriate actions.

Benefits & Compensation

Competitive annual salary commensurate with experience, with annual performance-based bonus opportunity

Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

401(k) plan

Health savings account (HSA)

Paid time off and flexible scheduling

Free on-site parking

Location: Fairfax, VA 22030 — reliable commute or relocation required. This is an in-office position.

Learn more about us at

Full-time