Principal Software Developer

Description

We are seeking a Principal Software Developer who will be a member of a dynamic team Air Traffic Management program - SkyLine-X

SkyLine-X provides an array of advanced air traffic management capabilities to improve aircraft safety, performance, and efficiency across the world's airspace.

Primary Responsibilities:

Serve as a principal technical authority for software engineering across one or more programs, influencing architecture, design, and long-term technical strategy

Lead the design and development of complex, mission-critical software systems, ensuring alignment with performance, safety, security, and scalability requirements

Drive system-level and cross-program architectural decisions, including integration strategies and technology selection

Define and oversee the strategic adoption of AI-assisted software development across teams and programs

Establish enterprise- or program-level policies, guardrails, and governance for responsible AI usage, including validation standards, traceability, security, compliance, and risk management

Evaluate the impact of AI-assisted development on safety-critical systems, ensuring that its use aligns with regulatory, operational, and mission assurance requirements

Provide expert-level evaluation of AI-generated outputs, identifying systemic risks, failure modes, and unintended consequences at scale

Champion the development of standardized AI-assisted workflows, reusable components, and tooling that improve productivity while maintaining engineering rigor

Lead technical reviews, architecture reviews, and code reviews, setting and enforcing the highest standards for software quality (both human- and AI-generated)

Mentor and develop senior and mid-level engineers, fostering technical growth and promoting best practices in both software engineering and AI-assisted development

Collaborate with program leadership, systems engineering, cybersecurity, and other stakeholders to align software strategy with mission objectives

Drive continuous improvement across development processes, tool chains, and engineering culture, including responsible integration of emerging AI technologies

Basic Qualifications:

Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance (US Citizenship required)

Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field and a minimum of 12 years of prior relevant experience, or a master's degree and a minimum of 10 years of prior relevant experience

Expert-level proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, or Qt, with extensive experience delivering and maintaining large-scale production systems

Demonstrated experience leading software architecture and technical strategy across teams or programs

Deep experience applying AI-assisted software development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Roo Code, or similar) and shaping their adoption in professional environments

Expert ability to evaluate, validate, and govern AI-generated code and outputs, including identifying systemic risks, security vulnerabilities, and performance tradeoffs

Strong understanding of software architecture, distributed systems, and system-level design tradeoffs

Proven experience establishing engineering standards, best practices, and development processes across teams

Ability to operate independently at a strategic level while influencing and aligning multiple stakeholders

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience defining AI governance frameworks, policies, or standards within a program or organization

Experience working in regulated, safety-critical, or mission-critical environments (e.g., air traffic management, aviation, defense, or similar domains)

Experience integrating AI-assisted development into secure, enterprise-grade development environments and toolchains

Prior experience serving as a technical lead, architect, or principal engineer across large-scale systems

Experience influencing organizational technology strategy or contributing to innovation initiatives involving AI

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

April 1, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at

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Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.