Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Development Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense and aerospace systems, federal contracting, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy infrastructure, with openings at every level from entry-level associates through senior principal engineers. The busiest hiring metros are Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond, where established employers like Leidos, Northrop Grumman, and Dominion Energy consistently bring on development engineers across hardware, software, and systems disciplines. The most sought-after specializations include embedded systems development, systems integration, and RF and electronic systems engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Development Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles201+
Top employerAmazon
Top cityArlington, VA
Cities hiring25
Work type43% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 4 of 201+ Development Engineer jobs

Software Development Engineer II, AWS Security SecDevOps
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Software Development Engineer II, AWS Security SecDevOps
Amazon.com
Herndon, Virginia
Backend Engineering
Software Engineering
$144k - $194k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Packaging Development Engineer
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Added 2d ago
Packaging Development Engineer
Altria
Richmond, Virginia
Engineering (Non-Software)
Industrial Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering
$81k - $119k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in engineering
5,001-10,000

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Software Engineer- AI, Autonomy and Platform Development
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Software Engineer- AI, Autonomy and Platform Development
Leidos
Reston, Virginia
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
ML (Machine Learning)
$108k - $195k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Software Development Engineer, US Amazon Dedicated Cloud Security
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Added 2d ago
Software Development Engineer, US Amazon Dedicated Cloud Security
Amazon.com
Herndon, Virginia
Cloud & DevOps
Cloud Engineering
Cybersecurity
Security Engineering
$144k - $194k/yr
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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See All 201+ Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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Development Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia

Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Herndon
60 jobs
Reston
20 jobs
Chantilly
8 jobs
Richmond
5 jobs
McLean
3 jobs
Lynchburg
3 jobs
Warrenton
3 jobs
Ashburn
2 jobs

Development Engineer Job Market in Virginia

A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Amazon66
  • Amazon Web Services53
  • Workday9
  • Bohler5
  • CACI International3

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Medical Devices
  • Distribution & Wholesale

What Virginia Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in development engineer jobs across Virginia.

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, computer, or systems engineering required
  • Experience with systems integration, product lifecycle development, or engineering design processes
  • Proficiency in CAD tools, simulation software, or embedded development environments
  • Ability to obtain or maintain a U.S. security clearance for defense and federal contractor roles
  • Familiarity with industry standards such as MIL-SPEC, DO-178, or ISO 9001 relevant to Virginia sectors
  • Strong documentation and cross-functional collaboration skills for program and proposal environments

Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a development engineer in Virginia?

Most development engineer roles in Virginia require a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline such as electrical, mechanical, computer, or systems engineering. Virginia does not mandate a state license for most private-sector development engineer positions, though engineers who sign off on public-facing designs may pursue Professional Engineer licensure through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Federal contractor roles in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads also commonly require a security clearance, which employers sponsor after hire.

How much do development engineers make in Virginia?

Development engineers in Virginia earn a median of about $136,380 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $92,540 for the lowest 10% to over $176,950 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire development engineers in Virginia?

Employers hiring development engineers in Virginia right now include Amazon, Amazon Web Services, and Workday, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's dense concentration of defense primes, federal agencies, and energy utilities means hiring is relatively consistent year-round rather than driven by seasonal peaks.

Which Virginia cities have the most development engineer jobs?

Arlington, Herndon, and Reston account for the largest share of development engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia's proximity to the Pentagon, federal agencies, and a large defense contractor ecosystem drives the highest volume, while Hampton Roads benefits from Naval Station Norfolk and related aerospace and shipbuilding employers, and Richmond draws openings from energy, manufacturing, and commercial technology firms.

Are there remote development engineer jobs in Virginia?

Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical roles because development engineering often involves lab work, hardware testing, or secure facility access. About 57% of development engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting partial flexibility where it exists. The portions of the work most likely to shift remote are design reviews, documentation, and software-side development tasks.

How can I get hired as a development engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is through a new-graduate associate engineer program at one of Virginia's large defense or energy employers, such as the rotational engineering programs run by Leidos, Northrop Grumman, or Dominion Energy, which are structured around candidates who have a degree but limited professional history. Internship-to-hire pipelines at Virginia Tech, George Mason University, and Old Dominion University give on-campus recruiting priority for Virginia-based openings. Adjacent entry points include test technician, systems analyst, and junior CAD designer roles that frequently convert to full development engineer positions within one to two years.

Where can I find and apply to development engineer jobs in Virginia?

You can find and apply to development engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings updated in real time. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly from each listing.

See All 201+ Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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