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.
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DESCRIPTION
AWS Security SecDevOps is a team of world-class software development engineers responsible for shaping the future of internal security tooling within AWS Security. We build innovative technologies at massive scale to help keep AWS and our customers secure. As a software development engineer on this team you will leverage modern technologies and AWS services to empower AWS security response engineers to be more productive.
You are a software developer who likes to deliver software solutions that solve business problems and delight your customers with efficiency and productivity gains. You’ve got development experience with technologies like AWS, Java, TypeScript, React, Python, MongoDB, and SQL, though you don't need experience with all of those to start. You might be a front end developer, a back end developer, or a full stack engineer - our team is growing and we have several positions open. If you have some background in security that is helpful, but not required.
We are the AWS SecDevOps team. We build all of the APIs, websites, and tools for AWS Security Operations including a Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platform. Our team tackles the most challenging internal development efforts within AWS Security - the ones which require massive scale, constant availability, and integration with numerous other services and tools. To help delight our customers we incorporate real-time collaboration features and use purpose-built databases, while maintaining close contact with our customers throughout the development process.
Location can be one of:
Seattle, WA
Arlington, VA
Herndon, VA
About the team
Diverse Experiences
Amazon Security values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why Amazon Security?
At Amazon, security is central to maintaining customer trust and delivering delightful customer experiences. Our organization is responsible for creating and maintaining a high bar for security across all of Amazon’s products and services. We offer talented security professionals the chance to accelerate their careers with opportunities to build experience in a wide variety of areas including cloud, devices, retail, entertainment, healthcare, operations, and physical stores.
Inclusive Team Culture
In Amazon Security, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Ongoing DEI events and learning experiences inspire us to continue learning and to embrace our uniqueness. Addressing the toughest security challenges requires that we seek out and celebrate a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and voices.
Training & Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, training, and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why flexible work hours and arrangements are part of our culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, VA, Arlington - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Herndon - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually
See All 201+ Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia
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Find Development Engineer JobsDevelopment Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
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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