Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Lead Software Engineer jobs in Virginia are in high demand, concentrated in defense technology, federal contracting, and cloud infrastructure sectors, with openings at every level from senior developer to principal engineering lead. Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor anchor most hiring, with established employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Capital One running active engineering teams across the state. Cloud architecture, distributed systems, and DevSecOps are the most sought-after specialties in Virginia listings right now. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Lead Software Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 292+ Lead Software Engineer jobs
- Establishing development tools and infrastructure for automation
- Understanding the needs of stakeholders and conveying this to developers
- Automate and improve development, testing, deployment, and release processes
- Testing and examining code written by others and analyzing results
- Ensuring that systems are safe and secure against cybersecurity threats
- Identifying technical problems, performing root cause analysis, and developing software updates and ‘fixes’
- Working with software developers and software engineers to ensure that development follows established processes and works as intended
- Support enterprise Cloud applications or infrastructure through infrastructure as code including any activities around automated server or network configurations, large-scale software deployments, and monitoring and testing, such as CI/CD
- Document as-is state of the environment, perform a gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations
- Leverage virtualization and containerization to optimize and modernize software systems
- Work with teams to bring continuous improvement to DevSecOps processes and tools.
- Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement for the services provided
- Present regular status updates and provide cross training to other DevOps team members.
- This will be a part-time role
- Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
- BS Degree in an IT field OR BS in a non-IT field and 2 years related IT experience
- Experience with one or more clouds (i.e. AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- Experience with one or more programming or scripting languages
- Must have current DHS SASS PT
- Must have knowledge of Design Intelligence Methodology
Preferred:
-
Certifications:
- AWS Cloud Practitione
- AWS Solution Architect Associate
- Azure Developer Associate
- 1 years of application DevSecOps Experience with actual/active development experience in an Agile environment
- Experience implementing docker containers and utilizing platforms such as Kubernetes
- Experience implementing infrastructure as code and orchestration
- Experience building CI/CD pipelines with tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Pipelines, CircleCI, TravisCI
- Experience implementing Automated Testing frameworks including Selenium
- Hands on experience integrating deployments with industry standard DevSecOps tooling and orchestration
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
Identity Statement
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.
- Establishing development tools and infrastructure for automation
- Understanding the needs of stakeholders and conveying this to developers
- Automate and improve development, testing, deployment, and release processes
- Testing and examining code written by others and analyzing results
- Ensuring that systems are safe and secure against cybersecurity threats
- Identifying technical problems, performing root cause analysis, and developing software updates and ‘fixes’
- Working with software developers and software engineers to ensure that development follows established processes and works as intended
- Support enterprise Cloud applications or infrastructure through infrastructure as code including any activities around automated server or network configurations, large-scale software deployments, and monitoring and testing, such as CI/CD
- Document as-is state of the environment, perform a gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations
- Leverage virtualization and containerization to optimize and modernize software systems
- Work with teams to bring continuous improvement to DevSecOps processes and tools.
- Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement for the services provided
- Present regular status updates and provide cross training to other DevOps team members.
- This will be a part-time role
- Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
- BS Degree in an IT field OR BS in a non-IT field and 2 years related IT experience
- Experience with one or more clouds (i.e. AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- Experience with one or more programming or scripting languages
- Must have current DHS SASS PT
- Must have knowledge of Design Intelligence Methodology
Preferred:
-
Certifications:
- AWS Cloud Practitione
- AWS Solution Architect Associate
- Azure Developer Associate
- 1 years of application DevSecOps Experience with actual/active development experience in an Agile environment
- Experience implementing docker containers and utilizing platforms such as Kubernetes
- Experience implementing infrastructure as code and orchestration
- Experience building CI/CD pipelines with tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Pipelines, CircleCI, TravisCI
- Experience implementing Automated Testing frameworks including Selenium
- Hands on experience integrating deployments with industry standard DevSecOps tooling and orchestration
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
Identity Statement
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.
See All 292+ Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Lead Software Engineer JobsLead Software Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Lead Software Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Capital One21
- Amentum10
- Booz Allen Hamilton10
- General Dynamics Information Technology10
- Sabree Software Services9S
Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Science & Research
- Aerospace & Defense
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in lead software engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
- Seven or more years of software development experience with at least two in a lead role
- Proficiency in one or more languages such as Java, Python, Go, or C++
- Experience leading agile development teams and conducting code reviews
- Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
- Active or obtainable security clearance preferred for Virginia federal contractor roles
Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a lead software engineer in Virginia?
Virginia does not require a state-issued license to work as a lead software engineer. The typical path is a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field, followed by several years of progressive development experience before moving into a lead role. Many Virginia employers in the federal contracting and defense sectors also expect or strongly prefer candidates who can obtain a security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship and a background investigation.
How much do lead software engineers make in Virginia?
Lead software engineers in Virginia earn a median of about $136,460 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $83,350 for the lowest 10% to over $211,930 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire lead software engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring lead software engineers in Virginia right now include Capital One, Amentum, and Booz Allen Hamilton, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Northern Virginia's dense concentration of federal agencies and defense contractors means many of the largest and most consistent hiring organizations in the state are systems integrators and technology services firms.
Which Virginia cities have the most lead software engineer jobs?
Chantilly, McLean, and Herndon have the most lead software engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia cities like Reston, McLean, and Arlington dominate because of their proximity to federal agencies and the high concentration of defense and cloud technology contractors, while Richmond and Hampton Roads draw hiring through financial services firms and military installation support organizations.
Are there remote lead software engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 46% of lead software engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the desk-based and collaborative nature of senior software roles. The parts of the role most likely to stay fully remote are those without classified system access requirements, while positions supporting federal or defense contracts often require on-site presence due to security protocols.
How can I get hired as a lead software engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a software developer or software engineer associate role and building toward a lead position over several years. Large Virginia employers such as Leidos, SAIC, and Capital One run new-graduate hiring programs and rotational engineering tracks that feed into senior pipelines. Building a strong portfolio of projects, contributing to open-source work, and earning cloud certifications from AWS or Google give candidates a measurable edge in Virginia's competitive market.
Where can I find and apply to lead software engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to lead software engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to each one.
See All 292+ Lead Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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