Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in New Mexico
Senior Software Development Engineer jobs in New Mexico are in steady demand, concentrated in defense contracting, national laboratories, and federal technology programs that anchor the state's engineering economy. Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces account for the largest share of openings, with major employers such as Sandia National Laboratories, Leidos, and Northrop Grumman maintaining long-term technical workforces in the state. The most sought-after specialties include systems software, embedded development, and cloud-native engineering tied to government and aerospace programs. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 20+ Senior Software Development Engineer jobs









Big challenges need bold thinkers.
If you’re someone who sees problems as opportunities, you’ll thrive here. RESPEC is 100% employee-owned, which means we take ownership of every challenge. Here, your ideas drive real solutions. Since 1969, we’ve tackled complex challenges in energy transition, infrastructure resilience, digital transformation, and sustainability.
At RESPEC, you’ll work alongside clients to take on critical problems. Depending on your expertise, you might design infrastructure in remote locations, develop renewable energy solutions for global projects, or apply data-driven technology to improve mining and water systems.
We bring deep technical knowledge, real-world experience, and a commitment to work that matters. If you're looking for a place where your contributions have real impact, you’ll fit right in.
We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters.
Job Description
RESPEC is seeking a Senior Scientific Software Engineer to support scientific computing work for a large National Laboratory. You’ll help sustain and modernize computational modeling software used in a high-consequence environment, with a focus on reliable, maintainable code and performance on Linux and HPC systems.
Core Responsibilities
- Sustain, analyze, and modernize scientific software, including legacy systems.
- Refactor code to improve portability, efficiency, maintainability, and stability.
- Support computational modeling across conceptual, process, and numerical models.
- Debug, profile, benchmark, and assess software performance and scalability.
- Support Linux development, HPC workflows, and job-scheduler use.
- Apply software quality practices, testing, and verification and validation.
- Document source code, technical debt, risks, and software workflows.
- Support reproducible builds, scientific data workflows, and migration readiness.
- Perform work in accordance with applicable Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) requirements.
Qualifications
Required Technical Experience
- Master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related discipline, such as environmental science, mathematics, or physics, and at least 5 years of relevant experience in computational modeling, software development, and documentation; or
- Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and at least 10 years of relevant experience.
Recent project experience
- At least one project within the 5 years preceding the response deadline involving both computational modeling and software development in a regulated, safety-critical, high-consequence, or equivalent mission-critical environment.
- Ability to describe the project’s environment, tasks, responsibilities, and deliverables, and explain why the work was high-consequence or mission-critical.
Technical skills
- Scientific programming with Fortran, Python, and C and/or C++.
- GNU/Linux or equivalent development environments, including build, compilation, and debugging toolchains.
- HPC systems and job schedulers such as Slurm or equivalent.
- Bash or equivalent Unix/Linux shell scripting.
- Software quality practices, testing, and scientific data formats and workflows.
- Debugging, profiling, performance analysis, and legacy-code modernization.
- Git or equivalent version control and reproducible builds.
- Source-code documentation tools such as Doxygen or equivalent.
- Python 2 and Python 3
- C and C++
- OpenMPI, MPICH, or Intel MPI
- Serial and parallel scientific codes
Additional Information
Featured benefits:
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Paid Parental Leave
- 401(k) & ESOP (with company match up to 4%)
- Professional Development and Training
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
See All 20 Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in New Mexico
Find roles in New Mexico that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSenior Software Development Engineer Jobs by City in New Mexico
Where New Mexico roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Software Development Engineer Job Market in New Mexico
A snapshot from current New Mexico openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



What New Mexico Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior software development engineer jobs across New Mexico.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Seven or more years of professional software development experience in relevant languages or platforms
- Active or obtainable U.S. security clearance, often required by New Mexico defense and laboratory employers
- Proficiency in systems-level or embedded programming languages such as C, C++, or Python
- Experience designing and deploying cloud infrastructure or distributed software systems at scale
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical design reviews and mentor junior engineering team members
Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in New Mexico: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior software development engineer in New Mexico?
Reaching a senior software development engineer role in New Mexico typically starts with a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering, followed by several years of hands-on development experience. New Mexico does not require a state-issued license for most software engineering roles, but many positions with the national laboratories and defense contractors require a federal security clearance, which employers sponsor. Building deep expertise in systems, embedded, or cloud engineering positions candidates well for the state's dominant sectors.
How much do senior software development engineers make in New Mexico?
Senior software development engineers in New Mexico earn a median of about $124,520 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,110 for the lowest 10% to over $184,710 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior software development engineers in New Mexico?
New Mexico senior software development engineer roles are posted by Los Alamos National Laboratory, Auria, and Boeing and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. New Mexico's concentration of national laboratories and defense primes means many of the largest ongoing hiring programs come from federally funded research and engineering organizations with a permanent footprint in the state.
Which New Mexico cities have the most senior software development engineer jobs?
Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and Hobbs lead New Mexico for senior software development engineer openings. Albuquerque dominates because Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and a cluster of aerospace and defense contractors are headquartered or based there, while Santa Fe and Las Cruces draw roles tied to state government technology programs and nearby research institutions such as New Mexico State University.
Are there remote senior software development engineer jobs in New Mexico?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 67% of senior software development engineer openings tied to New Mexico are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how naturally the work translates to distributed environments. Cloud engineering, backend development, and software architecture roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while positions requiring access to classified systems or laboratory hardware remain on-site.
How can I get hired as a senior software development engineer in New Mexico with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through internship and co-op programs at New Mexico's national laboratories, particularly Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, both of which run structured programs for students and recent graduates. Entry-level roles with titles such as software developer, associate engineer, or junior developer at defense contractors and technology firms in Albuquerque serve as the most common stepping stone. Building a portfolio in systems programming, embedded software, or cloud infrastructure and pursuing certifications from major cloud providers strengthens candidacy considerably.
Where can I find and apply to senior software development engineer jobs in New Mexico?
You can find and apply to senior software development engineer jobs in New Mexico on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings, find the roles that match your experience and the New Mexico locations or remote arrangements you want, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 20 Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in New Mexico
Find roles in New Mexico that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Jobs