Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Senior Software Development Engineer jobs in Virginia are among the most active in the country, concentrated in defense and intelligence contracting, federal civilian IT, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise software across Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor. Major employers with a lasting Virginia presence include Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Amazon Web Services, all of which maintain large engineering workforces in the state. The most in-demand specialties are cloud-native development, distributed systems, and software engineering for classified or government-facing platforms. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles464+
Top employerBooz Allen Hamilton
Top cityChantilly, VA
Cities hiring44
Work type42% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 464+ Senior Software Development Engineer jobs

Senior Software Engineer
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New 3h ago
Senior Software Engineer
VTG Defense
Chantilly, Virginia
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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Software Developer (SSS-BAH-MOON-2111-01)
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New 4h ago
Software Developer (SSS-BAH-MOON-2111-01)
Sabree Software Services
Chantilly, Virginia
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering

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Software Developer Subject Matter Expert (SME)
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New 4h ago
Software Developer Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Chenega Corporation
Springfield, Virginia
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$159k - $250k/yr
ITIL Certification
5,001-10,000

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Sr Software Developer
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New 9h ago
Sr Software Developer
Cherokee Federal
Chantilly, Virginia
Cloud Engineering
Solutions Architecture
Technical Product & Program Management
$130k - $170k/yr
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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Software Developer - Expert
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New 9h ago
Software Developer - Expert
Cherokee Federal
Chantilly, Virginia
Cloud Engineering
Solutions Architecture
Technical Product & Program Management
$170k - $205k/yr
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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See All 464+ Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia

Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Herndon
53 jobs
Reston
46 jobs
Dahlgren
23 jobs
Springfield
17 jobs
Quantico
15 jobs
Sterling
15 jobs

Senior Software Development Engineer Job Market in Virginia

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

Who's Hiring

  • Booz Allen Hamilton19
  • Leidos15
  • General Dynamics Information Technology14
  • VTG Defense11
  • CACI International11

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Medical Devices
  • Staffing & Recruiting
  • Electronics & Hardware

What Virginia Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
  • Seven or more years of professional software development experience in production environments
  • Proficiency in one or more modern languages such as Java, Python, C++, or Go
  • Active or eligible U.S. security clearance for defense and federal contracting roles in Virginia
  • Experience designing and deploying cloud-based systems on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
  • Demonstrated ability to lead code reviews, mentor junior engineers, and drive technical decisions

Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior software development engineer in Virginia?

The concrete path in Virginia starts with a computer science or software engineering degree and several years of progressive development experience. Virginia has no state-issued license for software engineers, so advancement is credential- and portfolio-driven. Many Virginia employers, particularly in the defense corridor, require or strongly prefer candidates who hold or can obtain a federal security clearance. Certifications from AWS, Microsoft, or Google carry consistent weight across Northern Virginia's cloud-heavy employer base.

How much do senior software development engineers make in Virginia?

Senior software development 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 senior software development engineers in Virginia?

Employers hiring senior software development engineers in Virginia right now include Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and General Dynamics Information Technology, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's defense contracting ecosystem means many of the largest and most consistent hiring organizations are federal systems integrators and government IT services firms with permanent offices throughout Northern Virginia and the Richmond area.

Which Virginia cities have the most senior software development engineer jobs?

The cities with the most senior software development engineer openings in Virginia are Chantilly, Arlington, and Herndon. Northern Virginia dominates because it anchors the national defense and intelligence contracting corridor, home to the headquarters of firms like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and SAIC, while Richmond draws demand from financial services and state government IT, and Hampton Roads reflects the region's large military and naval technology footprint.

Are there remote senior software development engineer jobs in Virginia?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 62% of senior software development engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how naturally desk-based and tool-independent senior development work tends to be. The roles most likely to be fully remote are in commercial software and cloud engineering, while positions tied to classified government systems or defense programs typically require on-site presence due to clearance and facility requirements.

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

The most realistic entry path is through associate or junior software engineer roles at Virginia's large federal contractors and technology firms. Employers like Leidos, Northrop Grumman, and Peraton run structured new-graduate hiring programs in Northern Virginia, often paired with clearance sponsorship for candidates who qualify. Building a public portfolio on GitHub, earning a foundational cloud certification, and applying to internal rotation or early-career programs at these firms gives candidates without deep experience a concrete edge over peers submitting cold applications.

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

You can find and apply to senior software development engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense contracting, cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and government IT. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly from the listings on this page.

See All 464+ Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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