Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Arlington, VA
Senior Software Development Engineer jobs in Arlington, Virginia are concentrated in Rosslyn, Ballston, and Crystal City, where federal contracting firms, defense technology companies, and cloud-driven commercial employers maintain a strong engineering presence. Demand is steady and competitive, with employers like Innovative Defense Technologies, CaseGuard, and Booz Allen Hamilton actively posting roles. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 57+ Senior Software Development Engineer jobs
About the Team
STR's Intelligence Division researches and develops advanced analytics and machine learning-based solutions to solve challenging problems related to national security. Our team consists of passionate and motivated engineers with advanced degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science, who are seeking opportunities to use their deep technical knowledge and creativity to tackle some of the hardest problems that our customers face. Our projects span data analysis, deep learning, and statistical techniques across social media, text, time series, geospatial, and imagery data. We operate under challenging constraints not typically found in the commercial world. The tools and technologies we develop have real world impact and US Government analysts use them to extract and enrich intelligence information around the globe.
The Role:
As a Lead Software Engineer / Back-End Developer, you will join a cross-functional team tasked with implementing software solutions to challenging, high-impact problems. You will create infrastructure to process, store, and expose large and varied datasets that include imagery, structured and unstructured text, geospatial data, and more. You will work alongside algorithm developers and end users to deploy advanced analytic components on various compute platforms, including both on-prem and cloud environments. You will build, demonstrate, and transition systems to partner organizations.
Positions are available in both Woburn, MA and Arlington, VA. Due to the nature of our work, applicants should expect to primarily work onsite.
Who you are:
- Active Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government
- Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or other engineering or scientific field with 2-8+ relevant experience depending on the degree
- 5 years of experience in developing, deploying, or maintaining enterprise software solutions
- Software team leadership experience, especially for distributed cross-functional teams
- Strong problem solving, debugging, and analytical skills
- Knowledge of Mobile Operating System (iOS/Android) and mobile based applications
- Expertise in OOP languages, Linux command line tools, and shell scripting
Even Better
- Active TS/SCI security clearance
- Reverse engineering experience
- Experience in designing/developing platform components: Kubernetes, containers, etc.
- AWS tools proficiency including AWS security, Route 53, EC2 deployments, and other deployment tools
- Experience deploying ETL processes and/or machine learning models into production
- Familiarity with statistical and/or machine learning models
- Programming skills in CUDA
- Understanding of telecommunication networks
Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $180,000 - $220,000
The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.
STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.
STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.
STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at www.str.us for more info.
STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at appassist@str.us and provide your contact info.
Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.
About the Team
STR's Intelligence Division researches and develops advanced analytics and machine learning-based solutions to solve challenging problems related to national security. Our team consists of passionate and motivated engineers with advanced degrees in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science, who are seeking opportunities to use their deep technical knowledge and creativity to tackle some of the hardest problems that our customers face. Our projects span data analysis, deep learning, and statistical techniques across social media, text, time series, geospatial, and imagery data. We operate under challenging constraints not typically found in the commercial world. The tools and technologies we develop have real world impact and US Government analysts use them to extract and enrich intelligence information around the globe.
The Role:
As a Lead Software Engineer / Back-End Developer, you will join a cross-functional team tasked with implementing software solutions to challenging, high-impact problems. You will create infrastructure to process, store, and expose large and varied datasets that include imagery, structured and unstructured text, geospatial data, and more. You will work alongside algorithm developers and end users to deploy advanced analytic components on various compute platforms, including both on-prem and cloud environments. You will build, demonstrate, and transition systems to partner organizations.
Positions are available in both Woburn, MA and Arlington, VA. Due to the nature of our work, applicants should expect to primarily work onsite.
Who you are:
- Active Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government
- Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or other engineering or scientific field with 2-8+ relevant experience depending on the degree
- 5 years of experience in developing, deploying, or maintaining enterprise software solutions
- Software team leadership experience, especially for distributed cross-functional teams
- Strong problem solving, debugging, and analytical skills
- Knowledge of Mobile Operating System (iOS/Android) and mobile based applications
- Expertise in OOP languages, Linux command line tools, and shell scripting
Even Better
- Active TS/SCI security clearance
- Reverse engineering experience
- Experience in designing/developing platform components: Kubernetes, containers, etc.
- AWS tools proficiency including AWS security, Route 53, EC2 deployments, and other deployment tools
- Experience deploying ETL processes and/or machine learning models into production
- Familiarity with statistical and/or machine learning models
- Programming skills in CUDA
- Understanding of telecommunication networks
Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $180,000 - $220,000
The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.
STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.
STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.
STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at www.str.us for more info.
STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at appassist@str.us and provide your contact info.
Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.
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Find JobsSenior Software Development Engineer Job Market in Arlington
Who's Hiring
- Innovative Defense Technologies8
- CaseGuard5
- Booz Allen Hamilton4
- JRAD3
- Forterra3
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software5
- Marketing & Advertising3
- Non-Profit & Social Services3
- Retail2
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces2
Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Arlington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a senior software development engineer job in Arlington?
Focus your search on the defense technology, federal IT contracting, and cloud infrastructure sectors that dominate Arlington hiring. The Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and Pentagon City area concentrate the most engineering roles. Candidates who hold active security clearances, have experience with AWS or Azure on government workloads, or have contributed to large-scale distributed systems stand out in this market over those with purely commercial backgrounds.
Which companies hire senior software development engineers in Arlington?
Arlington senior software development engineer roles are posted by Innovative Defense Technologies, CaseGuard, and Booz Allen Hamilton and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Arlington's employer mix skews heavily toward defense primes, federal IT contractors, and technology firms with government-facing product lines, so most senior engineering openings tie back to those categories.
Are there remote senior software development engineer jobs in Arlington?
Yes, senior software development engineer work is well-suited to remote and hybrid arrangements given its desk-based, collaborative nature. About 46% of senior software development engineer openings tied to Arlington are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, though roles requiring security clearances or classified system access are more likely to mandate on-site presence at Arlington facilities.
How can I get a senior software development engineer job in Arlington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Arlington is through junior or associate software engineer roles at federal contractors and defense technology firms, which often hire for multi-year program teams and promote from within. Look for employers in the Rosslyn and Ballston corridors that run rotational programs or invest in clearance sponsorship for early-career engineers. Building familiarity with government cloud platforms and agile delivery frameworks used in federal projects gives candidates a concrete local edge.
Which industries hire the most senior software development engineers in Arlington?
The sectors hiring the most senior software development engineers in Arlington are Technology & Software, Marketing & Advertising, and Non-Profit & Social Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Arlington's proximity to the Pentagon and federal agencies drives outsized demand from defense technology and government IT firms compared to most other metro areas.
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See All 57 Senior Software Development Engineer Jobs in Arlington
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