Software Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Software Design Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense and intelligence contracting, federal IT services, and commercial technology sectors, with openings from entry-level associate engineers through principal and staff-level roles. The Northern Virginia corridor, including Reston, Herndon, and Tysons, drives the bulk of hiring, followed by Richmond and the Hampton Roads area, where employers like Leidos, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton maintain major engineering footprints. Embedded systems design, systems-on-chip architecture, and firmware engineering are among the most consistently sought specialties across Virginia listings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 6+ Software Design Engineer jobs
Accenture Federal Services is seeking a Senior Software-Design Network (SDN) Engineer who will utilize industry and domain knowledge and experience to perform technical product analysis, develop working prototypes, and design and troubleshoot infrastructure services for federal customers. This role will leverage extensive VMware and Microsoft on-premises ecosystems expertise along with knowledge of cloud infrastructure to drive innovation and technical excellence. This position will require strong communication skills with requirements to interface with the customer senior leadership that includes C-Suite.
Qualifications:
- A Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification
- 5 years of experience with data center and WAN design and operations leveraging Cisco Catalyst, Nexus, ASR hardware.
- 5 years of Microsoft or VMware on-premises ecosystem network experience.
- 5 years of experience with a combination of tier 3 issue analysis, design, and/or implementation activities
- 3 years of experience with documenting designs and shepherding them through design, review boards, where you had to defend the design decisions and overall solution.
Nice to have:
- Effective verbal and non-verbal communication with peers and C-Suite level client leadership
- Must possess or obtain within 6 months Security+ CE or equivalent security
- A Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) certification with proficiency in virtual networking configuration and Software Define Networking (VMware NSX, Cisco ACI, or other).
- Experience with advanced protocols such as MP-BGP, DMVPN, or MPLS.
- Software defined network using Cisco management and automation tools or third party tools such as Ansible.
- Experience in design, developing, and/or deploying cloud-based systems
- Knowledge of Zero Trust and federal strategies for implementing through multiple pillars of capabilities
- Understanding of federal IT compliance frameworks including NIST, FedRAMP, and DoD-specific requirements
Clearance:
- An active TS/SCI is required
Accenture Federal Services is seeking a Senior Software-Design Network (SDN) Engineer who will utilize industry and domain knowledge and experience to perform technical product analysis, develop working prototypes, and design and troubleshoot infrastructure services for federal customers. This role will leverage extensive VMware and Microsoft on-premises ecosystems expertise along with knowledge of cloud infrastructure to drive innovation and technical excellence. This position will require strong communication skills with requirements to interface with the customer senior leadership that includes C-Suite.
Qualifications:
- A Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification
- 5 years of experience with data center and WAN design and operations leveraging Cisco Catalyst, Nexus, ASR hardware.
- 5 years of Microsoft or VMware on-premises ecosystem network experience.
- 5 years of experience with a combination of tier 3 issue analysis, design, and/or implementation activities
- 3 years of experience with documenting designs and shepherding them through design, review boards, where you had to defend the design decisions and overall solution.
Nice to have:
- Effective verbal and non-verbal communication with peers and C-Suite level client leadership
- Must possess or obtain within 6 months Security+ CE or equivalent security
- A Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) certification with proficiency in virtual networking configuration and Software Define Networking (VMware NSX, Cisco ACI, or other).
- Experience with advanced protocols such as MP-BGP, DMVPN, or MPLS.
- Software defined network using Cisco management and automation tools or third party tools such as Ansible.
- Experience in design, developing, and/or deploying cloud-based systems
- Knowledge of Zero Trust and federal strategies for implementing through multiple pillars of capabilities
- Understanding of federal IT compliance frameworks including NIST, FedRAMP, and DoD-specific requirements
Clearance:
- An active TS/SCI is required
See All 6 Software Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia
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Find Software Design Engineer JobsSoftware Design Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Design Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software design engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or closely related field required
- Proficiency in hardware description languages such as VHDL or Verilog for FPGA and ASIC design
- Experience with embedded systems design and real-time operating environments on defense or commercial programs
- Active or obtainable U.S. government security clearance, commonly required for Virginia defense contractors
- Familiarity with design verification, simulation tools, and industry standards such as DO-254 or MIL-STD
- Strong background in schematic capture, PCB design review, and cross-functional collaboration with firmware teams
Software Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software design engineer in Virginia?
Most Virginia employers require a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a closely related discipline as the foundation for this role. Virginia does not issue a state-specific license for software design engineers, though engineers working on publicly regulated infrastructure may pursue Professional Engineer licensure through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Building a portfolio of hardware or embedded design projects and obtaining a security clearance significantly strengthens candidacy for Virginia's defense-heavy market.
How much do software design engineers make in Virginia?
Software design 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 software design engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring software design engineers in Virginia right now include Northrop Grumman, CACI International, and Accenture Federal Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Virginia's concentration of defense primes and federal IT contractors means many openings are tied to government programs, making cleared candidates particularly competitive across the state.
Which Virginia cities have the most software design engineer jobs?
Waynesboro, Herndon, and Chantilly account for the largest share of software design engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia's density of defense contractors and cloud infrastructure firms anchors the majority of postings, while Richmond draws from financial technology and state government IT programs, and Hampton Roads hiring is driven by naval and aerospace systems work centered around the region's long-standing military installations.
Are there remote software design engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than many engineering disciplines, since software design work on non-classified programs can often be done off-site. About 100% of software design engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, though roles requiring lab access, hardware bring-up, or a security clearance are almost always on-site. The most remote-friendly sub-areas tend to be RTL design, verification, and FPGA firmware work on commercial or non-classified programs.
How can I get hired as a software design engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to associate or junior engineer roles at Virginia's large defense contractors, where Leidos, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton run new-graduate hiring programs that pair candidates with cleared engineering teams. Internship pipelines at Virginia Tech and George Mason University feed directly into these programs. Candidates without prior employment can strengthen applications with an FPGA or PCB design portfolio, relevant coursework in embedded systems, and early pursuit of a security clearance, which many Virginia employers will sponsor for strong entry-level candidates.
Where can I find and apply to software design engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to software design engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense contractors, federal IT firms, and commercial technology employers. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly from the listings on this page.
See All 6 Software Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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