Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Colorado
Software Engineering Manager jobs in Colorado are concentrated in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, where established employers like Lockheed Martin, Palantir, and Arrow Electronics maintain significant engineering organizations. Demand is strongest for managers with backgrounds in cloud infrastructure, enterprise software, and defense or aerospace systems, reflecting the state's distinctive mix of commercial tech and government-contract work. Colorado consistently ranks among the more active markets for engineering leadership roles at both the senior and director-adjacent levels. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 23+ Software Engineering Manager jobs
We are looking to add an Associate Manager, Software Engineering to our team. This position is responsible for leading a team of software engineers in the design, development, integration, testing, and sustainment of software solutions supporting aerospace systems and mission-critical applications. This role provides day-to-day leadership, technical guidance, and performance management while fostering a collaborative, high-performing engineering environment.
Working closely with systems engineering, hardware engineering, quality, integration and test, mission operations, program management, and product leadership, the Associate Manager, Software Engineering ensures software development activities align with technical requirements, program objectives, quality standards, and schedule commitments. This role balances people leadership with technical oversight and supports continuous improvement of engineering processes, product quality, and team development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of software engineers by providing regular feedback, performance management, career development, and mentoring.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture that encourages innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, workforce planning, and employee development activities.
- Conduct performance reviews, establish development goals, and identify training opportunities to enhance individual and team performance.
- Promote compliance with company policies, engineering standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Partner with program management and engineering leadership to support technical planning, resource allocation, risk management, and program execution.
- Monitor team workload, priorities, and project progress to ensure successful delivery of engineering objectives.
- Collaborate with systems engineering, hardware engineering, quality, manufacturing, integration and test, and mission operations to resolve technical issues.
- Participate in customer meetings, technical reviews, design reviews, and program milestone activities.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on engineering efficiency, quality, and process maturity.
- Ensure compliance with software development processes, configuration management, coding standards, and engineering best practices.
- Support implementation of Agile, DevOps, Model-Based Engineering, or other engineering methodologies as applicable.
- Drive continuous improvement of engineering tools, processes, documentation, and software development practices.
- Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 4–7 years of relevant software engineering experience with a minimum of 1 year of leadership experience, including roles such as technical lead, project lead, team lead, or formal people manager.
- Experience leading software development teams in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries.
- Strong understanding of software engineering principles, software development lifecycle (SDLC), software architecture, integration, verification and validation (IV&V), configuration management, and secure software development practices.
- Experience working in Agile development environments using Scrum, DevOps, CI/CD, and issue tracking tools such as Jira or Azure DevOps.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., C, C++, Rust, or Python) and version control systems (e.g., Git, GitLab, or Bitbucket).
- Experience with requirements management tools such as Jama or IBM DOORS.
- Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, communication, collaboration, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced product development environment with changing priorities and deadlines.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
We are looking to add an Associate Manager, Software Engineering to our team. This position is responsible for leading a team of software engineers in the design, development, integration, testing, and sustainment of software solutions supporting aerospace systems and mission-critical applications. This role provides day-to-day leadership, technical guidance, and performance management while fostering a collaborative, high-performing engineering environment.
Working closely with systems engineering, hardware engineering, quality, integration and test, mission operations, program management, and product leadership, the Associate Manager, Software Engineering ensures software development activities align with technical requirements, program objectives, quality standards, and schedule commitments. This role balances people leadership with technical oversight and supports continuous improvement of engineering processes, product quality, and team development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of software engineers by providing regular feedback, performance management, career development, and mentoring.
- Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture that encourages innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Support recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, workforce planning, and employee development activities.
- Conduct performance reviews, establish development goals, and identify training opportunities to enhance individual and team performance.
- Promote compliance with company policies, engineering standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Partner with program management and engineering leadership to support technical planning, resource allocation, risk management, and program execution.
- Monitor team workload, priorities, and project progress to ensure successful delivery of engineering objectives.
- Collaborate with systems engineering, hardware engineering, quality, manufacturing, integration and test, and mission operations to resolve technical issues.
- Participate in customer meetings, technical reviews, design reviews, and program milestone activities.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on engineering efficiency, quality, and process maturity.
- Ensure compliance with software development processes, configuration management, coding standards, and engineering best practices.
- Support implementation of Agile, DevOps, Model-Based Engineering, or other engineering methodologies as applicable.
- Drive continuous improvement of engineering tools, processes, documentation, and software development practices.
- Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 4–7 years of relevant software engineering experience with a minimum of 1 year of leadership experience, including roles such as technical lead, project lead, team lead, or formal people manager.
- Experience leading software development teams in aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated industries.
- Strong understanding of software engineering principles, software development lifecycle (SDLC), software architecture, integration, verification and validation (IV&V), configuration management, and secure software development practices.
- Experience working in Agile development environments using Scrum, DevOps, CI/CD, and issue tracking tools such as Jira or Azure DevOps.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages (e.g., C, C++, Rust, or Python) and version control systems (e.g., Git, GitLab, or Bitbucket).
- Experience with requirements management tools such as Jama or IBM DOORS.
- Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, communication, collaboration, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced product development environment with changing priorities and deadlines.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
See All 23 Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsSoftware Engineering Manager Jobs by City in Colorado
Where Colorado roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Engineering Manager Job Market in Colorado
A snapshot from current Colorado openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services
- Agriculture & Farming
- Technology & Software
What Colorado Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software engineering manager jobs across Colorado.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field
- Five or more years of software engineering experience with at least two in a team lead role
- Demonstrated experience managing full software development lifecycle from planning through delivery
- Proficiency with agile or SAFe methodologies commonly used by Colorado engineering organizations
- Experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP used widely across Colorado employers
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills working with product, design, and business stakeholders
Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Colorado: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software engineering manager in Colorado?
Software engineering manager is not a state-licensed role in Colorado, so there is no Colorado-specific exam or registration required. The typical path is several years as a software engineer, followed by a lead or staff engineer role, before moving into management. A bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering is the standard baseline, and many Colorado employers, particularly in defense and aerospace, also value an MBA or graduate technical degree for candidates stepping into management.
Which companies hire software engineering managers in Colorado?
Employers hiring software engineering managers in Colorado right now include Northrop Grumman, Affirm, and CVS Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Colorado's blend of commercial technology firms in Denver and Boulder and defense contractors concentrated around Colorado Springs and the Front Range means openings exist across a notably wide range of engineering domains.
Which Colorado cities have the most software engineering manager jobs?
Denver, Boulder, and Littleton account for the largest share of software engineering manager openings in Colorado. Denver drives the most volume as the state's primary commercial and corporate hub, while Boulder's dense concentration of technology companies and startups generates consistent demand, and Colorado Springs reflects the significant defense and government-contracting presence anchored by military installations and contractors like Northrop Grumman and SAIC operating in the region.
Are there remote software engineering manager jobs in Colorado?
Yes, and more than most fields, since software engineering management is fundamentally a desk-based, communication-heavy role that transfers well to remote environments. About 58% of software engineering manager openings tied to Colorado are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting broad employer acceptance of distributed engineering leadership. Strategic planning, one-on-ones, code reviews, and sprint ceremonies adapt readily to remote formats, though roles tied to classified government contracts in Colorado Springs typically require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a software engineering manager in Colorado with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a team lead or technical lead role within your current engineering team before applying for a formal manager title. Large Colorado employers such as Lockheed Martin, Oracle, and Ibotta run internal development programs and post associate or emerging-leader roles that are designed as bridges into management. Building a record of mentoring junior engineers, owning a delivery milestone, or completing a project management credential like PMP or a Certified ScrumMaster designation strengthens a first-time manager application meaningfully with Colorado hiring teams.
Where can I find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in Colorado?
You can find and apply to software engineering manager jobs in Colorado on Migrate Mate, which lists current Colorado openings. Search the listings by city or specialty, find the roles that match your background, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 23 Software Engineering Manager Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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