Staff Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Staff Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense contracting, federal IT systems, cloud infrastructure, and telecommunications, with openings at every level from early-career engineers to principal-level technical leads. The heaviest hiring activity is in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads, where employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and General Dynamics Information Technology maintain large engineering workforces. The most sought-after specialties are software systems engineering, embedded systems, and cloud platform engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 133+ Staff Engineer jobs
About the role
We're looking for a hands-on senior engineer and architect to turn our agentic AI work into secure, scalable products inside the TrustX platform. You'll set the technical direction and also write the code. You'll work across architecture, AWS, identity, security and APIs, and take prototypes all the way to production.
You'll help evolve our Agent Gateway and Model Context Protocol (MCP) capabilities, and strengthen how AI agents, users and enterprise services connect to each other securely.
We're keeping the team small. You'll use AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot throughout your work so a few people can do the work of many. This is mainly an individual contributor role, with the chance to lead a small team as the product grows.
What you'll do
- Design and build agentic AI capabilities for TrustX.
- Evolve the Agent Gateway and MCP architecture and the services around it.
- Design how AI agents, users, applications and outside services connect securely, including authentication, authorization, delegation and trust for both people and non-human identities (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, JWTs, SPIFFE/SPIRE, workload identity).
- Build cloud-native services and APIs, mainly on AWS.
- Evaluate new agent protocols, identity standards and AI technologies, and decide what belongs in the product.
- Prototype quickly, then turn what works into production-quality code.
- Make practical architecture decisions that balance security, scalability, maintainability and speed. Set the patterns and reference architectures other engineers follow.
- Work with product, engineering, research, security and operations. Mentor, and lead a small team as the product grows.
Required
- 8+ years building and shipping commercial software, including production SaaS.
- Strong software engineering and system design skills.
- Hands-on AWS experience designing and running production services.
- Deep knowledge of OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, tokens and API security.
- Experience designing REST APIs and distributed services, and securely integrating separately operated systems.
- Solid grasp of containers and modern cloud deployment.
- Experience taking software from prototype to production.
- Experience building with LLMs or agent frameworks.
- Able to learn unfamiliar technology on your own and solve unclear problems.
- Clear communication with engineering and product teams about architecture decisions.
Preferred
- Experience with MCP, SPIFFE/SPIRE or workload identity.
- Background in identity, biometrics or authentication products.
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers.
- Daily use of AI-assisted development tools.
Join the brightest minds from around the globe as we build the future of digital identity!
Daon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported.
Daon is committed to making our hiring process accessible to everyone. If you need an adjustment at any stage, whether that’s the application, an interview, or an assessment, tell us and we’ll work with you to make it happen. Contact HR@daon.com and include the role you’re applying for. Your request will be kept confidential and will not affect how we consider your application.
About the role
We're looking for a hands-on senior engineer and architect to turn our agentic AI work into secure, scalable products inside the TrustX platform. You'll set the technical direction and also write the code. You'll work across architecture, AWS, identity, security and APIs, and take prototypes all the way to production.
You'll help evolve our Agent Gateway and Model Context Protocol (MCP) capabilities, and strengthen how AI agents, users and enterprise services connect to each other securely.
We're keeping the team small. You'll use AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot throughout your work so a few people can do the work of many. This is mainly an individual contributor role, with the chance to lead a small team as the product grows.
What you'll do
- Design and build agentic AI capabilities for TrustX.
- Evolve the Agent Gateway and MCP architecture and the services around it.
- Design how AI agents, users, applications and outside services connect securely, including authentication, authorization, delegation and trust for both people and non-human identities (OAuth 2.0, OIDC, JWTs, SPIFFE/SPIRE, workload identity).
- Build cloud-native services and APIs, mainly on AWS.
- Evaluate new agent protocols, identity standards and AI technologies, and decide what belongs in the product.
- Prototype quickly, then turn what works into production-quality code.
- Make practical architecture decisions that balance security, scalability, maintainability and speed. Set the patterns and reference architectures other engineers follow.
- Work with product, engineering, research, security and operations. Mentor, and lead a small team as the product grows.
Required
- 8+ years building and shipping commercial software, including production SaaS.
- Strong software engineering and system design skills.
- Hands-on AWS experience designing and running production services.
- Deep knowledge of OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, tokens and API security.
- Experience designing REST APIs and distributed services, and securely integrating separately operated systems.
- Solid grasp of containers and modern cloud deployment.
- Experience taking software from prototype to production.
- Experience building with LLMs or agent frameworks.
- Able to learn unfamiliar technology on your own and solve unclear problems.
- Clear communication with engineering and product teams about architecture decisions.
Preferred
- Experience with MCP, SPIFFE/SPIRE or workload identity.
- Background in identity, biometrics or authentication products.
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers.
- Daily use of AI-assisted development tools.
Join the brightest minds from around the globe as we build the future of digital identity!
Daon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported.
Daon is committed to making our hiring process accessible to everyone. If you need an adjustment at any stage, whether that’s the application, an interview, or an assessment, tell us and we’ll work with you to make it happen. Contact HR@daon.com and include the role you’re applying for. Your request will be kept confidential and will not affect how we consider your application.
See All 133+ Staff Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Staff Engineer JobsStaff Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Staff Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Capital One28
- Information Technology Senior Management Forum13
- Northrop Grumman10
- Burns & McDonnell7
- Dominion Energy6
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Insurance
- Technology & Software
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in staff engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical field
- Seven or more years of progressive software or systems engineering experience
- Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and mentor junior and mid-level engineers
- Proficiency in distributed systems design, cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure, or embedded systems
- Experience working within Agile or scaled Agile delivery frameworks on large engineering teams
- Active or eligible security clearance preferred for many Northern Virginia defense and federal roles
Staff Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a staff engineer in Virginia?
Staff engineer roles in Virginia are reached through demonstrated technical seniority rather than a state-issued license. The typical path begins with a bachelor's degree in engineering or computer science, followed by several years of progressively senior individual-contributor work. Engineers who pursue Professional Engineer licensure through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation can stand out in civil, electrical, or systems engineering roles, though most software-focused staff engineer positions do not require it.
Which companies hire staff engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring staff engineers in Virginia right now include Capital One, Information Technology Senior Management Forum, and Northrop Grumman, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's large defense and federal IT contracting base means many of these employers require or prefer candidates with an active or obtainable security clearance.
Which Virginia cities have the most staff engineer jobs?
McLean, Richmond, and Arlington account for the most staff engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates because of its dense concentration of defense contractors and federal agencies headquartered in the Washington corridor, while Richmond draws engineering talent through its financial technology and state government sectors, and Hampton Roads is anchored by naval systems and defense program work.
Are there remote staff engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than many technical fields. About 69% of staff engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves code review, architecture design, and cross-team coordination that can be done off-site. Roles tied to classified government programs or on-premise infrastructure tend to require in-person presence, while cloud and platform engineering positions are most frequently offered remotely.
How can I get hired as a staff engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry point is an associate or junior software engineer role at one of Virginia's major defense contractors or technology firms, then building toward staff-level expectations from within. Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and GDIT run new-graduate hiring programs that funnel candidates into structured engineering tracks. Earning an AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud associate certification before applying signals readiness for the cloud-heavy work that dominates Virginia's engineering market and helps candidates move into staff-track positions faster.
Where can I find and apply to staff engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to staff engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly.
See All 133+ Staff Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Staff Engineer Jobs