Staff Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Staff Software Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, concentrated in defense technology, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and federal IT contracting, with openings at every level from senior software engineer through principal and distinguished engineer. The highest concentrations of hiring are in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads corridor, where employers like Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and Amazon Web Services maintain substantial engineering workforces. The most sought-after specialties in Virginia right now are distributed systems, cloud-native architecture, and secure software development for government and commercial clients. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Staff Software Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles17
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityMcLean, VA
Cities hiring9
Work type50% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 17+ Staff Software Engineer jobs

Ad Hoc
Staff Software Engineer - Full Stack
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Ad Hoc
Added 1w ago
Staff Software Engineer - Full Stack
Ad Hoc
McLean, Virginia
Program Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$135k - $155k/yr
Remote (US)
Military encouraged
11-50

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Alarm.com
Senior Staff Software Engineer
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Alarm.com
Added 2w ago
Senior Staff Software Engineer
Alarm.com
Tysons Corner, Virginia
Account Management
Customer Success
Sales
$168k - $200k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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GEICO
Staff Software Engineer (Backend) - Billing Platform *HYBRID*
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GEICO
Added 3w ago
Staff Software Engineer (Backend) - Billing Platform *HYBRID*
GEICO
Falls Church, Virginia
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project Management
$110k - $230k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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Google
Staff Software Engineer
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Google
Added 1mo ago
Staff Software Engineer
Google
Reston, Virginia
Software Engineering
Technical Product & Program Management
Cloud & DevOps
Technical Program Management
Backend Engineering
$207k - $301k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's

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Northrop Grumman
Staff Software Engineer
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Northrop Grumman
Added 1mo ago
Staff Software Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Dulles, Virginia
Creative & Design
Product Management
UI/UX Design
$177k - $266k/yr
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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See All 17 Staff Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Staff Software Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia

Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.

McLean
3 jobs
Dulles
2 jobs
Reston
2 jobs
Waynesboro
2 jobs
Falls Church
2 jobs
Tysons Corner
2 jobs
Ashburn
1 job
Sterling
1 job
Warrenton
1 job

Staff Software Engineer Job Market in Virginia

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

Who's Hiring

Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman4 open roles
ID.me
ID.me2 open roles
Alarm
Alarm2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Insurance
  • Automotive
  • Healthcare & Medical Services

What Virginia Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
  • Seven or more years of professional software engineering experience with increasing scope and complexity
  • Deep proficiency in at least one primary language such as Java, Python, Go, or C++
  • Demonstrated experience leading technical design and mentoring junior and mid-level engineers
  • Experience with cloud platforms, distributed systems, or large-scale production infrastructure
  • Active or obtainable U.S. government security clearance preferred by many Virginia defense contractors

Staff Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a staff software engineer in Virginia?

Becoming a staff software engineer in Virginia typically requires a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field combined with substantial hands-on engineering experience. Virginia does not require a state-issued license to work as a software engineer. Progression to the staff level is earned through demonstrated technical leadership, architecture ownership, and cross-team influence. Many Virginia employers, particularly in defense and federal IT, also value or require an active security clearance.

How much do staff software engineers make in Virginia?

Staff software 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 staff software engineers in Virginia?

Employers hiring staff software engineers in Virginia right now include Northrop Grumman, ID.me, and Alarm, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's dense concentration of defense contractors and federal technology integrators in Northern Virginia means many of these employers prioritize engineers with security clearances or experience building systems for government clients.

Which Virginia cities have the most staff software engineer jobs?

The cities with the most staff software engineer openings in Virginia are McLean, Dulles, and Reston. Northern Virginia dominates the distribution because it hosts the largest cluster of defense contractors, cloud infrastructure operators, and federal agency technology teams in the country, while Richmond and Hampton Roads draw from a growing base of commercial tech employers and Navy-adjacent systems integrators.

Are there remote staff software engineer jobs in Virginia?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 50% of staff software engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how well the role translates to distributed work environments. The portions most likely to stay fully remote are platform engineering, backend infrastructure, and individual contributor technical leadership roles, while positions tied to classified government programs or on-premise systems typically require an on-site presence.

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

The most realistic entry path is targeting associate or junior software engineer roles at large Virginia employers and building toward the staff level from within. Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and SAIC all run structured new-graduate and early-career programs in Virginia that provide mentorship and a clear progression track. Adjacent roles in QA engineering, DevOps, or IT systems administration are common lateral entry points. A strong portfolio of personal or open-source projects and an active pursuit of a security clearance significantly increase competitiveness with Virginia employers.

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

You can find and apply to staff software engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across industries and experience levels. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match.

See All 17 Staff Software Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Staff Software Engineer Jobs