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 roles15
Top employerID.me
Top cityMcLean, VA
Cities hiring8
Work type44% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 15+ Staff Software Engineer jobs

CVS Health
Staff Software Engineer - Full Stack
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CVS Health
Added 1w ago
Staff Software Engineer - Full Stack
CVS Health
Virginia
Backend Engineering
Software Engineering
$107k - $261k/yr
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree
10,000+

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Muon Space
Staff Software Engineer Clearance, Flight Software
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Muon Space
Added 1w ago
Staff Software Engineer Clearance, Flight Software
Muon Space
Woodbridge, Virginia
Customer Service
Customer Support
Hospitality & Guest Services
$228k - $252k/yr
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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ID.me
Staff Software Engineer - Reporting & Billing
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ID.me
Added 3w ago
Staff Software Engineer - Reporting & Billing
ID.me
McLean, Virginia
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$222k - $258k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in engineering
501-1,000

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Google
Staff Software Engineer, AI/ML, Google Public Sector
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Google
Added 3w ago
Staff Software Engineer, AI/ML, Google Public Sector
Google
Reston, Virginia
Compliance & Risk
Cybersecurity Operations
Security Engineering
$207k - $300k/yr
Master's degree in physics
10,000+

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Ad Hoc
Staff Software Engineer - Back End
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Ad Hoc
Added 3w ago
Staff Software Engineer - Back End
Ad Hoc
McLean, Virginia
Customer Service
Customer Success
Customer Support
$130k - $160k/yr
Remote (US)
Military encouraged
11-50

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See All 15 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

Staff Software Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia

Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.

McLean
5 jobs
Reston
2 jobs
Waynesboro
2 jobs
Ashburn
1 job
Richmond
1 job
Woodbridge
1 job
Fort Belvoir
1 job
Tysons Corner
1 job

Staff Software Engineer Job Market in Virginia

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

Who's Hiring

ID.me
ID.me3 open roles
Google
Google2 open roles
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Consulting & Professional 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 ID.me, Google, and Northrop Grumman, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 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, Reston, and Waynesboro. 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 56% of staff software engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 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 15 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