Principal Software Engineer

STR · Dayton, OH

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • $220,000 – $260,000
  • Posted 2026-10-08
  • Confirmed live on 14 October 2026

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Job description

About the Team:

The Real-time Architectures, Integration, and Demonstration (RAID) Group focuses on transition of algorithms from concept to real-time software, providing open architecture expertise, and facilitating integration of capabilities for experimentation, test, and deployment.

The Role:

As a Principal Software Engineer you will provide technical leadership for the development, integration, and validation of real-time RF sensor software systems. You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to architect, guide, and implement software components, integrate algorithms into open architecture frameworks, and develop test infrastructure to validate system performance. This role emphasizes hands-on software development, open system integration, integrating software components across distributed architectures and with hardware platforms, and rigorous testing of real-time applications. You will establish integration and test approaches, identify and mitigate technical risks, mentor engineers, and collaborate with program leadership and government customers to ensure successful delivery of mission-critical capabilities.

What you will do:

• Lead the technical design, development, integration, and validation of real-time sensor systems in C/C++

• Integrate signal processing algorithms into open architecture software frameworks

• Define, develop, and execute integration tests and system-level validation tests

• Debug software issues in real-time, multi-threaded, and distributed systems

• Lead the transition of algorithm specifications and MATLAB/Python prototypes into optimized production C/C++ implementations

• Document software designs, test procedures, results, and technical reports as well as integration plans, technical briefings, and customer-facing presentations

• Support system demonstrations and field-testing activities

• Establish and promote best practices for software quality, configuration management, test automation, documentation, and technical risk management

• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers

• Interface with government sponsors, customers, program managers, and technical stakeholders to define requirements, communicate technical status, and present results

• Lead or substantially contribute to proposal development, including technical approach development, work-breakdown planning, technical writing, cost estimation, white papers, and customer presentations

• Contribute to the design and implementation of user interfaces, dashboards, and visualization tools that support system observability, test execution, data analysis, and integration workflows

• Support approximately 10% travel for integration events, field testing, and customer demonstrations

Who you are:

• Active clearance at the Secret level with ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is a government requirement

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with relevant experience depending on degree (BS + 12 years, MS + 10 years, or PhD + 5 years)

• Ten or more years of professional software development experience, including demonstrated experience leading complex software development, integration, and test efforts

• Expert-level proficiency in programming for high-performance, real-time applications

• Experience with version control systems (Git)

• Experience with Linux

• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills

• Demonstrated experience developing or integrating real-time software for signal-processing, embedded, distributed, or hardware-connected systems

• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring experience

• Experience leading or substantially contributing to proposal efforts, including technical writing, technical-approach development, cost estimation, and customer presentations

Even Better:

• Active Top Secret clearance (TS/SCI preferred)

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate technical concepts to engineers, program leadership, and government customers

• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB

• Experience with hands-on hardware testing and lab equipment

• Experience in signal processing and RF sensor-system architectures

• Experience with real-time or embedded software development

• Knowledge of multithreaded programming and synchronization

• Understanding of open architecture principles and standards

• Experience developing user interfaces, dashboards, or visualization tools for system integration, test execution, operational monitoring, or data analysis

• Awareness of usability and human-machine-interface considerations for technical, engineering, or mission-system applications

Join us and be part of a team that's making an impact at the forefront of technology and innovation.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $220,000 - $260,000

The salary range listed is based on external mar

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