Lead Mission Software Engineer

About the Team

A Mission Software Engineer develops and deploys software essential for a specific, real-world objective or "mission" in partnership with our customers. This approach differs from standard software engineering by placing a strong emphasis on the end-user's operational needs and the success of the overall mission, rather than just technical performance. Ensuring alignment to the mission and customer through an agile response to dynamic priorities can significantly improve the impact of STR software. 

STR’s Analytics and Command & Control (AC2) Division focuses on developing actionable, advanced technology solutions to provide asymmetric advantages within the information domain. The Mission Applications (MA) Group within the AC2 Division specializes in ensuring the STR technology produces outsized mission impact. MA team members are comprised of DevSecOps Engineers, Mission Software Engineers, Product Managers, and Program Managers. MA staff matrix with scientists and engineering staff from the various STR R&D groups to form dedicated product teams that are laser focused on the operational transition of cutting-edge software technologies.

The Role

As a Mission Software Engineer in the Mission Applications Group, you will work as part of tightly knit Agile software teams to develop, integrate, and maintain software systems that are deployed to customer locations. You ensure that our software solutions meet the highest standards of quality, reliability, and performance as well as user needs.

This position requires an active Top Secret (TS) clearance. The role can be based at any of these three STR sites: Dayton, OH, Arlington, VA, and Woburn, MA. Applicants should expect to work on site at a Government facility in Northern California up to 1 week per month.

What you will do:

• Develop new software components for a key operational capability


• Conduct software integration and test activities in supporting a small integrated development team


• Perform integration testing to ensure seamless interaction between different system components


• Deployment and Field Testing: Traveling to integration sites to build, test, and deploy software in real-world, operational environments (CONUS)


• Triage and Debugging: Identifying and resolving software and system failures during integration


• Participate in test planning & test events, requirements reviews, code reviews, and architecture/software implementation reviews to improve code quality and maintainability


• Develop and maintain automated test scripts and test frameworks for Java applications

This role will take advantage of STR’s flexible, hybrid environment – when the work does not require use of STR’s or the customer’s facilities, you are welcome to work remotely. Depending on week-to-week program needs, flexible work will represent 25% to 50% of the role.

Who You Are:

• Active Top Secret Security clearance , for which U.S citizenship is needed by U.S. Government


• Motivated collaborator looking to work with a team of high-end researchers and engineers to develop and deploy software capabilities with mission impact


• BS in Computer Science or related technical field with at least 7 years of work experience (MS + 5 years, PhD + 2 years, or equivalent experience will be considered)


• Experience designing, building, testing, debugging, and maintaining a large codebase


• Experience with the following:
  
  
  
  • Object-oriented programming principles
  
  
  • Service oriented architectures or micro-service architectures
  
  
  • Containerization/orchestration tools such as Docker and Kubernetes
  
  
  • Agile software lifecycle methodologies and tools, such as JIRA and SonarQube
  
  
  • DevOps or CI/CD tools such as Gitlab
  
  
  • Test-driven development methodologies
  
  
  • A demonstrated ability to adopt new languages, libraries, and technologies
  
  
  • Organized, detail-oriented, and with an ability to work both independently and collaboratively
  
  

• Integration and Test Experience, with a focus on Java applications


• Experience in leading and directing development initiatives from inception to functional prototypes to production-level systems

Even Better:

• SCI Eligible


• Experience with automated testing tools and frameworks (e.g., JUnit, TestNG, Selenium).


• Experience with message queuing systems like Active MQ, as well as access control and auditing

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $157,000 - $224,000

The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, and Carlsbad, CA. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at for more info.

STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at [email protected] and provide your contact info.

Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.