Senior Principal Software Engineer – High Energy Laser Systems

Program Summary

Kord a wholly owned subsidiary of KBR is a leader in advanced defense solutions with a strong focus on Directed Energy and High Energy Laser (HEL) technologies. Our programs support the U.S. Department of Defense in the development integration testing production deployment and sustainment of advanced laser weapon systems that provide critical warfighter capabilities. These complex systems require highly reliable secure and real-time software solutions to integrate weapon subsystems command and control interfaces safety functions sensor processing power management and platform-level operations.

Job Summary

The Senior Principal Software Engineer will provide technical leadership for the design development integration testing and deployment of software solutions supporting High Energy Laser weapon systems. This role will lead software engineers across multiple development efforts while serving as the principal technical authority for software architecture implementation integration and software lifecycle execution.

The position will work closely with systems engineering hardware engineering controls engineering test teams cybersecurity personnel program leadership and customers to deliver high-performance software solutions that meet mission requirements. The successful candidate will possess a strong technical background in software development software architecture real-time systems system integration and leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead the software engineering team responsible for development integration and sustainment of HEL system software.

• Define software architectures and technical approaches supporting weapon system operation subsystem control command and control interfaces diagnostics health monitoring data management and user interfaces.

• Establish software development processes coding standards design practices and technical baselines.

• Oversee software requirements analysis design implementation testing and deployment activities.

• Collaborate with systems engineering teams to ensure software solutions satisfy system-level and customer requirements.

• Lead software integration efforts involving sensors laser subsystems beam control systems power systems thermal management systems safety systems and external interfaces.

• Guide development of embedded software application software middleware and interface software as required by program needs.

• Support system architecture development interface definition and software allocation activities.

• Conduct software design reviews code reviews technical assessments and architecture evaluations.

• Identify and resolve technical risks associated with software performance reliability cybersecurity maintainability and scalability.

• Support hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) software-in-the-loop (SWIL) laboratory integration and field testing activities.

• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of system and software integration issues.

• Coordinate software releases configuration management and software baseline control activities.

• Develop technical plans schedules work estimates and staffing plans supporting software execution.

• Mentor and develop software engineers while promoting a culture of technical excellence accountability and continuous improvement.

• Support customer briefings technical reviews proposal efforts and business development activities.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Computer Engineering Software Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline.

• Minimum 8 years of software engineering experience with complex defense aerospace embedded or mission-critical systems.

• Minimum 3 years of technical leadership experience leading software development teams.

• Experience designing developing integrating and testing complex software systems.

• Proficiency in C C# Python Java or other modern programming languages.

• Experience with software architecture object-oriented design and distributed software systems.

• Experience integrating software with hardware devices sensors control systems and external interfaces.

• Familiarity with software development lifecycle processes Agile methodologies and DevSecOps practices.

• Experience with software configuration management and version control tools such as Git.

• Strong analytical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced technical environment.

• U.S. Citizenship required and ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Computer Science Software Engineering Computer Engineering or related technical field.

• Experience supporting High Energy Laser Directed Energy weapon systems air defense systems missile systems or other advanced defense platforms.

• Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and embedded software development.

• Knowledge of command and control systems tactical communications and distributed mission systems.

• Experience integrating software with electro-optical infrared radar tracking or targeting systems.

• Familiarity with beam control systems laser safety systems power management systems and thermal management subsystems.

• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) digital engineering or software architecture frameworks.

• Understanding of DoD cybersecurity requirements RMF NIST standards and secure software development practices.

• Experience supporting system integration laboratories field demonstrations qualification testing and operational evaluations.

• Familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop and simulation-based software testing environments.

• Experience leading software teams through production deployment and sustainment phases of defense programs.

• Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

• Demonstrated success leading large multidisciplinary software development efforts.

Salary Range: $124400.00 - $186500.00

The salary range posted is based on Huntsville AL. The offered rate will be based on the selected candidates location knowledge skills abilities and/or experience contract affordability and in consideration of internal parity.

KBR Benefits

KBR offers a selection of competitive lifestyle benefits which could include 401K plan with company match medical dental vision life insurance AD&D flexible spending account disability paid time off or flexible work schedule. We support career advancement through professional training and development.