Principal Software Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 22, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 9, 2026.
Principal Software Engineer
Apogee Research is at the forefront of a revolution in how the DoD operates: a turn towards compositional systems of systems instead of traditional monolithic architectures. This change is driven by a need for faster adaptation to adversarial environments, which requires the ability to field resilient, distributed systems in days to weeks rather than months to years.
Apogee Research is looking for Principal Software Engineers to lead the creation of capabilities addressing currently unmet needs in National Security. This work spans many fronts from implementing novel algorithms across ISR, EW, Networking, Cyber, and more; integrating disparate systems that lack a common interface; reverse engineering subsystems; developing custom tool chains that accelerate the speed of development; or developing new approaches to infrastructure that handle heterogeneous deployment needs.
The details of the position will vary based on the expertise and desires of the candidate and the specific project being executed, however, common themes include:
- Performing hands-on technical work including design and development of algorithmically complex software, performance profiling, optimization, and general troubleshooting for a variety of software languages spanning from C++ to project-specific Domain Specific Languages (DSLs)
- A focus on addressing customer needs and facilitating creation of operationally relevant capabilities
- Supporting demonstration and testing of software in lab and test events
- Mentoring junior team members to foster growth of technical and program expertise
- Creating documentation and test suites to help warfighters and co-contractors leverage our solutions
- Learning new technologies and developing fundamentally new approaches as needed
Qualified candidates should have:
- Extensive experience building robust and maintainable software to solve algorithmically complex problems
- High proficiency in C++
- Thorough understanding of the fundamentals of computer and network security
- Strong analytical and problem solving and organizational skills
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and remain well organized in a fast-paced environment
The position is located in our Arlington, VA office (full-time in person). Existing DoD Top Secret clearance is extremely desirable, otherwise all candidates must be eligible to obtain one and therefore any applicant must be a US citizen to be considered.
Pay Information:
At Apogee Research we believe individuals should be compensated according to the value they bring to our organization and we want to ensure we evaluate candidates at their appropriate level. The levels for this role are included below:
- $153,818 - $265,200
- I’m awesome and your range doesn’t apply to me.
About Apogee Research
Apogee Research offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, FSAs, paid vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays. Conveniently located in Arlington, VA, we are a short walking distance from the Ballston Metro station. We offer the choice of paid garage parking or a contribution towards a transit account.
Apogee Research, LLC is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.