Principal Software Engineer (AI-Enabled Platforms & Tools)

Reston, VA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 131300 - 237350

Posted on: Yesterday

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

This is not a maintenance role. This is a reinvention role.

Leidos is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership for the design and delivery of AI-enabled software platforms and developer tools that support modernization of mission-critical systems.

This Principal Software Engineer role is responsible for system-level technical leadership and defines architectural direction within their domain resolves complex cross-cutting technical challenges and shapes how teams design build and operate software. The Principal Engineer is a hands-on technical leader who influences outcomes through technical excellence architectural clarity and mentorship not through formal management authority.

This is a role for builders who bias toward action who believe disruption can coexist with rigor and who want to apply cutting-edge AI to the problems that matter most.

Mission Context

Our teams modernize software systems that support critical national missions across regulated and safety-critical domains. These systems require:

High reliability security and resilience
Scalable and maintainable architectures
Responsible governed use of AI technologies

As a Principal Software Engineer you will shape the technical foundations that enable these systems to evolve safely and efficiently over time.

Why Join Us

Shape the technical foundations of mission-critical systems
Lead real production engineeringnot slideware architecture
Apply AI responsibly to complex high-stakes problems
Operate at the highest technical level without moving into management

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Architecture

Serve as the technical owner for major systems or platforms within an established strategic direction
Define and evolve architectural patterns design standards and reference implementations
Lead design reviews and guide teams toward sound technical decisions
Identify and resolve complex technical risks spanning multiple components or teams

Hands-On Engineering

Design and implement critical or high-risk components
Review and elevate code quality across teams through deep technical feedback
Prototype and validate new approaches before broader adoption
Ensure systems meet requirements for scalability reliability security and maintainability

AI-Enabled Systems Leadership

Lead the technical design of AI-enabled capabilities using approved models frameworks and platforms
Establish patterns for:
- AI integration and orchestration
- Evaluation testing and validation
- Safety governance and human-in-the-loop controls
Guide teams in applying AI responsibly within production systems

Cross-Team Influence & Mentorship

Act as a technical authority and escalation point across multiple teams
Mentor Senior and mid-level engineers by setting a high technical bar
Influence engineering practices tooling and standards through example and guidance

Collaborate with product security and platform leaders to align technical solutions with mission needs

Required Qualifications

Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering or a related technical field
12 years of relevant software engineering experience
Demonstrated experience leading the design of complex distributed systems
Expert proficiency in two or more modern programming languages (e.g. Python Java Go TypeScript)
Deep understanding of:
- Service-based or microservice architectures
- Cloud-native systems and deployment models
- Software quality security and operational best practices
Deep understanding of Kubernetes and container orchestration:
- GitOps deployments
- Service Mesh
- Role of tools like Helm and Kustomize
Proven ability to influence technical direction without formal authority
Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience designing or integrating AI-enabled or data-driven systems in production
Experience of working with agentic solutions in Kubernetes:
- E.g. KServe KAgent
- Agent Gateways
- Agent Registries
- GPU enabled nodes
Working in secure or regulated environments
Background in developer tools platform modernization or large-scale system evolution

If youre looking for comfort keep scrolling. At Leidos we outthink outbuild and outpace the status quo because the mission demands it. Were not hiring followers. Were recruiting the ones who disrupt provoke and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. Were already at step 30 and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

January 29 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131300.00 - $237350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job education experience knowledge skills and abilities as well as internal equity alignment with market data applicable bargaining agreement (if any) or other law.

Required Experience:

Staff IC

This is not a maintenance role. This is a reinvention role.Leidos is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to provide technical leadership for the design and delivery of AI-enabled software platforms and developer tools that support modernization of mission-critical systems.This Principal Software E...