Principal Software/Cloud Engineer

Leidos has an opportunity for a Principal Software Developer / Cloud Engineer supporting mission-focused cyber operations within our Intel Sector. Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more.  Join us and make a difference in National Security.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a seasoned Software Developer / Cloud Engineer to serve as a principal technical authority for cloud architecture, software development, automation, security, and modernization. The engineer will design and evolve enterprise capabilities in Microsoft Azure and/or Amazon Web Services (AWS), provide technical direction for cloud-native development, and help translate demanding mission requirements into secure, scalable, resilient solutions. The role requires strong hands-on engineering skills as well as the ability to influence technical direction across multidisciplinary teams.

Job Responsibilities/Qualifications:

• Mission and Technical Leadership: Support Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MFCC) and Cyber Mission Force (CMF) objectives as a principal engineer with substantial technical autonomy. Establish and refine cloud engineering patterns, architecture standards, and development practices for secure mission environments; provide technical guidance on complex engineering decisions and help shape implementation approaches for mission-critical capabilities.
• Cloud Architecture and Development: Design, build, integrate, and modernize enterprise applications and services using Azure and/or AWS. Apply cloud-native approaches such as containers, microservices, APIs, serverless components, and distributed architectures where they improve mission outcomes, resilience, maintainability, and scale.
• Automation, CI/CD and DevSecOps: Develop repeatable engineering pipelines and automated delivery practices using Infrastructure as Code, configuration management, continuous integration, continuous delivery, security testing, and automated deployment. Help establish disciplined engineering processes that improve consistency, traceability, and delivery speed in secure environments.
• Cloud Security and Reliability: Design and implement secure cloud environments incorporating identity and access management, least-privilege principles, encryption, network controls, secrets management, logging, monitoring, and vulnerability reduction. Troubleshoot complex cloud, software, infrastructure, networking, and performance issues while maintaining highly available and resilient services.
• Technical Strategy and Collaboration: Evaluate emerging cloud technologies and competing architectural approaches, assessing technical risk, security, performance, scalability, cost, feasibility, and long-term sustainment considerations. Work closely with software, systems, network, cybersecurity, and mission stakeholders and mentor senior engineers and developers on sound engineering practices.
• Experience and Education: Bachelor's degree in a technical field with 12 or more years of progressively complex experience in software development, cloud engineering, systems engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent expertise. Demonstrated depth in Azure and/or AWS, software and cloud architecture, secure systems development, programming or scripting, and enterprise Linux and/or Windows environments is required. Advanced experience with one or more programming or scripting languages such as Python, C#, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, PowerShell, or Bash.
• Security and Other Requirements: Active TS/SCI clearance with a current Polygraph is required. A DoD Manual 8140.03 baseline certification applicable to the assigned role category is also required. The selected candidate must be able to work onsite each day in a secure facility at Fort Meade, MD; remote work is not available for this position.
• Preferred Technical Skills: Experience with Git and modern development environments is desired. Additional exposure to Google Cloud, Visual Studio, Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, Azure Bicep, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, containers, serverless platforms, and cloud security tooling is valuable. Familiarity with technical tools such as GDB, Valgrind, LLDB, IDA Pro, Ghidra, or comparable debugging and reverse-engineering tools is a plus.

At Leidos, the opportunities are boundless. We challenge our staff with interesting assignments that allow them to thrive professionally and personally. For us, helping you grow your career is good business. We look forward to learning more about you – apply today!

Careers.leidos.com

CONMD

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

Original Posting:

September 30, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and 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.