What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sr. Software Engineer position at Talent Stack?
Senior Software Engineer / Principal Software Engineer
Location: Onsite – Aurora, CO
Clearance: Active & transferable TS/SCI with Polygraph (required day one)
Salary Range: $185,000–$200,000
About the Company
This role is managed by Talent Stack LLC, a woman-owned recruiting firm specializing in senior-level cleared and technical placements. We represent a confidential defense customer supporting mission-critical national security programs. this is a full-time placement.
Benefits:
- Medical, Dental, Vision
- 6 weeks PTO
- Short-Term Disability
- 401(k) with 5% company match
- Up to $8,000 relocation assistance (grossed up)
- Full benefits package available upon request
About the Role:
We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to support mission-critical ground systems in a highly classified operational environment. This is a hands-on, senior technical role focused on owning complex software problems, driving resolution across systems, and supporting the integration, verification, and sustainment of operational software baselines.
This role is best suited for engineers who have deep experience on classified programs, are comfortable operating with minimal oversight, and can take accountability for system behavior in real-time mission environments.
What You Will Do:
- Serve as a senior technical contributor supporting operational software in a classified environment
- Lead troubleshooting efforts for complex system failures, performance degradation, and integration issues
- Perform root cause analysis across multi-component, end-to-end operational systems
- Support and execute integration, verification, and delivery of new software baselines
- Provide technical guidance during operational incidents and mission-critical events
- Author and maintain technical documentation, troubleshooting guides, and operational procedures
- Work onsite within a secure facility supporting live mission operations
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field (Master’s preferred)
- 6 years of professional experience supporting DoD or IC programs
- Strong proficiency in Java and/or C in operational or production environments
- Extensive experience with software development, integration, and sustainment
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues in real-time, mission-critical systems
- Active, transferable TS/SCI with Polygraph required prior to start
- U.S. Citizenship required
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in configuration-controlled O&M environments
- Strong background supporting real-time or high-availability systems
- Proficiency with Linux/Unix environments, Git-based workflows, and SQL
- Experience with JIRA, Bitbucket, and Confluence
- Ability to operate as a technical lead or escalation point during mission events
- Prior experience mentoring junior engineers or influencing technical direction
Clearance Requirement
This position requires an active and transferable DoD Top Secret clearance with CI Polygraph. Candidates without the required clearance will not be considered.
Recruitment Agencies Disclaimer
This role is posted for direct applicants only. External recruiters or staffing agencies should not submit candidates. Unsolicited resumes will be treated as direct applications and no agency fees will be honored.
Reference #X15
Salary : $185,000 - $200,000