Top Senior C++ Jobs in Washington, DC

Serve as the technical lead modernizing mission-critical defense software: deploy and extend agentic modernization platforms, analyze large codebases, design scalable architectures, ensure RMF/NIST-compliant deployments, and deliver production-ready solutions in classified environments.

Lead development of autonomy capabilities for space platforms including distributed optimization, tasking/scheduling, track fusion, RPO and motion planning. Build high-performance, well-tested software, integrate on real vehicles, support deployments and testing, and research/roadmap advanced autonomy techniques for defense applications.

Lead development of space autonomy capabilities including distributed optimization, tasking/scheduling, track fusion, rendezvous/RPO, and motion/behavior planning. Build high-performance, testable software, integrate and validate on real platforms, support deployments, and mentor engineers while contributing R&D and roadmaps.

Design, implement, and deploy autonomy capabilities for space platforms including distributed optimization, tasking/scheduling, track fusion, RPO, and motion/behavior planning. Build high-performance, well-tested software modules, collaborate across perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight test teams, support deployments and mission log analysis, and contribute R&D and roadmaps to advance autonomy for satellites and missile defense.

Seeking a Staff Storage Engineer to design and build control plane for an AI storage platform, focusing on scalability and performance across diverse environments.

Design, build, and maintain GenAI-enabled developer tooling and integrations (GitLab, Jira, Confluence) to accelerate C++, Python, and Node.js engineering workflows. Create secure LLM harnesses, containerized local environments, automation, and reproducible builds (Nix). Partner with robotics/autonomy teams to remove friction, improve build/test/dev environments, and support adoption with documentation and troubleshooting.

Lead the validation strategy for autonomous vehicle software, mentor team members, analyze autonomous behaviors, and develop testing strategies in this senior engineering role.

Lead and manage a perception engineering team developing production-quality C++ perception and state-estimation software (A-PNT) for GNSS-degraded environments. Integrate and test sensor fusion, computer vision, and estimator frameworks on aerial platforms, validate with simulation and real data, and collaborate with hardware, test, and cross-functional teams.

Lead and manage software engineering teams to design, build, and integrate enterprise applications. Drive coding, testing, code review, CI/CD practices, and mentor staff while overseeing project planning, budgeting, and client delivery to meet timelines and quality standards.

Lead and grow a team of autonomy engineers to stand up autonomy on novel platforms (space, maritime, rotorcraft), own delivery from design through fielding, write and integrate latency-sensitive autonomy code, coordinate with platform and cross-functional teams, support live tests and deployments, and evolve R&D efforts into longer-term programs.

Lead and grow a small autonomy engineering team to design, integrate, validate, and field autonomy software for launched effects. Own delivery, hiring, mentoring, technical direction, ICDs, pre-deployment validation, live test support, hardware/software debugging, and cross-team collaboration for multi-agent and air-gapped fleet deployments.

Lead and grow a 5–10 engineer autonomy integration team for V-BAT/X-BAT, owning delivery, hiring, mentoring, and technical health. Drive integration of autonomy software (mission behaviors, VTOL transitions, multi-agent coordination), collaborate tightly with aircraft, perception, and capability teams, run ICDs and field tests, and support live exercises and deployments (20–30% travel).

Develop, integrate, and field autonomy software for unmanned platforms; lead a small technical team through design-to-deployment; author ICDs; perform hardware/software debugging, system bring-up, simulation testing, and mission support; mentor engineers and coordinate with internal teams and external integrators. Travel ~10-20%.

Integrate and deploy autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft, prepare flight-ready systems, support on-site flight tests, debug hardware/software issues, collect and analyze flight data, collaborate across autonomy, GNC, and test teams, and support certification, compliance, and process improvements.

Design, develop, and field high-performance Ground Control Station and C2 software using C++/Qt/QML and QGroundControl. Lead architecture and technical direction, mentor engineers, define APIs/ICDs, debug integration/latency issues, support field tests, implement post-mission debrief tools, and ensure interoperability with C2 standards.

Own and maintain native C++ build systems for autonomous aircraft. Improve developer velocity by reducing build/test cycle time, integrate CI with HIL and simulation, implement monitoring and alerts, troubleshoot build/test failures, and collaborate with engineers to design and deploy DevEx/DevOps solutions.

Lead simulation-driven testing and automation for autonomy software: develop automated regression/integration/system tests, build and maintain simulation-based test frameworks and tools (SIL/HIL/VIL), diagnose issues with developers, scale simulation infrastructure, create test plans, and integrate test coverage into CI/CD pipelines using Python.

Lead design, integration, and fielding of autonomy software on unmanned platforms. Develop mission behaviors, platform control, multi-agent coordination, and deployment pipelines; own validation from simulation to live tests. Drive technical strategy, cross-team architecture, standards compliance, mentor senior engineers, and support on-site test/mission operations and hardware/software debugging.

Lead design and implementation of tactical autonomy behaviors for unmanned platforms. Develop, test, and deploy multi-agent coordination, motion/behavior planning, and survivability features across vehicles while owning end-to-end system lifecycle and collaborating with integration teams and end users.

Lead systems engineering for Hivemind-based autonomy products: define and manage requirements, develop system architectures and trade studies, coordinate hardware/software interfaces, support integration/verification/validation and testing, and identify and mitigate technical risks across the system lifecycle.

Design, implement, and own tactical autonomy behaviors for unmanned platforms. Develop and test multi-agent coordination, motion and behavior planning, target engagement, and survivability features. Work across the software lifecycle, integrate with sensor, estimation, communications, and control systems, contribute to shared frameworks, and support platform integration and testing (travel up to 20%).

Integrate autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft, prepare and validate flight-ready systems, support on-site flight tests, debug hardware/software integration, capture and analyze flight data, collaborate with autonomy/GNC/systems teams, improve integration processes, and assist with certification and compliance. Travel ~30-40% for tests and field events.

Develop, integrate, and field autonomy software on unmanned platforms; own end-to-end integration from simulation to live tests; debug embedded/latency-sensitive systems; support on-site flight/sea/space tests; ensure C2 interoperability and improve deployment/test tooling and processes.

Lead architecture and implementation of high-performance C++ and Python systems, integrate distributed systems and hardware/software, manage CI/CD pipelines, debug and optimize real-time multi-threaded systems, guide end-to-end integration and verification, mentor engineers, and evaluate new technologies to improve system performance.

Integrate autonomy software onto unmanned aircraft, prepare and validate flight-ready systems, support on-site flight tests, debug hardware/software interactions, capture and analyze flight data, collaborate with autonomy/GNC/systems teams, and support certification and compliance. Frequent travel (~30-40%) for field tests.