Principal Software Engineer Job Listing at SPA in Alexandria, VA (Job ID 2025-19892)

Description

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years delivering enterprise-grade software systems, with 8+ years specializing in Java-based platforms.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale modernization efforts, including legacy refactoring, cloud migrations, and mission-critical system integrations.
• Deep technical expertise with Spring Boot, Java, and Python, including cloud-native architectures and distributed systems design.
• Proven experience designing and implementing event-driven architectures (EDA) and building integration pipelines within DevOps and CI/CD environments.
• Strong understanding of secure software design, including SSO, RBAC, and encryption strategies.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of presenting complex technical strategies to senior executives and broad audiences.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience supporting federated government systems, biometric or identity management platforms, or national-scale analytic/reporting infrastructures.
• Familiarity with high-throughput, low-latency, and mission-critical operating environments.
• Prior experience integrating ETL frameworks into modern cloud data pipelines.
• Professional certifications in Cloud Solutions Architecture, Kubernetes, or recognized enterprise engineering frameworks.
• Active or previous U.S. Government Security Clearance (Top Secret Clearable).

Strategic Leadership and Automation Vision

• Develop, champion, and continuously evolve the organization's enterprise automation strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and operational priorities.
• Define and maintain a multi-year automation roadmap, prioritizing initiatives based on business impact, scalability, and feasibility.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend best-fit automation tools, platforms, and emerging technologies.

Enterprise Architecture and Solution Design

• Architect and design scalable, resilient, and secure automation solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing and future enterprise systems.
• Lead the creation of comprehensive automation workflows, including cross-platform integrations, system orchestrations, and end-to-end lifecycle management.

Technical Delivery and Execution

• Establish and enforce enterprise-wide automation frameworks, coding standards, and best practices to ensure consistency, reusability, and maintainability.
• Build and lead high-performing technical teams to design, develop, and deploy automation workflows and mission-critical solutions.
• Demonstrate strong hands-on development expertise in Java (Spring Boot) and Python to set technical direction and model engineering excellence.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Communication

• Partner closely with IT, Engineering, Product, Security, and Business Units to identify, design, and deliver automation and modernization solutions.
• Translate complex business and technical needs into precise, actionable requirements and lead technical discovery and requirements sessions.
• Communicate technical strategies and automation benefits to technical and non-technical stakeholders clearly and influence fully.

Operational Excellence and Governance

• Ensure automation solutions meet security, compliance, and risk management standards, including SSO, RBAC, encryption, and secure data handling.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation to support sustainment, auditing, and onboarding of automation solutions.