Leidos’ Undersea Systems Division is seeking a Software Engineer in San Diego, CA to join a fast-paced R&D engineering group. This role is a unique opportunity to drive innovation in underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions that support critical defense and national security missions at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC).
Leidos’ USD is a recognized leader in C4ISR technologies, delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions across sensor networks, unmanned systems, and tactical platforms. We’re known for achieving “industry firsts” in the most challenging maritime domains.
Join us and be part of a world-class team delivering unmatched solutions for today's most pressing maritime missions.
This position will require the candidate to maintain a Secret Clearance to start.
This position will require the candidate to work a 9/80B schedule (80 hours of work into nine days over a two-week period, allowing for every other Friday off) onsite at NIWC to align with the NIWC government team.
Primary Responsibilities:
This individual will work with a small team of engineers and technicians to develop, test, and deliver uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) based on system requirements. Specific development includes software related to operations of UUVs as well as sensor integration.
Software Engineering focus:
- Develop and refine user interface and control of various sensors integrated onboard UUVs.
- Develop and optimize UUV behaviors to accomplish assigned tasks while maximizing opportunities for sensor data collection.
- Optimize existing code (C/C++/C#, Java and Python).
- Develop platform-independent data processing tools.
- Produce SW performance reports based on test & evaluation requirements.
- Create engineering & training documentation for technological deliveries.
- Architect and implement secure CI/CD pipelines utilizing modern containerization and DevOps principles, integrating automated testing and vulnerability scanning to accelerate deployment cycles while maintaining high code quality.
Testing involves working onboard small boats and ships on the ocean, launching and recovering systems at sea, and post-test analysis of data. Reporting includes providing results from post-test data analysis into official reports or briefing material. Most development and testing will be conducted in San Diego; however, engineers may occasionally travel in support of testing, training and/or operations in other locations both in the U.S. and abroad and may spend multiple days at-sea onboard ships.
In addition to primary duties, this individual will be encouraged to develop expertise on the functionality and operations of one or more UUV platforms, new technologies, and may be asked to operate the system at-sea during test and evaluation.
Education/Skills:
- U.S. Citizen with an active SECRET security clearance or the ability to obtain a Secret clearance (requires US CItizenship)
- Bachelor of Science or Master of Science (preferred) in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering
- Process-oriented and attention to detail.
- Strong leadership skills.
- Experience working with and managing small groups.
- Must be flexible and responsive to customer needs.
- Requires frequent movement around piers, docks, and facility spaces.
- Required to transport or lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds across the facility.
- Requires constant use of hands/fingers to operate machinery, tools, or computer equipment.
- Requires ability to move about the warehouse, stoop, kneel, or reach for extended periods.
- Ability to climb ladders up to 20 feet.
- Able and willing to work aboard marine vessels of various sizes, sometimes overnight.
- Requires work in various temperatures and inclement weather.
- 3+ years C/C++, Python & Java language programming fluency
- Familiarity with versioning control and CI/CD workflows
- Experience working independently or in teams to develop solutions, deliver products, and test and evaluate performance.
- Experience and skill analyzing experiment data to determine results as feedback into the development cycle.
- Strong technical writing skills to provide input to or create technical reports and briefing material.
- Ability to identify a solution to a presented problem and map it to a schedule.
An ideal candidate would have experience with uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) operations, including experience with sensor integration, mission constructs, and command and control. Experience with at-sea test and evaluation (T&E) to include operations onboard small craft and large ships at sea.
SUBSEAMSS
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 16, 2026For 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 $87,100.00 - $157,450.00The 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.
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Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government & commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. Leidos was cited for the meaningful work employees perform that is challenging, impactful, and aligned with our customers’ missions as reasons professionals want to work and stay at our company. Leidos has also been named to lists including Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity, Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for Women, Military Times Best for Vets Employers, and Ethisphere Institute’s World's Most Ethical Companies®. Employees enjoy career enrichment opportunities available through mobility and development and experience rewarding relationships with supportive supervisors and talented colleagues and customers. Employees appreciate our flexible work environment, allowing for and encouraging a true work-life balance. Our professionals are also excited about our Employee Resource Groups, like the Collaborative Outreach with Remote and Embedded Employees (CORE), which strives to create an environment where every employee, regardless of location, feels fully engaged as a valued employee of Leidos. Your most important work is ahead, visit careers.leidos.com for our latest opportunities.
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