Software Engineer - Software Defined Networking (SDN)

Role overview Assess and modernize a government-provided software-defined networking system, improving its security, reliability, and maintainability. This is a hands-on software engineering role that spans an unfamiliar codebase, Linux and network behavior, testing, and delivery practices, with work aimed at producing a dependable baseline that can evolve with mission needs.

Responsibilities - Evaluate the codebase, architecture, build process, dependencies, runtime components, tests, security posture, and upstream open-source relationships. - Implement secure, traceable changes that address vulnerabilities and improve resilience while accounting for upstream code, local patches, and configuration. - Create and maintain unit, integration, end-to-end, regression, and failure-mode tests. - Diagnose behavior across application, Linux, and networking layers, including routing, traffic flows, segmentation, failover, telemetry, and performance. - Coordinate with platform engineers on packaging, containers, deployment workflows, automated scanning, and CI/CD; own code-level investigation and fixes. - Support lab validation and release acceptance, document decisions and procedures, and contribute to reviews and engineering guidance.

Requirements - At least five years of software engineering experience, including ownership of production or legacy codebases; proficiency in C++, Python, and Bash. - Strong Linux skills, including troubleshooting services, processes, permissions, logs, and packages. - Solid networking knowledge covering TCP/IP, routing, DNS, TLS, interfaces, segmentation, policy enforcement, and traffic analysis. - Experience with secure development, dependency management, vulnerability triage, patching, and code review. - Testing experience across unit, integration, end-to-end, and regression levels. - Working knowledge of containers, version control, build automation, CI/CD, registries, observability, and release practices. - U.S. citizenship and an active U.S. government Secret clearance or higher.

Nice to have - Experience with SDN, network orchestration, routing, virtual network functions, network appliances, or network-control software. - Experience containerizing monolithic or virtual-machine-based software and maintaining open-source forks or patches. - Familiarity with AI-assisted engineering, Kubernetes, Helm, GitOps, software security scanning, SBOMs, or resilience testing.

Benefits and work setup - Remote within the United States. - Listed pay range: $148,750–$201,250. - Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; retirement plan and stock options; home office budget; flexible time off and federal holidays; parental leave; and training and conference reimbursement.