Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

Capstone Research Corporation is seeking to expand our team. Capstone Research Corporation is headquartered in Huntsville Alabama. We are a customer-oriented engineering services company providing world class research and development support across the Department of Defense (DoD):
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Capstone offers 100% Company Provided Medical and Dental Insurance, Matching 401K, and Profit Sharing as part of our top-notch benefits package. Compensation for this position will be determined, but not limited to, factors such as responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, alignment with market data, and internal equity.

We have an immediate opening for a Principal Software Engineer to work in our Colorado Springs, CO office. The successful candidate will serve as a senior technical authority within the interdisciplinary Systems Analysis Group, supporting joint tactical integrated fire control programs. This role emphasizes software architecture, system-of-systems engineering, Dev Sec Ops  leadership, and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for real-time, mission-critical defense systems.

• Act as a principal technical authority for software-intensive systems supporting joint tactical integrated fire control
• Define and govern software architecture, design patterns, and technical standards across multiple programs
• Lead the technical direction of real-time, high-reliability, and mission-critical software systems
• Lead and influence cross-functional software teams through mentorship, design and code reviews, and sound technical decision-making across complex, multi-program efforts
• Collaborate closely with systems engineering, modeling & simulation, and operations experts to translate mission needs into scalable software solutions
• Drive Dev Sec Ops  strategy, secure software practices, automated testing, and configuration management
• Provide technical mentorship and architectural guidance across multiple development teams
• Lead system integration, test, and evaluation efforts using standardized measures of performance and effectiveness
• Identify technical risks and guide mitigation strategies at the program and portfolio level
• Represent Capstone as a senior technical expert during technical interchange meetings, and program reviews
• Support capture and proposal activities by shaping technical approaches, architectures, and risk assessments

• Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 20+ years of professional software engineering experience, including responsibility for system architecture
• Demonstrated expertise developing complex, real-time, or distributed systems using C++, Python, or MATLAB
• Strong experience with Dev Sec Ops  pipelines, version control (e.g., Git Lab), and automated build/test environments
• Proven ability to make and defend architectural decisions across multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent technical communication skills, including the ability to brief senior Government and contractor leadership
• U.S. Citizenship and able to qualify for a DoD Secret or higher clearance

• Master's degree or PhD in Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field
• Experience with system-of-systems engineering, MBSE, and complex distributed architectures
• Deep familiarity with DoD operational concepts, integrated fires, missile defense, and command-and-control systems
• Prior experience serving as a Principal Engineer, Software Architect, or Chief Engineer on DoD programs
• Experience influencing technical direction across multiple programs or organizations

• The successful candidate must be able to qualify for a DoD Secret or higher clearance

Capstone Research Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity Company

All Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.