ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Associate Software Engineer Jobs in Towson, MD (NOW HIRING)

Systek

Software Engineer

Hanover, MD · On-site

SOFTWARE ENGINEER, JOURNEYMAN The company is seeking a Software Engineer, Journeyman to provide SETA support in Hanover, MD. RESPONSIBILITIES * Design, develop and install software solutions. * Build ...

MANTECH

Software Engineer

Fort George G Meade, MD

The Software Engineer will leverage their strong technical background and knowledge to design, develop, and maintain complex software systems while ensuring all functional and performance ...

MANTECH

Software Engineer

Fort George G Meade, MD · On-site

The Software Engineer will leverage their strong technical background and knowledge to design, develop, and maintain complex software systems while ensuring all functional and performance ...

MANTECH

Software Engineer

Fort George G Meade, MD · On-site

The Software Engineer will leverage their strong technical background and knowledge to design, develop, and maintain complex software systems while ensuring all functional and performance ...

VTG

Software Engineer

Hanover, MD

$140K - $160K/yr

This individual will collaborate with software, systems, and hardware engineers to develop, integrate, test, and maintain scalable, highly available mission systems. This role is based in Hanover ...

The Josef Group

Software Engineer

Columbia, MD · On-site

$120 - $170/hr

This Software Engineer will focus on improving the productivity and experience of software developers by building and integrating advanced development tooling. The role emphasizes AI-assisted IDE ...

New

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsAssociate Software Engineer JobsAssociate Software Engineer Jobs in Towson, MD

Associate Software Engineer information

See Towson, MD salary details

$18

$40

$94

How much do associate software engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average hourly pay for associate software engineer in Towson, MD is $40.46, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $29.23 and $42.84 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an associate software engineer?

An associate software engineer works with a team of engineering professionals and developers to improve existing software or design new applications. As an associate software engineer, your job duties include coding software, coordinating with hardware engineers to ensure that different types of technology can run the software, and helping the QA team to test software before release. Typical qualifications for the career include a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field and relevant technical experience with software applications. You also need excellent communication, coding, and analytical problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work as part of a team.

What are some common challenges faced by associate software engineers when transitioning from academic projects to real-world development teams?

Associate Software Engineers often encounter challenges such as adapting to larger, more complex codebases and learning to work within established development workflows. Unlike academic projects, real-world development involves collaboration with cross-functional teams, adhering to coding standards, and following agile processes. Additionally, balancing learning new technologies with delivering features on tight deadlines can be demanding. However, support from mentors and structured onboarding programs usually helps smooth this transition.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate software engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Software Engineer, you need a solid understanding of programming fundamentals, algorithms, and data structures, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with programming languages like Java, Python, or C++, as well as experience using version control systems like Git, are commonly required. Strong problem-solving skills, teamwork, and effective communication set standout candidates apart. These skills and qualities are crucial for delivering reliable software solutions, collaborating within development teams, and adapting to rapidly evolving technologies.
More about Associate Software Engineer jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Engineer jobs in Towson, MD?

The most popular types of Software Engineer jobs in Towson, MD are:

What are popular job titles related to Associate Software Engineer jobs in Towson, MD?

For Associate Software Engineer jobs in Towson, MD, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities near Towson, MD are hiring for Associate Software Engineer jobs?

Cities near Towson, MD with the most Associate Software Engineer job openings:

Associate Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Associate Software Engineer job openings in Towson, MD as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 67% Full Time, 30% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,148 per year, or $40.5 per hour.

Associate Software Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Laurel, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory rating

9.6

Company rating: 9.6 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 74 rated research

Job description

Description
Do you enjoy solving challenging problems and want hands-on experience with cloud-native technologies, DevSecOps, and distributed systems?
Are you eager to learn from experienced engineers while contributing to secure, reliable software with real-world mission impact?
If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!
We are looking for an Associate Software Engineer to help design, develop, and maintain critical software that supports National Security Space operations in a TS/SCI environment. You will work on scalable, secure, and observable systems for space-domain applications such as command-and-control, data processing, mission planning, and multi-domain integration tools. This is an excellent opportunity to grow your engineering skills while contributing to some of the toughest problems faced by our sponsors.
The role emphasizes DevSecOps practices, cloud-native architectures, and secure development/deployment in classified environments. You will work on distributed systems where reliability, security, performance, and auditability are essential, and you will receive mentorship from senior engineers throughout the process.
As a Junior Software Engineer you will...
  • Assist in designing and implementing backend services, APIs, and data pipelines for space-operations software.
  • Help build and maintain containerized applications and contribute to CI/CD pipelines under guidance.
  • Participate in adding security controls throughout the development lifecycle (DevSecOps).
  • Support development of event-driven or messaging-based components (e.g., basic Kafka/RabbitMQ usage).
  • Follow compliance procedures for classified environments, including air-gapped deployments and controlled updates.
  • Identify and solve issue, monitor, and improve system performance and observability in test and staging environments.
  • Participate in code reviews, learn from architecture discussions, and receive mentorship on standard methodologies.

Qualifications
You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
  • Hold a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, a related field, or equivalent practical experience (internships, open-source contributions, capstone projects).
  • Have 2+ years of full software engineering experience, including software design methodology, requirements development, configuration management, trade studies, and product defect tracking
  • Basic proficiency in at least one modern language/stack (C++, Java, or Python). Academic projects, internships, or personal code are acceptable.
  • Foundational Docker knowledge (building and running containers) and exposure to Kubernetes concepts (pods, Deployments, Services, ConfigMaps, Helm charts).
  • Experience (or coursework) creating simple CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, or Jenkins) that run builds, tests, and basic security scans.
  • Understanding of REST APIs, OpenAPI/Swagger documentation basics, and JSON data exchange (Protobuf a plus).
  • Familiarity with testing practices - writing unit tests and basic integration tests.
  • Comfortable using Git (feature branches, pull requests, and code reviews).
  • Possess interpersonal skills and are an effective communicator.
  • Have the ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment.
  • Are able to obtain a Top-Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you:
  • Possess a Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
  • Have experience with DevOps Engineering or Process Automation
  • Have experience with cloud technologies such as Amazon Web Services, Azure, Google Cloud.
  • Knowledge of logging frameworks (Log4j/SLF4J), ELK stack, Prometheus, Grafana.
  • Introductory experience with Kafka, RabbitMQ, or other async patterns.
  • Have experience with Unix, Linux, and network computing.
  • Are well-versed in using professional software development tools such as integrated development environments (IDE), version control, issue trackers, debuggers and continuous integration tools and willing to lead teams through integration processes
  • Interest or experience with space-related software, real-time systems, or large-scale data processing.
  • Knowledge of cross-domain solutions or high-assurance system integration is a plus.

This is a high-impact role that offers hands-on experience building resilient software directly supporting space-superiority missions in a secure, forward-leaning development environment. You will grow your technical expertise while working alongside seasoned engineers dedicated to national security.
About Us
Why Work at APL?
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.
At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at https://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contact Accessibility@jhuapl.edu.
The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Minimum Rate
$85,000 Annually
Maximum Rate
$195,000 Annually

What Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory employees say

Pay

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Apply