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Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in California

Integration and Test Engineer IV

Roseville, CA · On-site

$109K - $146K/yr

As a mid-tier defense contractor, we've demonstrated agility and innovation in providing aircraft ... Software Engineering * Computer Engineering * Physics Integration and Test Engineer IV * Minimum 11 ...

Software Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$92K - $119K/yr

Cubic Defense Company Details: When you join Cubic, you become part of a company that creates and ... Associate Software Engineer Location: San Diego * Coordinates and develops project concepts ...

Software Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$92K - $119K/yr

Cubic Defense Company Details: When you join Cubic, you become part of a company that creates and ... Associate Software Engineer Location: San Diego * Coordinates and develops project concepts ...

Software Developer VII

Poway, CA · On-site

$140K - $252K/yr

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. is a defense contractor leading the way in unmanned ... Experience with model-based software engineering. * Broad understanding of software design patterns ...

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. is a defense contractor leading the way in unmanned ... Experience with model-based software engineering. * Broad understanding of software design patterns ...

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Defense Contractor Software Engineer information

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Defense Contractor Software Engineer position, and why are they important?

To excel as a Defense Contractor Software Engineer, you should possess strong programming skills in languages like C++, Java, or Python, a bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering, and eligibility for security clearance. Familiarity with tools and frameworks such as embedded systems, real-time operating systems (RTOS), and secure software development methodologies is often required, along with certifications like Security+ or CISSP. Outstanding problem-solving, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively within multidisciplinary teams are valuable soft skills. These capabilities ensure project success, compliance with stringent regulations, and the ability to innovate in high-stakes, mission-critical environments.

What are typical daily responsibilities for a Defense Contractor Software Engineer?

As a Defense Contractor Software Engineer, your daily responsibilities may include designing, coding, and testing software for defense systems, debugging complex issues, and ensuring products comply with security and regulatory standards. You'll often collaborate closely with systems engineers, hardware teams, and project managers to deliver integrated solutions. Depending on your project, you might also participate in technical reviews, support integration and testing activities, and maintain thorough documentation. Working within a multidisciplinary team, you will play a key role in delivering reliable and secure technology critical to national defense.

What is a Defense Contractor Software Engineer job?

A Defense Contractor Software Engineer develops, tests, and maintains software systems for military and defense applications. They work for private companies that contract with government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, to create secure and reliable software solutions. Their work often involves embedded systems, cybersecurity, and compliance with strict government regulations. This role requires a security clearance, knowledge of specialized programming languages, and an understanding of defense industry standards.

What are the most commonly searched types of Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California? For Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, and 13% Part Time. Highlights an 87% In-person, and 13% Hybrid job distribution.
Senior Software Engineer, Air Defense

Senior Software Engineer, Air Defense

Anduril Industries

Irvine, CA • On-site

$191K - $253K/yr

Other

Re-posted 17 days ago


Anduril rating

9.4

Company rating: 9.4 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7.4

Company rating compared to similar companies: 7.4 out of 10

Manufacturers average

Based on 71,263 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the sky. At a time when air superiority can no longer be taken for granted, the Air Defense Team provides mission critical capabilities to warfighters. From detection to tracking, identification, deterrence, and defeat, our family of networked sensors and effectors enables our customers to rapidly close the kill chain against a broad range of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) threats. Working across product, engineering, sales, logistics, operations, and mission success, the Air Defense team develops, tests, deploys, and sustains the Anduril Air Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide.
ABOUT THE JOB
We're seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will solve a wide variety of problems involving networking, autonomy, systems integration, robotics, and more, while making pragmatic engineering tradeoffs along the way. Your efforts will ensure that Anduril products seamlessly work together to achieve a variety of critical outcomes. Above all, Mission Software Engineers are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind and making sound engineering decisions to deliver successful outcomes correctly, on-time, and with high quality.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
  • Own the software solutions that are deployed to customers
  • Write code to improve products and scale the mission capability to more customers
  • Collaborate across multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality
  • Create and analyze metrics that are leveraged for debugging and monitoring
  • Triage issues, root cause failures, and coordinate next steps
  • Partner with end-users to turn needs into features while balancing user experience with engineering constraints
  • Travel up to 30% of time to build, test, and deploy capabilities in the real world

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics
  • 6+ years working with a variety of programming languages such as Python, C++, Rust, Go, JavaScript, etc.
  • Experience building software solutions involving significant amounts of data processing and analysis
  • Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established code bases
  • A desire to work on critical software that has a real-world impact
  • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
  • Strong background with focus in Physics, Mathematics, and/or Motion Planning to inform modeling & simulation (M&S) and physical systems
  • Developing and testing multi-agent autonomous systems and deploying in real-world environments
  • Feature and algorithm development with an understanding of behavior trees
  • Developing software/hardware for flight systems and safety critical functionality
  • Distributed communication networks and message standards
  • Knowledge of military systems and operational tactics

US Salary Range
$191,000-$253,000 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you're supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:
  • No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
  • Please always verify communications:
    • Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
    • Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to
  • Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
  • What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.

Working at Anduril


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About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

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