THE TEAM The Air Defense DevInfra team builds and operates the software infrastructure the Air Defense program runs on. Our engineers are talented and hard-working, motivated to see their work ...
THE TEAM The Air Defense DevInfra team builds and operates the software infrastructure the Air Defense program runs on. Our engineers are talented and hard-working, motivated to see their work ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
ABOUT THE TEAM The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the ... As a Software Engineer on the Air Defense team, you will solve a wide variety of problems involving ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
ABOUT THE TEAM The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the ... As a Software Engineer on the Air Defense team, you will solve a wide variety of problems involving ...
Senior Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$125K - $165K/yr
About The Company We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in Gardena, CA ... Job Overview As a Flight Software Engineer, you will design and develop mission-critical software ...
Senior Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$125K - $165K/yr
About The Company We are a stealth-mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in Gardena, CA ... Job Overview As a Flight Software Engineer, you will design and develop mission-critical software ...
Senior Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
$145K - $185K/yr
Genuine interest in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, or operational software challenges ... As a government contractor, we also take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified women ...
Quick apply
Senior Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
$145K - $185K/yr
Genuine interest in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, or operational software challenges ... As a government contractor, we also take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified women ...
Senior Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
$145K - $185K/yr
Genuine interest in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, or operational software challenges ... As a government contractor, we also take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified women ...
Senior Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
$145K - $185K/yr
Genuine interest in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, or operational software challenges ... As a government contractor, we also take affirmative action to employ and advance qualified women ...
Senior Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$120 - $150/hr
Job Overview As a Flight Software Engineer, you will design and develop mission-critical software that enables the operation of advanced aerospace and defense systems. You will work closely with ...
Senior Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$120 - $150/hr
Job Overview As a Flight Software Engineer, you will design and develop mission-critical software that enables the operation of advanced aerospace and defense systems. You will work closely with ...
Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
About Mach Industries Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology ... The Role The Software Engineer will play a critical role in developing our autonomous defense ...
Software Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA · On-site
About Mach Industries Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology ... The Role The Software Engineer will play a critical role in developing our autonomous defense ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...
Software Engineer
Seal Beach, CA · On-site
$135 - $183/hr
The Boeing Company Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) has an exciting opportunity for an Experienced Software Engineer - Vehicle Management Systems to join our Experimental Systems Group (ESG ...
New
Software Engineer
Seal Beach, CA · On-site
$135 - $183/hr
The Boeing Company Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) has an exciting opportunity for an Experienced Software Engineer - Vehicle Management Systems to join our Experimental Systems Group (ESG ...
New
Software Engineer, C++
Costa Mesa, CA · On-site
ABOUT THE JOB At Anduril, our Software Engineers are at the forefront of defense technology, crafting high-impact, cutting-edge solutions that redefine innovation. You'll dive into a diverse range of ...
Software Engineer, C++
Costa Mesa, CA · On-site
ABOUT THE JOB At Anduril, our Software Engineers are at the forefront of defense technology, crafting high-impact, cutting-edge solutions that redefine innovation. You'll dive into a diverse range of ...
Flight Software Engineer
Costa Mesa, CA · On-site
$191 - $253/hr
Flight Software Engineer Develop and validate embedded flight software for Anduril UAVs, from ... the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold.
Flight Software Engineer
Costa Mesa, CA · On-site
$191 - $253/hr
Flight Software Engineer Develop and validate embedded flight software for Anduril UAVs, from ... the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold.
ABOUT THE JOB At Anduril, our Software Engineers are at the forefront of defense technology, crafting high-impact, cutting-edge solutions that redefine innovation. You'll dive into a diverse range of ...
ABOUT THE JOB At Anduril, our Software Engineers are at the forefront of defense technology, crafting high-impact, cutting-edge solutions that redefine innovation. You'll dive into a diverse range of ...
Staff Software Engineer, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$220K - $292K/yr
... Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide. ABOUT THE JOB We're seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Staff ...
Staff Software Engineer, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$220K - $292K/yr
... Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide. ABOUT THE JOB We're seeking a Staff Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Staff ...
Senior Software Engineer, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
... 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, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
... 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 ...
Software Engineer, Active Clearance, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$166K - $220K/yr
... Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide. ABOUT THE JOB We are hiring for a Software Engineer to join rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Software ...
Software Engineer, Active Clearance, Air Defense with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$166K - $220K/yr
... Defense Family of Systems (FoS) in challenging operational environments worldwide. ABOUT THE JOB We are hiring for a Software Engineer to join rapidly growing team in Irvine, CA. As a Software ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
$166K - $282K/yr
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...
Software Engineer, Robotics
Irvine, CA · On-site
$166K - $282K/yr
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied ... Above all, Software Engineers on Air Defense are driven by a "Whatever It Takes" mindset-executing ...
Senior Software Engineer, Air Defense, Integrations with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
ABOUT THE JOB We're seeking a integrations focused Senior Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing Air Defense team in Irvine, CA. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will solve a wide variety of ...
Senior Software Engineer, Air Defense, Integrations with Security Clearance
Irvine, CA · On-site
$191K - $253K/yr
ABOUT THE JOB We're seeking a integrations focused Senior Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing Air Defense team in Irvine, CA. As a Senior Software Engineer, you will solve a wide variety of ...
Lead Flight Software Engineer Software
Torrance, CA · On-site
$130 - $180/hr
Lead Flight Software Engineer Lead development of flight software architecture and deliver ... Software About The Role About Castelion Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development ...
Lead Flight Software Engineer Software
Torrance, CA · On-site
$130 - $180/hr
Lead Flight Software Engineer Lead development of flight software architecture and deliver ... Software About The Role About Castelion Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development ...
Senior Real-Time Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$120 - $150/hr
Singularity Defense Corp. is seeking a Flight Software Engineer in Gardena, California. In this role, you will be responsible for designing and developing mission-critical software that supports ...
Senior Real-Time Flight Software Engineer
Gardena, CA · On-site
$120 - $150/hr
Singularity Defense Corp. is seeking a Flight Software Engineer in Gardena, California. In this role, you will be responsible for designing and developing mission-critical software that supports ...
Software Development Engineer in Test Contractor (SDET Contractor)
Los Angeles, CA · On-site
$54 - $69.50/hr
SDET (Contractor) Responsibilities: We are looking for a highly skilled Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for backend services ...
Software Development Engineer in Test Contractor (SDET Contractor)
Los Angeles, CA · On-site
$54 - $69.50/hr
SDET (Contractor) Responsibilities: We are looking for a highly skilled Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for backend services ...
Defense Contractor Software Engineer information
See Anaheim, CA salary details
$66.5K - $80K
2% of jobs
$80K - $93.5K
4% of jobs
$93.5K - $107K
6% of jobs
$107K - $120.5K
8% of jobs
$127.8K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$120.5K - $134.1K
7% of jobs
$134.1K - $147.6K
18% of jobs
The median wage is $150.7K / yr.
$147.6K - $161.1K
16% of jobs
$161.1K - $174.6K
2% of jobs
$180.1K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$174.6K - $188.1K
26% of jobs
$188.1K - $201.6K
1% of jobs
$201.6K - $215.1K
8% of jobs
$66.5K
$154.4K
$215.1K
How much do defense contractor software engineer jobs pay per year?
What is a defense contractor software engineer?
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 does a defense contractor software engineer do?
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 skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a defense contractor software engineer?
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 popular job titles related to Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Anaheim, CA?
For Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Anaheim, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Anaheim, CA look for?
The top searched job categories for Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Anaheim, CA are:
What cities near Anaheim, CA are hiring for Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs?
Cities near Anaheim, CA with the most Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings:

Full-time
Re-posted 28 days ago
Anduril rating
9.1
Anduril
Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz
7.4
Manufacturers average
Based on 76,770 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz
Job description
THE TEAM
The Air Defense DevInfra team builds and operates the software infrastructure the Air Defense program runs on. Our engineers are talented and hard-working, motivated to see their work rapidly deployed on the front lines - we support the systems that ship to the Southern border, Iraq, Ukraine, and more.
We own developer productivity, build and release tooling, and the cloud infrastructure beneath it - the systems that let other engineers ship faster, with fewer surprises, and with the evidence their programs require. Work ranges from backend services and data pipelines to CI/CD, reproducible builds, container security tooling, and AWS (GovCloud and commercial) infrastructure. Our customers are other Anduril engineers, release engineering, and defense program stakeholders.
YOU SHOULD APPLY IF YOU:
- Have experience building backend software or developer tooling that real users depend on, and want to grow that experience on a DevInfra team supporting a high-stakes defense program.
- Want to own meaningful pieces of shipped work - backend services, pipelines, tooling, and infrastructure - alongside senior engineers who will give you feedback and context.
- Love building platform and infrastructure tooling that enables other software engineers to scale their output.
- Enjoy working end-to-end on a problem: writing the Go/Python service, standing up the AWS infrastructure via Terraform, wiring it into CI, and debugging it when it misbehaves in production.
- Are curious about the layers you haven't touched yet and ready to learn them on the job.
- Are a U.S. Person because of required access to U.S. export controlled information, and are eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
- At least 3+ years working with a variety of programming languages such as Rust, Go, C++, Java, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, etc.
- Professional software development lifecycle experience using tools such as version control, CI/CD systems, etc.
- Experience building backend software systems with various data storage and processing requirements.
- Experience with industry-standard cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), CI/CD tools, and software infrastructure fundamentals (networking, security, distributed systems).
- Experience with modern build and deployment tooling (e.g. NixOS, Terraform).
- Ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems and established code bases.
- Familiarity with industry-standard monitoring and logging tools.
- A bias toward rapid delivery and iteration.
- You've built or invented something: an app, a website, a game, a startup.
- Previous experience working in an engineering setting: a startup (or startup-like environment), engineering school, etc. If you've succeeded in a low-structure, high-autonomy environment you'll succeed here.
- Exposure to containers, SBOM tooling, or vulnerability scanning (Syft, Grype, Trivy).
- Prior work on a platform, devinfra, SRE, or developer-productivity team.
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 contact@anduril.com.
- 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 contact@anduril.com. 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 https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
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
About Anduril, in their own words
From Anduril
As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.
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