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Defense Software Engineer Jobs in Cincinnati, OH

Mentor engineers on safe design, defensive programming, and failure handling practices. Essentials: * 5-8 years of software engineering experience with strong proficiency in Python and TypeScript.

New

AI Software Engineer

Cincinnati, OH · On-site

$65 - $75/hr

Mentor engineers on safe design, defensive programming, and failure handling practices. Experience Requirements: * 5-8 years of software engineering experience with strong proficiency in Python and ...

New

AI Software Engineer

Cincinnati, OH · On-site

$65 - $75/hr

Mentor engineers on safe design, defensive programming, and failure handling practices. Experience Requirements: * 5-8 years of software engineering experience with strong proficiency in Python and ...

AI Defense Engineer

Cincinnati, OH · On-site

$120 - $160/hr

AI Defense Engineer Job Type: Direct Hire Location: Boston/Washington DC Work Authorization: Must ... Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to collaborate with data scientists, software ...

... serving defense primes including Boeing and BAE Systems. What You'll Own Engineering Delivery ... Lead a team of software engineers building production features across Exostar's identity ...

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Showing results 1-20

Defense Software Engineer information

See Cincinnati, OH salary details

$60.9K

$141.5K

$197.2K

How much do defense software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for defense software engineer in Cincinnati, OH is $141,545.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $115,100.00 and $166,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a defense software engineer?

A Defense Software Engineer develops, tests, and maintains software for military and defense applications. They work on secure, mission-critical systems such as weapons control, cybersecurity, and communication networks. Their role requires proficiency in programming languages, security protocols, and compliance with defense standards. Due to the nature of the industry, security clearances and adherence to classified information policies are often required.

What types of projects and technologies do defense software engineers typically work on?

Defense Software Engineers often work on projects involving the development and maintenance of software for military systems, such as radar, communications, simulation, or weapons control platforms. They frequently use technologies like embedded systems, secure coding practices, and specialized hardware interfaces. Project work can range from upgrading legacy systems to designing cutting-edge capabilities, often requiring adherence to rigorous security and compliance protocols. Collaboration with systems engineers, hardware teams, and government stakeholders is typical, offering a dynamic and mission-driven work environment. This exposure helps engineers build specialized expertise while contributing directly to national security initiatives.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the defense software engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Defense Software Engineer, you need expertise in software development, a strong grasp of cybersecurity principles, and familiarity with defense industry standards, typically demonstrated by a degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Experience with programming languages such as C++, Java, or Python, knowledge of real-time operating systems, and certifications like Security+ or CISSP are often required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams are valuable soft skills. These competencies ensure that complex, secure, and mission-critical software solutions are effectively developed and maintained to meet stringent defense requirements.

What are popular job titles related to Defense Software Engineer jobs in Cincinnati, OH?

For Defense Software Engineer jobs in Cincinnati, OH, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Defense Software Engineer jobs in Cincinnati, OH look for?

The top searched job categories for Defense Software Engineer jobs in Cincinnati, OH are:

What cities near Cincinnati, OH are hiring for Defense Software Engineer jobs?

Cities near Cincinnati, OH with the most Defense Software Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Defense Software Engineer job openings in Cincinnati, OH as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,545 per year, or $68.1 per hour.

AI Software Engineer III

Software Guidance & Assistance

Cincinnati, OH • On-site

Other

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

Software Guidance & Assistance, Inc., (SGA), is searching for an AI Engineer for a contract position with one of our premier banking clients in Ohio - hybrid schedule
We are looking for a AI Software Engineer to join our AI agentic engineering team. You will design and deliver guardrail components across services, define where and how enforcement should occur in systems, and mentor engineers on safe design and defensive programming patterns. You will also architect backend services, APIs, and integrations that apply software engineering discipline to govern how AI-driven systems behave across the engineering workflow.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role requiring strong proficiency in Python and TypeScript, a track record of delivering cross-service systems, and the ability to define enforcement patterns that other engineers follow.
Responsibilities:
  • Design and deliver backend services and APIs that enforce system behavior across multiple services
  • Define where and how enforcement, filtering, and validation should occur within system architectures
  • Build cross-service controls and establish the patterns other engineers implement against
  • Instrument and improve observability across service boundaries - structured logging, metrics, distributed tracing
  • Own shared tooling and platform components with broad organizational reach
  • Mentor engineers on safe design, defensive programming, and failure handling practices
Core Capabilities
  • Writes production-quality code with strong proficiency in Python and TypeScript
  • Demonstrates advanced experience working in cloud environments (AWS)
  • Demonstrates advanced experience working with Infrastructure as code tools in production environments
  • Designs and implements scalable backend services and APIs across service boundaries
  • Defines enforcement patterns and interface contracts consumed by other teams
  • Thinks in systems - reasons about cross-service dependencies, failure propagation, and contract stability
  • Communicates defensive design principles clearly to other engineers
  • Shows strong technical curiosity and forms clear, experience-backed opinions
  • What Differentiates This Role
  • This role is focused on how systems behave under misuse, failure, or unexpected inputs - not on building user-facing features. At this level, you are defining where enforcement lives and how it works across services, not just implementing within one. You bring both the technical depth to build these systems and the communication skills to make the patterns repeatable by others.

Required Skills:
  • 5-8 years of software engineering experience with strong proficiency in Python and TypeScript
  • Demonstrated experience delivering production systems on AWS (Lambda, Fargate, API Gateway)
  • Demonstrated experience building production systems on AWS using Terraform
  • Experience designing enforcement, filtering, or validation logic that spans multiple services
  • Track record of defining interfaces, contracts, or patterns adopted by other engineers
  • Ability to mentor junior and mid-level engineers on defensive design and safe coding practices
  • Clear written and verbal communication - able to define and document system-level enforcement patterns
  • Experience designing and building agentic workflows or multi-agent systems
  • Familiarity with LLM integration patterns - prompt injection detection, guardrail design, or output filtering

Preferred Skills:
  • Experience with AWS Bedrock - model invocation, guardrail configuration, or AgentCore runtimes
  • Experience with agentic or multi-step workflow systems or Background in platform engineering or developer tooling roles

By applying for a job with SGA, you agree to allow SGA to process your application for this and future opportunities in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Also, to ensure timely processing, you agree to be contacted by our AI recruiter via email, text, or phone. Message frequency varies and data rates may apply, but you can reply STOP to any SMS message to opt-out of texts and may contact SGA at to opt-out of AI communications. The choice not to engage with AI will not adversely impact your consideration for placement. AI is not used to make any hiring determinations.
SGA is a technology and resource solutions provider driven to stand out. We are a women-owned business. Our mission: to solve big IT problems with a more personal, boutique approach. Each year, we match consultants like you to more than 1,000 engagements. When we say let's work better together, we mean it. You'll join a diverse team built on these core values: customer service, employee development, and quality and integrity in everything we do. Be yourself, love what you do and find your passion at work. Please find us at .
SGA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Race, Color, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Religion, National Origin, Disability, Veteran Status, Age, Marital Status, Pregnancy, Genetic Information, or Other Legally Protected Status. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, and our services, programs, and activities. Please visit our company to request an accommodation or assistance regarding our policy.
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