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Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh, PA

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer, you will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary ... Experience in defense-related government contracting What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer, you will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary ... Experience in defense-related government contracting What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer, you will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary ... Experience in defense-related government contracting What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Military

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Carnegie Robotics designs and manufactures advanced robotics systems and components for defense ... We've had Electrical Engineers who started as interns in Production and Manufacturing, Software ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Military

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Carnegie Robotics designs and manufactures advanced robotics systems and components for defense ... We've had Electrical Engineers who started as interns in Production and Manufacturing, Software ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Cloud

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$58.25 - $75.75/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer focusing on cloud and backend infrastructure, you will ... Experience in defense-related government contracting. What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Cloud

Pittsburgh, PA

$58.25 - $75.75/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer focusing on cloud and backend infrastructure, you will ... Experience in defense-related government contracting. What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Cloud

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$58.25 - $75.75/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

What You'll Be Doing As a Software Engineer focusing on cloud and backend infrastructure, you will ... Experience in defense-related government contracting. What You'll Get Out Of It * UPMC health ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Embedded Software

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... defense, agricultural, mining, industrial, and off-road autonomy applications. Our ruggedized ... For this role, we are seeking a solid Embedded Software Engineer who can take full end-to-end ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Embedded Software

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... defense, agricultural, mining, industrial, and off-road autonomy applications. Our ruggedized ... For this role, we are seeking a solid Embedded Software Engineer who can take full end-to-end ...

Carnegie Robotics

Software Engineer - Embedded Software

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... defense, agricultural, mining, industrial, and off-road autonomy applications. Our ruggedized ... For this role, we are seeking a solid Embedded Software Engineer who can take full end-to-end ...

Cmu

Assistant Real-Time Embedded Software Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA · Hybrid

$127K - $168K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

SEI advances software engineering principles and practices and serves as a national resource in ... The SEI works closely with academia, defense and government organizations, and industry to ...

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All JobsDefense Contractor Software Engineer JobsEntry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer JobsEntry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer Jobs in Pittsburgh, PA

Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer information

See Pittsburgh, PA salary details

$23.3K

$101.8K

$183.5K

How much do entry level defense contractor software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level defense contractor software engineer in Pittsburgh, PA is $101,803.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $63,100.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

As an entry-level software engineer in the defense contracting industry, you will often work on projects related to embedded systems, simulation software, cybersecurity applications, or mission-critical systems. Technologies commonly used include programming languages like C++, Java, or Python, as well as specialized tools for version control, testing, and secure software development. You’ll collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including systems engineers, project managers, and, at times, hardware engineers. A key challenge is adhering to strict security protocols and regulatory standards, but you will gain valuable experience in secure coding practices and large-scale system integration. These projects provide a strong foundation for future advancement within the industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level defense contractor software engineer?

To thrive as an Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science or software engineering, with proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Java, or Python, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with version control systems like Git, integrated development environments (IDEs), and compliance with security standards such as DoD STIGs or obtaining a Security+ certification may be required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for success in this environment. These skills and qualifications are vital to produce secure, reliable software that meets strict governmental regulations and supports critical defense operations.

What does an entry level defense contractor software engineer do?

An Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer works on developing, testing, and maintaining software systems used in defense applications. This role often involves collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to create secure and reliable solutions for military or government clients. Responsibilities might include writing code, debugging software, and ensuring compliance with security and quality standards specific to the defense industry. Entry-level engineers often receive mentorship and training to help them understand specialized technologies and protocols required for defense projects.

What is the difference between Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer vs Entry Level Software Developer?

AspectEntry Level Defense Contractor Software EngineerEntry Level Software Developer
CredentialsBachelor's in CS or related field; security clearance often preferredBachelor's in CS or related field; security clearance usually not required
Work EnvironmentGovernment contractors, defense agencies, secure facilitiesTech companies, startups, corporate offices
Industry UsagePrimarily defense, aerospace, government projectsBroad industry, including tech, finance, healthcare
Job FocusEmbedded systems, cybersecurity, defense-specific applicationsWeb, mobile, enterprise applications

While both roles involve software development, Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer typically requires security clearance and focuses on defense-related projects within government or military sectors. Entry Level Software Developer has a broader industry scope with less emphasis on security clearance, working on commercial applications across various industries.

What are the most commonly searched types of Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA?

The most popular types of Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA are:

What are popular job titles related to Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA?

For Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA look for?

The top searched job categories for Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs in Pittsburgh, PA are:

What cities near Pittsburgh, PA are hiring for Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs?

Cities near Pittsburgh, PA with the most Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer job openings:

Entry Level Defense Contractor Software Engineer jobs near you

Software Engineer

Carnegie Robotics

Pittsburgh, PA

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

Who We Are

Carnegie Robotics designs and manufactures advanced robotics systems and components for defense, agricultural, mining, industrial, and off-road autonomy applications. Our ruggedized solutions can meet the challenges of any industry, providing effective and efficient answers for even the toughest problems.

Who We're Looking For

We are a dynamic team committed to making the impossible possible. Our staff comes from diverse backgrounds and experience levels, fueling our ethos of collective growth and passion towards our work. We warmly welcome individuals of similar mindset to join our ranks.

What You'll Be Doing

As a Software Engineer, you will be collaborating with an interdisciplinary team focusing on developing reliable robotic and automation systems for a wide range of real-world commercial products and R&D applications. This can take the form of developing onboard software for a custom camera system, building custom loggers to saturate the write speed of a NVME drive, architecting high-performance middleware infrastructure, or building custom release images optimized for OTA updates.

What Your Day to Day Is

  • Making significant contributions by developing high-performance software infrastructure including message serialization, IPC, process management, and logging
  • Catching and debugging the failure cases using debuggers like GDB, pdb, and valgrind
  • Optimizing software using profiling tools like perf and Callgrind, and writing custom CUDA kernels to squeeze every bit of performance out of the GPU
  • Leveraging the knowledge of multiple computer languages (C, C++, Python, Rust, Go, etc.) to solve the problem at hand
  • Applying a solid background in 3D geometry, computer vision, and robot kinematics-you should be comfortable navigating transformation matrices and kinematic chains
  • Handling geospatial data, georeferencing, and coordinate systems to ensure our systems know exactly where they are in the world
  • Getting hands-on with point cloud data to help our robots perceive their environment in 3D
  • Being a team player by providing constructive feedback on GitHub pull requests and being open to feedback on your own contributions
  • Contributing to, and potentially maintaining, open-source projects
  • Coordinating and collaborating with other internal departments when necessary such as test technicians, manufacturing, and production

What You'll Have

  • Demonstrated track record of strong personal accountability and initiative; excels in autonomous, low-supervision environments
  • A deep understanding of C++ and Python, with specific experience using PyTorch and libtorch for modern robotics applications
  • A track record of real-world deployment of autonomous systems-you've seen what happens when code hits the dirt
  • A builder/maker mentality that has excelled in a technical discipline and is now looking to tackle the challenges of product development in the nascent world of robotics
  • Written and presentation skills required to communicate to external customers and internally to teammates
  • Authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction is required. The company is unable to provide sponsorship for this position.

How You'll Stand Out

  • A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering
  • Experience in defense-related government contracting

What You'll Get Out Of It

  • UPMC health coverage with FSA or HSA options
  • Comprehensive dental, vision, and life insurance
  • Fidelity 401(k) plan with employer match
  • Free catered lunch every day with a vegan option
  • 31 Days of PTO (including holidays)
  • Comp time for company travel


Carnegie Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer that welcomes applications from all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable laws and Carnegie Robotics' employment policies.

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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