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Lead Software Engineering Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Summary The Principal Software Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for defining and ... Lead design of large-scale, distributed, and highly available systems, driving decisions across ...

Software Developer Lead

West Des Moines, IA · On-site

$113K - $142K/yr

Technical strategy, roadmap, and engineering standards * Adoption of AI-driven, spec-first ... Lead design and delivery of event-driven, distributed systems with a focus on simplicity and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Lead Software Engineering information

See Iowa salary details

$41.7K

$143.3K

$195.2K

How much do lead software engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 25, 2026, the average yearly pay for lead software engineering in Iowa is $143,274.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,700.00 and $168,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.
What cities in Iowa are hiring for Lead Software Engineering jobs? Cities in Iowa with the most Lead Software Engineering job openings:
Infographic showing various Lead Software Engineering job openings in Iowa as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 72% Full Time, 25% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $143,274 per year, or $68.9 per hour.
Software Engineering Manager - Aerospace

Software Engineering Manager - Aerospace

Genova Technologies

Cedar Rapids, IA • Hybrid

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago


Job description

Why Genova?

If you're looking for the stability and benefits of a large company in a small company atmosphere, Genova is the place for you.

If you're looking to work in a community filled with nice people, Genova is the place for you.

If you're looking for a place that you'll want to stay with until you retire, Genova is the place for you.

Come and enjoy your workday at Genova Technologies! Join our team!

Genova Technologies has an immediate opening for an Software Engineering Manager for an exciting, long-term project in Cedar Rapids, IA.

What will you do?

This team member will support a development team working to transition an existing dual-differentiation architecture to a new RTOS-based platform. You will also be responsible for overseeing the team’s adherence to DO-178/278 standards during development. This position requires Daily work to be completed at our Cedar Rapids, IA office, with some potential for Hybrid work.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing the software engineering team, supervising 2-5 direct reports.

• Serving as the primary point of contact between the project team and the client for day-to-day relationship management, including backlog prioritization and tactical decision making.

• Assisting the COO with strategic client relationship management as needed.

• Acting as Product Owner and Voice of the Customer within the Scrum team, translating client needs into actionable work.

• Writing and maintaining user stories to guide development activities.

• Ensuring all project documentation is complete, accurate, and meets contractual and certification requirements.

• Supporting planning, scheduling, and execution of software development activities in alignment with the broader DO-278A certification effort.

• Collaborating with outside client’s hardware certification team to ensure software deliverables are consistent with overall certification goals.

• Monitoring developer spend against the client’s project budget, projecting remaining scope against available budget, and providing weekly budget and status reports to the client.

• Preparing and delivering a monthly executive summary to internal leadership assessing overall project health.

• Providing career guidance and supporting the personal and professional growth of direct reports.

• Managing technical risks and escalating issues as appropriate to internal leadership.

• Participating in and supporting technical interviews and onboarding of additional team members as the project grows.

What do you need?

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• 5+ years of post-baccalaureate experience in a technical or technology-adjacent field, with demonstrated technical curiosity and the ability to understand, engage with, and constructively challenge software engineering teams.

• Familiarity with DO-178C and/or DO-278A certification processes.

• Demonstrated experience managing client relationships, including day-to-day communication and expectation setting.

• Experience owning and reporting against a project budget.

• Proven ability to write and manage a product backlog including user stories.

• Experience producing written status reports and executive-level summaries.

• Familiarity with avionics or defense software development lifecycles.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills for internal team leadership and client interaction.

Skills we consider a plus include:

• Prior experience managing a platform migration or architecture transition effort.

• Familiarity with IFF systems or similar identification/interrogation technologies.

• Any DO-178C or DO-278A certification experience, with AL2 (DAL B) or higher being ideal.

• Sufficient technical familiarity with RTOS environments (e.g., LynxOS, QNX, VxWorks) to effectively lead and communicate with the engineering team.

• Exposure to DO-254 hardware/software integration considerations.

• Experience working in a Scrum environment as a Product Owner or Scrum Master.

• Familiarity with tools such as JAMA or Rational DOORS.

What do you get?

Genova provides a competitive benefits package that includes:

· Medical, dental, vision coverage

· Life and disability insurance

· Paid holidays and scaling PTO

· A generous 401k plan

· And more!

If you want to work for a company that values your career growth and respects your individuality, we would love to talk to you about the positions we have available!

Genova is an Equal Opportunity Employer.