Principal Gameplay Programmer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our team in developing the forefront of unmanned and autonomous ship development for the US Government. Based in Arlington, VA, you will be embedded within an Agile Scrum team - designing, building, and testing software that powers some of the nation's most critical maritime programs. The candidate will help to lead projects of significant national importance, guiding the transformation of existing vessels into autonomous platforms and supporting the development of new ships from concept through deployment.

What You'll Work On:

Our software portfolio spans the full spectrum of autonomous maritime operations, including:

• Ship Automation & Control Systems
• Autonomous Navigation
• Sensor Fusion & Processing
• Communication Systems
• Modeling & Simulation for verification and software testing

Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze, design, code and update software for new features and performance improvements.

• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, from requirements and design through implementation, testing, and deployment.

• Serve as technical lead for small projects, providing direction and ensuring technical quality.
• Mentor and coach junior engineers, fostering professional growth and elevating team capabilities.
• Perform peer reviews of software, ensuring quality, maintainability, and adherence to best practices.
• Drive continuous process improvement, collaborating with the team to optimize workflows, tools, and engineering practices.
• Assist with evaluating field tests, analyzing results and transitioning findings into actionable software enhancements.
• Engage directly with client project stakeholders, communicating technical progress, risks, and solutions effectively.
• Some travel (up to 25%) to support field testing, client engagements, and program milestones.

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or STEM field plus 12+ years of professional software development experience, or 10+ years of professional experience with a Master's degree.
• Understanding of data structures.
• Professional experience using C++ and Linux.
• Knowledge of the Linux operating system.
• Experience with software source control and configuration management tools.
• Significant experience working in a team environment, including experience providing guidance and coaching other developers
• Exposure to one or more of the following: high availability, sensor fusion, target tracking, path planning, communications systems, or military systems integration.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with the Atlassian tool suite (Jira, Confluence)
• Familiarity with automated build processes (Bamboo, Jenkins, etc.)
• Professional experience using Java and front-end development frameworks.
• Knowledge and experience with relational databases such as Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or Microsoft SQL Server.
• Experience with Python.
• Experience designing complex systems, considering performance and user requirements.
• Experience with interface communication standards / protocols such as TCP/IP, UDP, and DDS.
• Familiarity with game theory, artificial intelligence, petri nets, safety critical software.
• Demonstrated experience with Docker and Kubernetes (RKE2) in containerization, Kubernetes management and automation technologies.
• Experienced in designing, implementing, and analyzing simulations involving extensive datasets, ensuring efficient data processing and accurate modeling outcomes.
• Proficient in applying vector geometry concepts for spatial analysis, modeling, and problem-solving in simulation environments.
• Active Secret Security Clearance preferred

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:April 27, 2026Pay Range:Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.