Software Engineer Independent Contractor Jobs in Virginia

Company Description

Rogue Signal Processing was founded to rapidly field prototype Quick Reaction Capabilities to the warfighter. Together with our partners, we maximize our team’s effectiveness to deliver the full cycle of EW system engineering, production, and maintenance tasks. We’re equipped to field everything from custom prototypes to high-rate production variants of complex systems.

This is a full-time on-site role located in Sterling, VA. We are seeking a software engineer to maintain and extend an existing API layer connecting a modern user interface to a complex backend signal processing and mission system baseline. The ideal candidate is a strong software engineer who enjoys learning large existing systems and can work effectively with domain experts to translate requirements into maintainable software solutions.

This position supports a fast-paced, mission-focused development environment with multiple concurrent priorities and demanding schedules. The successful candidate must be comfortable operating in a high-demand environment where priorities can shift quickly based on customer, program, or operational needs. The ability to work independently with minimal supervision is essential. Engineers are expected to take ownership of assigned tasks, drive work to completion, and proactively identify and resolve issues. A strong initiative is required. Team members are expected to communicate progress, risks, blockers, and technical concerns without waiting to be asked. The candidate must be comfortable engaging directly with software developers, system engineers, and technical leads to gather requirements, clarify expectations, and coordinate development activities. Engineers are expected to provide realistic schedule estimates, communicate status accurately, and raise concerns early when deadlines or technical objectives are at risk. Success in this role requires adaptability, accountability, attention to detail, and the ability to learn new technologies and software frameworks quickly. The ideal candidate thrives in challenging technical environments, enjoys solving complex integration problems, and takes pride in delivering high-quality software with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain and enhance existing API services
• Develop new API capabilities to support future mission requirements
• Integrate front-end applications with backend processing systems
• Work closely with CFE and backend developers to understand requirements
• Diagnose and resolve integration and performance issues
• Develop automated tests and validation procedures
• Participate in code reviews and software design discussions
• Support deployment, troubleshooting, and sustainment activities

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be a US Citizen (Green Card is not eligible)
• Minimum of 4 years of related experience required
• BS/MS in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or Related Field
• Strong Python development experience Experience with C++ codebases
• Experience designing, maintaining, and extending APIs
• Experience with Google Protocol Buffers (protobuf)
• Experience with message-oriented architectures (AMQ, RabbitMQ, ZeroMQ, Kafka, or similar)
• Linux software development and debugging Git version control and collaborative development workflows
• Software integration and troubleshooting across multiple components
• Experience reading and understanding large existing codebases
• Strong debugging and root-cause analysis skills
• Comfortable learning unfamiliar software frameworks and architectures
• Works effectively with backend and CFE developers to implement requirements
• Able to understand technical requirements and convert them into working software
• Strong ownership mentality without unnecessary bureaucracy
• Driven, self-motivated, and capable of working independently
• Proven track record of delivering high-quality software
• Strong communicator and team player
• Open to technical mentorship and feedback

Desired Skills:

• Active TS/SCI security clearance
• Experience with distributed systems
• Experience with microservices or service-oriented architectures
• Experience with real-time or near-real-time systems
• Experience with REST, gRPC, or message-based APIs
• Experience with containerization (Docker)
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with software testing frameworks and automated testing
• Experience with system monitoring and logging tools
• Experience working in defense, aerospace, EW, SIGINT, communications, SDR, or mission systems environments
• Familiarity with X-MIDAS or similar signal processing frameworks

Benefits:

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short Term and Long Term Disability insurance
• Life Insurance
• Profit Sharing Plan (PSP) - 25% of salary on top of base salary
• 401k
• Flexible PTO, Holidays and Sick Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Professional Development and Mentorship provided