Software engineer

Software Engineering Lead

Job Description

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Software Engineering Lead to join our Communications Systems Software department. You will work in a fast-paced team environment, contributing to revolutionary systems that impact people's lives globally. This position is based in Redondo Beach, CA, with 50% travel to Woodland Hills, CA, and involves managing the execution, development, integration, and delivery of the Navigation Payload system for the Space Development Agency portfolio of programs.

Responsibilities

• Direct a team of engineers and coordinate with stakeholders from different sectors and divisions.

• Effectively drive program execution toward the software delivery schedule.

• Leverage software development best practices to right-size the needs of the effort, such as configuration management and unit testing.

• Guide process improvement, especially in configuration management, code quality practices, making optimal tasking assignments, and understanding and documenting the technical baseline and architecture.

• Decompose requirements and report status and metrics to program leadership.

• Design, develop, document, test, and debug applications software and systems that contain logical and mathematical solutions.

• Conduct multidisciplinary research and collaborate with equipment designers and/or hardware engineers in planning, design, development, and utilization of electronic data processing systems for product software.

• Determine overall system and user needs, analyze system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques, and controls, prepare operating instructions, and design and develop utility programs.

• Ensure software standards are met.

• Design and execute tests to ensure the software's functionality, performance, and reliability.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related STEM degree with 12 years of software development experience, OR Master's Degree with 10 years of software development experience, OR Ph.D. with 8 years of software development experience.

• Prior management experience directing a team of software engineers and effectively driving program execution toward the software delivery schedule.

• Experience guiding process improvement, configuration management, and code quality practices.

• Experience with VxWorks and Workbench.

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming.

• Secret Clearance.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in Agile process and Atlassian Tool Suite (Jira, BitBucket, etc.).

• Familiarity with the technical baseline of Pointing, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) and Global Positioning System (GPS).

• Experience across various life cycle phases including software systems architecture development, requirements definition and analysis, object-oriented development, code and unit test, system integration, and test.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Comfortable working in a lab environment and on large teams with talented engineers from other engineering disciplines.

Work Environment

The position requires working on-site in Redondo Beach, CA, with 50% travel to Woodland Hills, CA. This role involves working in a lab environment, utilizing technologies such as VxWorks, Wind River Workbench, and various processor, memory, and I/O architectures. The work shift is 1st Shift 9/80A, and the role includes travel requirements.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Redondo Beach, California.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Redondo Beach, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $70.00 - $100.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Redondo Beach,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jan 19, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing due to a disability, please email [email protected] (%[email protected]) for other accommodation options.