Junior AI Software Development Engineer

Job Description

Junior AI Software Development Engineer, Leidos (Air Traffic Business Area)

Leidos is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Junior AI Software Development Engineer to join its Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector. This role is crucial for supporting the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP), a mission-critical and future-ready automation solution. L-CAP is built on a cutting-edge hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, integrating globally deployed technologies with modern cloud-native and AI-enabled capabilities.

As a member of a large-scale, Scaled Agile software development organization, you will play a significant role in the technical execution of this program. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams and technical leaders to deliver predictable outcomes in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment. The position is available in Gaithersburg, MD, or Eagan, MN, and operates on a hybrid schedule (3 days onsite, 2 days remote).

Position Overview

In this role, you will be responsible for designing and implementing software solutions, working independently while maintaining close collaboration with systems engineering, product delivery, and DevSecOps teams. The primary focus will be on developing microservices-based applications within an Agile/SAFE environment. While not strictly required, prior experience with AI-enabled or data-driven systems would be a distinct advantage. This position supports government programs and necessitates the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, Develop, and Maintain: Create and support microservices-based applications adhering to modern software engineering best practices.
• Agile/SAFe Collaboration: Work effectively with product owners, architects, and engineers within an Agile/SAFe framework, participating actively in sprint planning, daily standups, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Requirement Translation: Collaborate with systems engineering, product delivery, and program teams to translate complex requirements into robust, working software solutions.
• Code Quality: Develop clean, maintainable, and testable code, strictly following CI/CD and DevSecOps practices.
• System Design: Contribute meaningfully to system design discussions and technical decision-making processes.
• Integration: Seamlessly integrate services with various databases, messaging systems, and external APIs.
• Support and Improvement: Provide support for troubleshooting, performance tuning, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Reliable Delivery: Work closely with QA, DevOps, and platform teams to ensure the reliable and efficient delivery of software.
• Automated Testing: Implement modern automated testing strategies, including unit, integration, contract, and end-to-end testing, integrating these into CI/CD pipelines.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience: 2+ years of relevant professional experience, or a Master’s Degree.
• Microservices: Hands-on experience building and supporting microservices-based systems.
• Programming Proficiency: Proficiency in at least one modern programming language (e.g., Java, Python, C++, or similar), with experience in a Linux-based system.
• Agile: Proven experience working in Agile development environments.
• Distributed Systems: A solid understanding of APIs and distributed system concepts.
• Security Clearance: Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• Citizenship: U.S. citizenship is required.

Preferred / Desired Qualifications

• AI/ML Exposure: Experience or exposure to AI/ML-enabled systems (e.g., Claude-Code), automation, or other intelligent platforms.
• Version Control & CI/CD: Experience with Git-based version control and implementing CI/CD pipelines.
• SAFe: Familiarity with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).
• Databases: Experience working with relational and/or NoSQL databases.
• Event Streaming: Hands-on experience with Kafka or other event-streaming technologies.
• Cloud Platforms: Cloud experience with providers such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Containerization: Containerization and orchestration experience (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• DevSecOps: Experience working in DevSecOps environments.
• Test Automation: Experience with test automation frameworks and integrating automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines.

Additional Requirements

• Successful completion of a background investigation as required by the government customer.

Compensation

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. The anticipated pay range for this position is $69,550.00 – $125,725.00. 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.