Technical Lead – Intelligence Systems

Location: Reston, VA (Onsite)

Clearance: Active Top Secret required (SCI eligibility preferred)

Compensation: $275,000 (Flexibility in comp)

Travel: Approx. 20–25% (4 trips/year, 1 week each)

A high-growth defense technology company is hiring a C++ Technical Lead to support product development efforts within the Intelligence Community. This is a 50/50 role—you’ll split your time between hands-on software development (C++) and leading a team of 4–8 engineers building next-gen sensor-based systems. The position sits at the intersection of software and hardware, requiring a leader who can guide product direction, drive technical decisions, and contribute to mission-critical codebases.

What You’ll Do:

• Drive the technical roadmap and execution for IC-facing product development
• Lead multidisciplinary teams (software, hardware, test) through complex builds
• Write production-level C/C++ code to meet fast-moving delivery timelines
• Mentor engineers, unblock challenges, and enforce code quality standards
• Own integration efforts with third-party APIs and systems
• Track and optimize performance using real-time metrics
• Represent the program in technical reviews with internal and government stakeholders
• Support field testing at domestic test sites (approx. 20–25% travel)

What You Bring:

• 10+ years of engineering experience, including 8+ years in C++ development
• 8+ years leading high-performing software teams
• Proven experience delivering integrated software/hardware systems
• Deep experience navigating large codebases and complex environments
• Strong decision-maker who can drive direction with limited oversight
• Active U.S. Top Secret clearance (SCI preferred)
• U.S. Citizenship required

Bonus If You Have:

• Experience supporting classified or high-sensitivity programs
• Background in SITL/HITL simulation environments
• Familiarity with cybersecurity, cross-domain systems, and accreditation processes

This is an onsite role in Reston, VA, offering relocation support for qualified candidates. You'll be helping shape programs with real national security impact.