Software Engineer ; AI-Enabled Development

Software Engineer (AI-Enabled Development) UK NATS Flight Data Processing (FDP)

Leidos is hiring a Software Engineer (AI-Enabled Development) to support the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Flight Data Processing (FDP) Evolution program. This US based position in Gaithersburg, MD is your chance to work on real‑time, safety‑critical systems that directly impact national air traffic operations for the United Kingdom. This role focuses on building and modernizing real‑time, safety‑critical systems using a combination of traditional systems engineering and AI‑augmented software development practices.

You’ll work on software that directly supports national air traffic operations, applying AI tools to accelerate development, improve quality, and enhance system reliability.

• Design, develop, test, and maintain software for real‑time, high‑availability systems.
• Use AI‑assisted development tools to accelerate coding, refactoring, debugging, and test creation.
• Apply AI responsibly across the full SDLC, including requirements analysis, design support, implementation, testing, documentation, and code review.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies including daily stand‑ups, sprint planning, and release reviews.
• Analyze complex system requirements and translate them into efficient, maintainable software designs.
• Engineer and maintain automation scripts deployed across development, test, and production environments.
• Promote code reuse, software quality, and cross‑team collaboration.

We are specifically looking for engineers who actively use AI as part of their daily development workflow.

• Hands‑on experience with AI‑assisted coding tools (e.g., Claude Code or similar) for:
  • Code generation and refactoring
  • Debugging and test creation
  • IDE‑based workflows
• Working knowledge of large language model platforms (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini).
• Experience designing and refining effective prompts and validating AI‑generated outputs.
• Understanding of human‑in‑the‑loop development, traceability, and responsible AI use.
• Ability to evaluate AI outputs for correctness, performance, bias, and safety, especially in regulated or safety‑impacting environments.
• Experience incorporating AI/ML techniques into the software development process.
• Experience with test automation.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field and 4–8 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 2–6 years of prior relevant experience.
• Strong experience with object‑oriented programming.
• Proficiency in C, C++, and/or Ada (Ada preferred but optional).
• Experience developing real‑time, multi‑threaded software.
• Familiarity with Linux (Red Hat), virtual machines, and hypervisors.
• Experience with low‑level communications (TCP/IP, UDP, SCTP).
• Familiarity with hardware or CAS integration.
• Experience using source control and configuration management tools.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work independently or within a team.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a public trust security clearance.
• Ability to obtain an SF‑85 preferred.

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That’s why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at

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