Senior Principal Software Engineer Herndon, VA

Overview

Clarity Innovations is a trusted national security partner, dedicated to safeguarding our nation’s interests and delivering innovative solutions that empower the Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) to transform data into actionable intelligence, ensuring mission success in an evolving world.

Our mission‑first software and data engineering platform modernizes data operations, utilizing advanced workflows, CI/CD, and secure Dev Sec Ops  practices. We focus on challenges in Information Warfare, Cyber Operations, Operational Security, and Data Structuring, enabling end‑to‑end solutions that drive operational impact.

We are committed to delivering cutting‑edge tools and capabilities that address the most complex national security challenges, empowering our partners to stay ahead of emerging threats and ensuring the success of their critical missions. Clarity is people‑focused and aims to be a destination employer for top talent, offering an environment where innovation thrives, careers grow, and individuals are valued.

The position entails leading a team of software developers and Dev Ops engineers to meet customer needs. The team will be responsible for designing and automating deployment and maintenance processes for a robust platform that serves as a collaborative environment for developers and supports cyber activities.

This role demands a deep understanding of deployment automation, maintenance strategies, and the ability to create scalable and efficient systems. The ideal candidate is highly independent, capable of driving projects from inception to completion with minimal supervision, and has a keen eye for detail. They should be passionate about innovation, continuously seeking to improve processes and contribute meaningfully to the platform’s evolution.

Additionally, the role offers opportunities to make impactful contributions to a widely used system, directly influencing its functionality and reliability. The successful candidate will work in a dynamic environment, collaborating with teams to ensure the platform meets the highest standards of performance and security.

• Lead design and architecture of platform systems and workflows
• Develop robust and high‑quality software, putting the user’s requirements first and always driving towards a working product on time
• Integrate and build testing into product family
• Facilitate delivery and deployment of operational capabilities

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related discipline
• 11–15 years of Software Engineering experience
• TS/SCI security clearance with ability to obtain and maintain a CI Polygraph
• Ability to develop software‑based capabilities, typically achieved after a minimum of 5 years of industry experience and a bachelor’s degree
• Experience providing daily guidance and oversight to other engineers
• Experience contributing to or leading the design of new capabilities
• Experience writing IaC and scripts to support infrastructure provisioning and maintenance (Terraform, Crossplane)
• Experience writing automated tests (unit, acceptance, system/integration)
• Proficient in containerization technologies (Docker, Podman)
• Proficient with Kubernetes and Kubernetes automation
• Experience with network and software system design, ideally in a DoD environment
• Experience with cybersecurity principles, ideally with the Risk Management Framework (RMF)
• Comfortable and proficient in Linux‑based development environments
• Experience troubleshooting system issues at many levels of the stack (software, networking, configuration)
• Experience with cloud infrastructure and distributed systems (AWS, Azure)
• Ability to collaborate as a team but execute independently
• Comfortable in a high‑trust, adaptable, team environment

• Experience communicating with customers and end‑users
• Familiarity with agile software development practices
• Experience with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

We are an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.