Senior​/Principal Software Engineer – Automated Quality & Test; Embedded

Senior / Principal Software Engineer – Automated Quality & Test (Embedded & Applications)

At Zaden Technologies , our mission is to simplify software delivery and improve its utility for our customers — especially those operating in high-stakes defense and aerospace environments.

software delivery and improve its utility

We build automation into everything we do, from secure Dev Sec Ops  pipelines to continuous testing and compliance.

Our team is our greatest strength. We hire innovators who thrive in fast-moving environments, care deeply about quality, and challenge the status quo. If you’re passionate about automating the un-automatable and driving reliability at mission scale — this is where you belong.

We’re looking for a Senior or Principal Software Engineer (Automated Quality & Test) to lead development of automated testing frameworks for both embedded and application-level defense systems.

You’ll bridge software engineering, quality assurance, and security automation — ensuring our mission-critical software is rigorously tested, continuously validated, and ready for deployment in real-world environments.

This role combines software craftsmanship with Dev Sec Ops  discipline and system-level thinking .

• Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for complex defense software — spanning embedded, application, and cloud domains.
• Implement end-to-end test strategies including unit, integration, regression, system, and performance testing .
• Develop automated test harnesses for applications in C, C++, Java, Ada , and scripting with Python, Bash, or Power Shell .
• Integrate automated testing and SAST/DAST security scanning (e.g., Sonar Qube, Fortify, Coverity, ZAP) into CI/CD pipelines (Git Lab CI, Jenkins, or Azure Dev Ops).
• Build hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test infrastructure for embedded systems.
• Collaborate with software, firmware, and Dev Sec Ops  engineers to maximize code coverage and testability.
• Create dashboards and metrics for continuous quality visibility , compliance readiness, and performance trend analysis.
• Support Continuous ATO (cATO) objectives by integrating automated compliance and security validation.
• Mentor junior engineers on test automation frameworks, code quality, and secure software practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years (Senior) or 8+ years (Principal) of experience in software quality, test automation, or Dev Sec Ops  environments.
• Strong programming proficiency in C/C++ , plus working experience in one or more:
  Python, Java, Ada, or Go .
• Experience building and maintaining automated test frameworks and test harnesses .
• Familiarity with continuous integration systems (Git Lab CI, Jenkins, Azure Dev Ops).
• Strong grasp of software testing methodologies (black-box, white-box, gray-box).
• Working knowledge of networked or real-time embedded systems .
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain a DoD Security Clearance.

• Active DoD Secret or Top-Secret Clearance .
• Experience with RTOS environments (VxWorks, FreeRTOS, or similar).
• Familiarity with hardware virtualization (QEMU, SIMICS) and HIL/SIL testing.
• Knowledge of Dev Sec Ops  pipelines ,
  containerized test environments , and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Ansible).
• Experience with defense software standards (DO-178C, MIL-STD-498, ISO 26262).
• Background in missile defense, aerospace, or tactical systems .

• Competitive base salary: $130,000 – $175,000 depending on level and clearance.
• Robust startup environment with access to cutting-edge defense technology programs.
• Employer contributions toward 401(k) and 50% health insurance coverage (employee & dependents).
• Paid holidays and flexible PTO.
• Clear career advancement paths toward Technical Fellow or Principal Engineer roles.
• A collaborative, mission-driven culture focused on innovation, automation, and measurable impact .

At Zaden, automation isn’t a buzzword — it’s our DNA.
You’ll work alongside engineers obsessed with building the most lovable, secure, and scalable systems for national defense. Every framework you write and every test you automate directly improves readiness, resilience, and trust in the software protecting our warfighters.

The pay range for this role is:

130, USD per year (Huntsville, Alabama)