Principle Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

Location: St. Louis, MO

Clearance Required: Top Secret with SCI eligibility

Employment Type: Full-Time Regular

Shift: Day

Travel: No

Relocation Assistance: Yes

We are Ennoble First—the people supporting and securing some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. Our work has meaning and impact on the world around us, but also on us, and that’s important. Ennoble First is your place. You make it your own by embracing autonomy, seizing opportunity, and being trusted to deliver your best every day.

We think. We act. We deliver. There is no challenge we can’t turn into an opportunity.

The Software Aqua Badge Engineering Resources (SABER) program provides software engineering and development support to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Our teams design, build, integrate, test, and deploy modern, cloud‑native software solutions that strengthen geospatial intelligence operations and advance mission readiness. SABER engineers are at the heart of NGA’s modernization—leveraging Agile Dev Sec Ops , continuous delivery, and secure cloud architectures to enable faster, smarter decisions.

The work is fast-paced, innovative, and deeply impactful, combining the latest in software design, automation, and analytics to deliver scalable systems that shape the future of geospatial intelligence.

• Serve as a principal technical lead for the design and delivery of enterprise‑scale software systems supporting NGA missions.
• Define software architecture and design strategies to meet complex mission and performance requirements.
• Lead development teams in Agile Dev Sec Ops  environments, ensuring adherence to secure coding standards and best practices.
• Collaborate with senior government stakeholders to translate mission objectives into technical solutions.
• Oversee system integration, performance optimization, and quality assurance for deployed applications.
• Guide the implementation of CI/CD automation, microservice architecture, and secure cloud deployments.
• Mentor senior and mid‑level engineers and foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to drive modernization and maintain technical advantage.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline and 12–15 years of software development experience, or Master’s with 10–13 years.
• Expert‑level proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, or JavaScript.
• Proven experience leading Agile software development teams and delivering complex, cloud‑based applications.
• Strong understanding of Dev Sec Ops  pipelines, CI/CD automation, and secure software integration.
• Experience designing and deploying solutions in classified or cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or C2S).
• In‑depth knowledge of microservices, distributed systems, and scalable architectures.
• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• U.S. citizenship required.

• Experience supporting NGA or Intelligence Community software development programs.
• Expertise in containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, Open Shift).
• Experience implementing zero‑trust and secure cloud patterns.
• AWS Solutions Architect, SAFe Agile Coach, or CISSP certification.
• Familiarity with machine learning integration, data analytics, or geospatial applications.

Target Salary Range: $150,000 – $180,000

The Ennoble First pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered include the responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, and applicable laws.

Ennoble First is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.

Ennoble First participates in E-Verify. Learn more .gov/E-Verify.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Ennoble First is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.