Job ID: 115699
Location: Germantown, MD
Business Unit: DRS RADA Technologies
Schedule: 9/80
Shift: First
DRS RADA Technologies, a subsidiary of Leonardo DRS, is focused on proprietary radar solutions and legacy avionics systems supporting the defense industry globally. The company is a global pioneer of AESA tactical radars for active military protection, counter-drone applications, critical infrastructure protection, and border surveillance.
About the Role:DRS RADA Technologies is seeking a full-time, on-site Software Engineer I/II to help design, build, test, and sustain mission-critical software that operates and supports advanced radar systems. This hands-on role is ideal for an early-career software engineer with C or C++ experience who is interested in system-level software, timing-sensitive behavior, and complex defense applications. Prior radar or defense experience is helpful but not required; we value strong software fundamentals, curiosity, and the ability to learn complex technical domains.
What You Will Do:- Help design, develop, test, debug, and maintain software applications and system components that operate and support advanced radar systems.
- Implement C/C++ software features from defined requirements, design guidance, and existing system architecture.
- Contribute to radar-system application software involving multithreaded behavior, timing-sensitive operation, shared resources, and system-level interfaces.
- Troubleshoot and resolve software issues found during development, integration, lab testing, system testing, and field support, with support from senior engineers as needed.
- Work with software, systems, hardware, integration, and test engineers to understand system behavior, support integration activities, and resolve issues.
- Participate in code reviews, configuration management, documentation, estimation, and engineering process improvements.
- Learn relevant domain concepts such as radar-system operation, real-time software behavior, hardware/software integration, and mission-critical software development.
- Grow technical ownership over time by contributing to increasingly complex software tasks, debugging efforts, and integration activities.
What You Bring:- Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
- For Software Engineer I: entry-level candidates are welcome, including those with internship, academic project, or other relevant software development experience.
- For Software Engineer II: at least two years of relevant software engineering experience, or equivalent experience.
- Experience developing software in C or C++, including academic, internship, project, or professional experience.
- Familiarity with core software concepts such as data structures, debugging, memory management, concurrency, operating systems, or performance tradeoffs.
- Ability to build, test, debug, and maintain software as part of a collaborative engineering team.
- Interest in system-level, embedded, real-time, or mission-critical software applications.
- Experience using version control and software development tools.
- Preferred but not required: experience with RTOS-based or Linux-based software development, especially in hardware-integrated environments.
- Ability and interest to learn complex technical domains, communicate clearly, and collaborate effectively with software, systems, hardware, integration, and test engineers.
- U.S. citizenship is required. A current security clearance is not required, but the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance may be needed for future program work.
What This Role Is Not:- This is not a radar algorithm or signal-processing development role. While you will work on software that operates and supports advanced radar systems, prior radar experience is not required.
- This is not a microcontroller or bare-metal firmware role. The work is focused on radar-system application software involving C/C++, system-level interfaces, timing awareness, and integrated system behavior.
- This is not a remote position. This full-time role is based on-site in Germantown, Maryland, where close collaboration with software, systems, hardware, integration, and test teams is essential.
What We Bring:At DRS RADA Technologies, your work supports technologies that help protect military personnel, critical infrastructure, and communities around the world. You will join a mission-driven team developing advanced radar technology that supports system performance and real-world defense applications.
We offer competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; a company contribution to a health savings account; telemedicine; life and disability insurance; legal insurance; and a 401(k) savings plan. We invest in employee well-being, career growth, professional development, and skill enhancement, and offer a flexible 9/80 schedule, competitive vacation, health/emergency leave, paid parental leave, and community service hours.
U.S. Citizenship required. This position requires an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.
The salary range for the level I position is $75,956 - $98,743 per year and for the level II it is $91,907 - $119,480 per year. This range reflects the good faith estimate of pay the employer is willing to offer at the time of posting. Several factors can influence the pay scale, including but not limited to: Federal contract labor categories and contract wage rates, collective bargaining agreements, geographic location, business considerations, scope, and responsibilities of the position, local or other applicable market conditions, and internal equity. Other factors include the candidate's qualifications such as prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education/training, and certifications. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for: annual performance-based bonuses, equity awards, and overtime pay (for non-exempt employees as applicable. Our benefits package includes comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision), employer matching 401(k) retirement plan, paid time off including vacation, holidays, and sick leave (including ant state-mandated paid sick leave), parental leave benefits, tuition reimbursement, professional development support, and life and disability insurance coverage.
Taking care of our people is a top priority at Leonardo DRS. We are proud to offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a company contribution to a health savings account, telemedicine, life and disability insurance, legal insurance, and a 401(k) savings plan. We champion wellness programs that focus on physical, emotional, and financial well-being. We develop our talent by offering programs and activities to support career-growth, professional development, and skill enhancement. And we understand there is more to life than work, and the importance of offering flexible work schedules with our 9/80 program, competitive vacation, health/emergency leave, paid parental leave, and community service hours.
*Some employees are eligible for limited benefits only
Leonardo DRS, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Our Vision. To be the leading mid-tier defense technology company in the U.S.
Our Values. The Leonardo DRS culture is defined by our Core Values and Principles:
- Integrity
- Agility
- Excellence
- Customer Focus
- Community & Respect
- Innovation
We strive to uphold them in all aspects of our business practices to inspire our employees and provide outstanding support for our customers.
