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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Lead Software Engineer - **Company:** Arcfield, Inc. - **Location:** United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $101,657.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Computer-Aided Design, Abstraction Layers, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Artificial Intelligence, C++ (Programming Language), Code Review, Information Technology Consulting, Computer Engineering, Linux on Embedded Systems, Embedded Software, Ethernet, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), FreeRTOS, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Hardware Interface Design, Hypervisor, Machine Learning, PCI Express, Software Architecture, Real-Time Operating Systems, Tensorflow, Software Engineering, Systems Architecture, Systems Integration, VxWorks, Digital Access Carrier System, Serial Peripheral Interface, Real Time Systems, Information Technology, ONNX (Open Neural Network Exchange) Format, TensorRT - **Published:** May 12, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.clearancejobs.com/jobs/8908166/lead-software-engineer ## About the Role * BS 8-10, MS 6-8, Phd 3-5 (degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field). * Expert-level proficiency in C and modern C++ for resource-constrained embedded systems. * Deep experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) (e.g., VxWorks, seL4, FreeRTOS, Zephyr) and embedded Linux. * Strong understanding of hardware-software integration, including interacting with FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, and serial protocols (SPI, I2C, PCIe, Ethernet). * Experience with Rust in an embedded/systems context for safety-critical applications. * Familiarity with VITA90/VNX+ hardware standards and SOSA (Sensor Open Systems Architecture) software profiles. * Experience developing software for PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing), Kalman filtering, or Software Defined Radios (SDR) preferred. * Experience deploying optimized Machine Learning models (TensorFlow Lite, ONNX, TensorRT) onto edge devices or heterogeneous compute nodes (CPU/GPU/NPU) prefered. * Demonstrated experience leading or managing software engineering teams through the full product lifecycle. * Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD Secret Security Clearance. ## Description Strategic Technology Consulting (STC), an Arcfield Company, is seeking a Lead Software Engineer / Architect to lead the design, development, and integration of the full software stack for advanced tactical edge systems. This role will own the software architecture from low-level hardware interfaces and Hardware Abstraction Layers through embedded control software, edge AI inferencing, and multi-sensor PNT fusion capabilities. The engineer will lead a team of embedded software and machine learning engineers to develop reliable, modular, and high-performance software that can run deterministic, mission-critical algorithms alongside compute-intensive AI/ML workloads on SWaP-constrained hardware. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in embedded software architecture, real-time systems, C/C++ development, hardware/software integration, and Modular Open Systems Approach principles, with the ability to design software that supports sensor modularity, hardware interchangeability, and long-term scalability. This role requires a hands-on technical leader who can translate complex mission needs into robust software architectures that enable resilient operation in degraded or GPS-denied environments., * Architect the Stack: Design and own the end-to-end embedded software architecture, selecting and configuring the RTOS/Hypervisor stack to guarantee real-time performance for critical PNT loops on SWaP-constrained processors. * Solve the AI/Deterministic Divide: Architect resource allocation, core-pinning, and memory partitioning to safely execute Edge AI NAVWAR algorithms. * Implement Software MOSA: Build robust, hardware-agnostic APIs and HALs aligned with SOSA profiles. * Lead and Ship: Direct a team of embedded systems, DSP, and AI software engineers. You will run code reviews, unblock technical hurdles, and prioritize engineering efforts to meet field-deployment deadlines. ## Related Videos - [Remote Driving on Plant Grounds with State-of-the-Art Cloud Technologies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/251-remote-driving-on-plant-grounds-with-state-of-the-art-cloud-technologies) - [Tour de Force: Open-Source LLM Inference Optimization from Simple to Sophisticated](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100099-tour-de-force-open-source-llm-inference-optimization-from-simple-to-sophisticated) - [Trends, Challenges and Best Practices for AI at the Edge](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/630-trends-challenges-and-best-practices-for-ai-at-the-edge) - [Efficient deployment and inference of GPU-accelerated LLMs​](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/929-efficient-deployment-and-inference-of-gpu-accelerated-llms) - [Unleashing the Full Potential of the Arm Architecture – Write Once, Deploy Anywhere](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/940-unleashing-the-full-potential-of-the-arm-architecture-write-once-deploy-anywhere) - [Developing an AI.SDK](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/198-developing-an-ai-sdk) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [How software is steering vehicle technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/515-how-software-is-steering-vehicle-technology) - [Is Software Engineering Over-Saturated?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/418-is-software-engineering-over-saturated) - [Is Software Engineering Hard?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/448-is-software-engineering-hard) - [Dev Digest 120 - Apple and peers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/455-dev-digest-120-apple-and-peers) - [How Much FAANG Companies Actually Pay Software Engineers in 2025](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/230-how-much-faang-companies-actually-pay-software-engineers-in-2025)