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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Middleware Software Engineer - **Company:** Actalent - **Location:** Manassas, VA, United States - **Experience:** Experienced - **Salary:** $145,600.0 - $187,200.0 - **Contract:** Temporary contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Apache ActiveMQ, Apache HTTP Server, Application Integration Architecture, Software Applications, Systems Engineering, Unix, C++ (Programming Language), Command-Line Interface, Computer Engineering, Serialization, Software Design Patterns, Linux, Document Management Systems, Distributed Systems, Middleware, Data Flow Control, Protocol Buffers, IBM WebSphere MQ, Linux System Administration, Enterprise Messaging Systems, Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), Network Connections, RabbitMQ, Redis, Socket Programming, Software Engineering, Software Systems, Systems Integration, TCP/IP, Tcpdump, Wireshark, ZeroMQ (Concurrent Programming Libraries), Diagnostic Tools, Multithreading, Computer Networking Systems, Real Time Systems, Information Technology, Low Latency, Apache Kafka - **Published:** October 4, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.techcareers.com/job.asp?id=3418296122&tx=CT2826TYT&pt=1&aff=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54&utm_source=Job%20Feed&utm_medium=textkernel&utm_campaign=DE&utm_term=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54 ## About the Role * Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field. * Five or more years of professional software-development, software-integration, or middleware-engineering experience. * Professional experience developing software in Java, DDS, and/or C++. * Strong, hands-on experience working in Linux environments. * Demonstrated experience troubleshooting Linux applications using command-line tools. * Experience with publish-subscribe messaging architectures and distributed software systems. * Experience with at least one messaging or middleware technology such as DDS, RTI Connext, RabbitMQ, ZeroMQ, Apache Pulsar, ActiveMQ, Kafka, MQTT, Redis Streams, or IBM MQ. * Experience with Google Protocol Buffers or a similar serialization framework. * Understanding of TCP/IP, UDP, ports, sockets, services, processes, and network-based application communications. * Experience diagnosing message-delivery, connectivity, performance, or data-flow issues in a distributed environment. * Ability to explain specific technical problems personally encountered, the diagnostic evidence collected, the tools used, and how the issue was resolved. * Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance. Additional Skills & Qualifications * Two or more years of direct experience developing, integrating, administering, or troubleshooting DDS. * Experience using DDS with DDSI-RTPS for developing or supporting high-throughput, low-latency, or near-real-time messaging systems. * Experience working with multithreaded Java or C++ applications. * Understanding of concurrency concepts such as threads, mutexes, semaphores, synchronization, and race conditions. * Experience troubleshooting multithreaded applications in production or integration environments. * Experience with Linux or Unix socket programming. ## Description We are seeking a hands-on Middleware Software Engineer to support mission-critical distributed systems for Navy and Department of Defense programs. This role focuses on developing, integrating, and troubleshooting high-performance messaging services in a Linux environment using Java and C/C++., * Design, develop, integrate, and support middleware components using Java and/or C++ in a Linux environment. * Develop and maintain high-performance publish-subscribe messaging capabilities for distributed, near-real-time systems. * Configure, integrate, and troubleshoot DDS or comparable messaging technologies. * Use Google Protocol Buffers to define, serialize, and exchange structured data between distributed applications. * Diagnose message-delivery, data-flow, latency, connectivity, and service-availability issues across networked systems. * Investigate why messages or data are not reaching their intended destinations and isolate issues involving applications, middleware, operating systems, ports, services, or networks. * Use Linux and network-diagnostic tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark, netstat, netcat, vmstat, ps, and related utilities. * Monitor and troubleshoot memory consumption, process activity, service status, network connections, port availability, and system-resource utilization. * Start, stop, restart, and inspect Linux services as part of application integration and production troubleshooting. * Support TCP/IP and UDP-based communications when applications require direct socket-level messaging. * Apply software design patterns and sound engineering practices to create scalable, maintainable, and testable middleware solutions. * Collaborate with software developers, systems engineers, networking specialists, cybersecurity personnel, and government stakeholders to resolve complex integration issues. * Participate in architecture discussions, design reviews, system re-architecture activities, technical demonstrations, whitepapers, and engineering deep-dives. * Support modernization and integration of existing distributed software applications into updated middleware architectures. * Document system behavior, interfaces, troubleshooting findings, technical decisions, and recommended corrective actions. * Use approved AI-assisted development tools, when appropriate, to improve engineering productivity while independently validating generated code and technical solutions.