--- title: 'Lead Software Engineer at STR' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/lead-software-engineer-str-woburn-b0d3p51qq3bb' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-06' --- # Lead Software Engineer at STR - **Company:** STR - **Location:** Woburn, MA - **Posted:** 2026-10-20 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch/jobs/4723315006 ## Job description ## About the Team STR’s Intelligence Division researches, develops, and transitions advanced analytics and machine-learning solutions for challenging national-security problems. Our team includes engineers and researchers with advanced backgrounds in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science who apply deep technical expertise and creativity to mission-critical challenges. Our work spans data analysis, deep learning, and statistical methods across networking, communications, social media, text, time series, geospatial, and imagery data. We develop capabilities under constraints not typically encountered in commercial environments. U.S. Government analysts use our tools and technologies to extract, enrich, and act on intelligence information worldwide. ## The Role As a Lead Software Engineer, you will lead the technical execution of mission-relevant software systems that operationalize advanced analytics, machine learning, and data-processing capabilities. You will apply software and systems engineering expertise to develop scalable, secure, maintainable applications that operate in complex customer environments. You will work with software engineers, systems engineers, researchers, and mission partners to translate customer needs into executable technical plans. You will own technical delivery for an assigned project or major subsystem, guiding architecture, implementation, integration, testing, demonstration, and transition. What You Will Do: - Lead project execution: Lead software development from requirements definition through implementation, integration, test, demonstration, deployment, and sustainment - Translate mission needs into plans: Convert customer objectives into requirements, architectures, development plans, milestones, performance measures, and acceptance criteria - Lead the technical team: Lead and mentor software engineers and collaborate with systems engineers, researchers, DevSecOps personnel, and mission partners - Manage technical work: Decompose complex work into actionable tasks; manage dependencies, technical risks, interfaces, and progress toward program objectives - Own project architecture: Design and oversee architectures spanning services, APIs, data pipelines, databases, ML integrations, user interfaces, and deployment infrastructure - Drive integration and quality: Lead design reviews, code reviews, integration activities, testing, customer demonstrations, and release readiness; ensure reliability, security, maintainability, and performance - Support growth and transition: Contribute technical content to proposals, customer engagements, and transition planning while ensuring delivered capabilities are reusable and mission relevant Who You Are: - Education and experience: PhD with 2+ years, MS with 6+ years, or BS with 8+ years of relevant experience in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline - Clearance eligibility: Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government - Technical delivery leadership: Experience leading software development efforts or major workstreams involving applications, services, distributed systems, data platforms, or related domains - Systems engineering: Experience translating customer needs into software requirements, designs, development plans, test plans, and integrated capabilities - Software development: Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Python, C++, Java, Go, or similar languages, with experience developing and maintaining production-quality software - Engineering practices: Experience with Git, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, containers, issue tracking, documentation, and secure software-development practices - Communication and collaboration: Ability to lead technical discussions, communicate risks and tradeoffs, and work effectively with customers and multidisciplinary teams Even Better - Clearance: Active Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI security clearance - Architecture experience: Experience designing system or software architectures for distributed, data-intensive, real-time, cloud, on-premises, or edge systems - DevSecOps experience: Experience with CI/CD, infrastructure automation, container orchestration, cloud platforms, monitoring, logging, and security tooling - Large codebase experience: Experience developing software in large, multi-team code bases using collaborative engineering practices - Decentralized systems: Familiarity with message queues, stream processing, distributed computing, or microservices - Customer and capture support: Experience supporting technical proposals, customer demonstrations, technical briefings, or capture activities with DoW or IC customers - Modern development tools: Experience using LLM-enabled development tools, such as Cursor or Codex, in a secure and effective engineering workflow Pay Information Full-Time Salary Range: $180,000 - $230,000 The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions. STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us. STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer. STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at [www.str.us](http://www.str.us/) for more info. STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at appassist@str.us and provide your contact info. Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws. ## About STR ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: STR (Systems & Technology Research) develops and applies advanced technology to solve emerging national security challenges for the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community. - **Entity Type**: Private (employee-owned) - **Headquarters**: Woburn, Massachusetts, United States - **Founded**: 2010 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: National security technology, defense, cybersecurity, sensing, analytics, systems engineering - **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense, intelligence community, government agencies (B2G) - **Mission or purpose statement**: “Making the world a safer place” by delivering high-impact technology solutions to the nation’s hardest problems. ## Products & Services - **Cyber**: Applies reverse engineering, vulnerability assessment, formal methods, and AI/ML to solve critical cybersecurity and operational problems for the DoD. - **Sensors**: Develops hardware and algorithm prototypes for radar, underwater acoustics, electronic warfare, and advanced RF/EOIR sensing concepts. - **Analytics & C2**: Transforms information into advantage through command & control, autonomous systems, machine learning, graph analytics, and data visualization. - **Systems Development**: Delivers resilient, high-impact capabilities at scale using model-based systems engineering, DevSecOps, and mission-focused integration. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue $100M–$500M (LinkedIn estimate) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Employee-owned; primary customer is the U.S. Department of Defense. Key talent sources include Leidos, L3Harris, BAE Systems, MITRE, RTX, Draper, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. - **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 15% YoY (644 employees); active job postings increased 155.8% year-over-year (133 current openings); operates 7 U.S. offices. ## Competitive Advantages - **Employee-owned structure** aligns incentives with long-term mission impact rather than short-term returns. - **Multi-disciplinary expertise** spanning cyber, sensors, analytics, and systems engineering enables integrated solutions. - **“The STR Triangle”** – combines world‑renowned researchers, growing talent, and skilled engineers to rapidly mature ideas into fielded capabilities. - **Meeting‑free Fridays** and flexible schedules support deep technical work and work‑life balance. ## Strategic Focus - Continue to solve emerging national security challenges by investing in AI/ML, autonomous systems, cyber resilience, and advanced sensing. - Scale delivery through model‑based systems engineering and DevSecOps practices. - Attract and retain top technical talent by fostering a culture of purpose, diversity, and professional growth. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: “Choose‑your‑own‑adventure” career model – employees can pursue research, product development, engineering, or management paths. Emphasis on unconventional thinking, diverse perspectives, and real impact. - **Remote/Hybrid**: Some roles are remote (e.g., Lead Mission Engineer Full Stack); most positions are on‑site at one of seven U.S. locations (Woburn MA, Arlington VA, Dayton OH, Carlsbad CA, Palm Bay FL, San Diego CA, Melbourne FL). - **Notable perks**: Great health/dental/vision coverage, generous 401k matching, tuition reimbursement, results‑based bonuses, active interest groups, social events, snacks & coffee. Interns focus on real‑world problems, not busy work. - **Engineering culture**: Strong mentorship, collaboration with national security experts, and opportunities to work on cutting‑edge technology from research through deployment. ## Sources 1. [str.us](https://str.us/) 2. [str.us/careers](https://str.us/careers/) 3. [str.us/life-at-str](https://str.us/life-at-str/) 4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch) 5. 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