Software engineer - software defined networking (sdn)

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Software Engineer - Software Defined Networking (SDN) based in United States.

This role offers the opportunity to modernize and secure a critical software-defined networking capability supporting demanding mission environments.

You will work at the intersection of software engineering, Linux systems, networking, security, and DevSecOps.

Your focus will be on assessing an unfamiliar codebase, strengthening its architecture and security, and establishing a reliable software baseline for long-term sustainment.

You will work hands-on with source code, build systems, dependencies, testing frameworks, runtime behavior, and open-source integrations.

The role also involves diagnosing complex issues across application and network boundaries while collaborating closely with platform engineers and government stakeholders.

You will help introduce disciplined engineering practices around testing, release readiness, documentation, and automated security while leveraging AI-enabled development tools.

This is an ideal opportunity for a technically strong engineer who enjoys solving complex systems problems and delivering secure, maintainable software in a mission-driven environment.

Accountabilities:

• Own the technical assessment of an SDN codebase, including architecture, build processes, dependencies, runtime components, test coverage, security posture, and upstream open-source relationships.
• Design and implement secure, maintainable changes that remediate vulnerabilities, improve resilience, and maintain traceability between upstream software, government-owned code, configurations, and local patches.
• Develop reliable unit, integration, end-to-end, regression, and failure-mode tests for hardening and modernization initiatives.
• Implement AI-enabled tooling to support the ongoing hardening, maintenance, analysis, and development of the SDN application.
• Diagnose complex issues across application, Linux, and network boundaries, including traffic flows, routing, segmentation, identity, failover, telemetry, and performance.
• Partner with platform engineering teams on container readiness, packaging, CI/CD, deployment workflows, and automated security scanning while owning code-level triage and remediation.
• Support laboratory validation, demonstrations, release acceptance, and the conversion of operational findings into durable fixes and regression tests.
• Contribute to architecture and code reviews and communicate technical tradeoffs clearly to engineering and government stakeholders.
• Produce clear technical documentation, assessments, and runbooks to support reliable operation and long-term sustainment.
• Mentor other engineers and contribute to evolving engineering practices as mission requirements and technical needs change.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of software engineering experience with demonstrated ownership of production or legacy codebases.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, and Bash scripting.
• Strong Linux fundamentals, including services, processes, permissions, logging, package management, and command-line troubleshooting.
• Strong networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, DNS, TLS, segmentation, network interfaces, policy enforcement, and traffic analysis.
• Experience with secure software development, dependency management, vulnerability triage, patching, code review, and remediation.
• Strong testing discipline across unit, integration, end-to-end, and regression testing.
• Working knowledge of containers, version control, build automation, CI/CD, registries, observability, and modern software release practices.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and technical documentation skills, including experience producing design documents, technical assessments, and runbooks.
• U.S. citizenship and an active U.S. Government Secret security clearance or higher are required.
• Experience developing or sustaining SDN, network orchestration, routing, virtual network functions, network appliances, or other network-control software is preferred.
• Experience containerizing VM-based or monolithic software and maintaining upstream open-source integrations, forks, or patches is a plus.
• Strong familiarity with agentic AI-assisted engineering tools and workflows for codebase analysis, remediation, resilience testing, and software development is preferred.
• Familiarity with Kubernetes, Helm, GitOps, OCI artifacts, and modern software delivery practices is beneficial.
• Experience with SAST, DAST, software composition analysis, SBOMs, container scanning, STIGs, and automated security checks is preferred.
• Experience with performance, resilience, chaos engineering, and observability for distributed or networked systems is a plus.
• Experience modernizing or migrating applications from virtual machine-based environments to containerized deployments is beneficial.

Benefits:

• Remote position within the United States.
• Base salary range of $148,750–$201,250 USD.
• Compensation based on candidate experience and national market benchmarking.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with premiums 100% company paid.
• Health Savings Account.
• Life insurance.
• Disability insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Company stock options.
• Home office budget.
• Flexible Time Off (FTO).
• Federal holidays, plus one week for Thanksgiving and two weeks for Christmas and New Year's.
• Paid parental leave.
• Reimbursement for approved training and subscriptions.
• Conference support, including travel, lodging, and fees.
• Opportunity to work on secure, cloud-native technologies and mission-critical software.
• Collaborative, mission-driven environment focused on security, innovation, and continuous software delivery.

How Jobgether works:

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

Why Apply Through Jobgether?

Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time.

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