Lead, Software Engineer (Platform, Operator Systems, DevSecOps)
L3Harris · Colorado Springs, CO
$117,000–$218,000from the description
Jul 7, 2026
Colorado Springs, CO
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
A hands-on technical lead role for a radar software modernization program, responsible for guiding a small team building shared platform services, equipment integration, workflow automation, secure delivery pipelines, and operator-facing interfaces. Day-to-day work spans architecture decisions, direct coding and code review, cross-team coordination, and keeping a common baseline deployable across lab and field environments. Suits engineers with broad backend, DevSecOps, and operator-systems experience in defense or similarly complex domains.
Senior level · 9+ years · Colorado Springs, CO · Secret clearance · Full-time
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
Why we read it this way (9)
The title 'Lead Software Engineer' carries no standard seniority level word (Junior/Mid/Senior/Staff/Principal), so the title states no level. The actual requirements — 9+ years of experience, 2+ years of technical leadership, and end-to-end ownership of a new program's shared platform — support a Senior classification.
This role sits between a hands-on IC lead (15-1252 Software Developers) and a people manager (11-3021 Computer and Information Systems Managers). The JD emphasizes direct implementation, peer review, and architecture contributions alongside leading a small team, so the primary classification is Software Developers, with Computer and Information Systems Managers as the runner-up.
Degree requirement is set to None because the JD explicitly accepts equivalent experience in lieu of a degree ('in lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience').
The clearance gate is 'ability to obtain a Secret security clearance' — not an active clearance requirement, but the JD treats it as a hard gate for employment eligibility.
The 2+ years of technical leadership experience is stated in the required Qualifications section and is treated as a hard gate. All technology skills (React, C++, Go, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Helm, GitOps, Linux, DevSecOps) appear exclusively under the 'Preferred Additional Skills' section and are therefore preferred.
The overall years minimum of 9 reflects the minimum under the Bachelor's degree path; the Graduate degree path requires 7 years and the no-degree path requires 13 years.
The 9/80 schedule (every other Friday off) is noted — this is an on-site role in Colorado Springs, CO, not remote.
Ignored 1 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): technical leadership.
Requires a Secret clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
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