Cubic
Aerospace & DefenseDirect Workday career site

Principal Software Engineer

Pay
$143,000 – $175,000 per year
Location
Ashburn, VA · Hybrid
Job type
Full-time
Level
Lead / Staff
Experience
8+ years
Education
Master's degree
Listed
20 days ago

Skills & highlights for this role

  • DOD security clearance eligibility
  • C
  • C++
  • embedded systems
  • Linux
  • unit testing frameworks

Also useful

  • Yocto
  • JIRA
  • Confluence
  • Git

About the role

Business Unit: Cubic Defense Company Details: When you join Cubic, you become part of a company that creates and delivers technology solutions in transportation to make people's lives easier by simplifying their daily journeys, and defense capabilities to help promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation.

Led by our talented teams around the world, Cubic is committed to solving global issues through innovation and service to our customers and partners. We have a top-tier portfolio of businesses, including Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) and Cubic Defense (CD). Explore more on Cubic.com. Job Details:

Job Summary

The successful candidate will be the lead developer for embedded software within DTECH, as well as supporting other projects. It involves designing embedded software for new products (e.g. microcontroller firmware), as well as maintaining software for the existing devices. The role will suit a self-starting individual with experience debugging low level issues through software and hardware analysis.

The development will largely be in C and C++, but experience with other languages would be beneficial. The role requires close coordination with the electrical and systems engineering teams to ensure the software is robust and effective.

Essential Job Duties And Responsibilities Lead software projects, ensuring delivery of high-quality, reliable software Liaise with the wider business to determine requirements for new projects and features, clearly communicating the resources required and potential risks involved Drive usage of software development best practices to ensure code is well structured, unit tested and easy to maintain Integrate and troubleshoot firmware on a target platform in the lab environment using hardware analysis tools Provide guidance on design and implementation to other projects within adjacent software teams Identify new ideas and tools for continuous improvement of development practices Mentor junior engineers, providing help and training suggestions for their ongoing development Education and Qualifications Four-year college degree in computer engineering or other related technical discipline, plus a minimum of eight years of related experience or a master's degree with at least six years of related experience.

Must be eligible for a DOD Security Clearence Skills Knowledge and Experience Essential: Strong C/C++ experience Comprehensive understanding of embedded systems, including hardware-software interactions, real-time constraints, and low-level programming concepts Experience debugging in an embedded environment Experience using Unix commands and Linux based operating systems Able to analyse and solve complex software engineering problems Experience writing unit tests and using unit test frameworks Desirable: Experience using yocto Experience with tools & applications such as JIRA, Confluence and Git Personal Qualities A driven and self-starting individual, with a desire to write quality, effective software Good analytical skills, with a passion for finding simple solutions to complex problems Able to prioritize work and complete tasks to a deadline Good communication skills and ability to clearly convey complex ideas The description provided above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities and requirements.

Duties, responsibilities and requirements may change over time and according to business need. #LI-Hybrid Worker Type: Employee Cubic Pay Range: $143,000.00 - $175,000.00 + benefits. The Cubic pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary.

Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law. #LI-MD1 Worker Type: Employee We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

Read the original posting

From Cubic's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 20, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.

How Rolev.ai helps with this application

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Common questions

What is the salary for the Principal Software Engineer role at Cubic?

The Principal Software Engineer posting at Cubic states compensation of $143,000 – $175,000 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Cubic's official career site.

Where is the Principal Software Engineer job at Cubic located?

This Principal Software Engineer position at Cubic is located in Ashburn, VA (Hybrid). Always check Cubic's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.

What qualifications are required for Principal Software Engineer at Cubic?

For the Principal Software Engineer role, Cubic highlights 8+ years of relevant experience; a master's degree; experience with C, C++, embedded systems, Linux, unit testing frameworks. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.

How do I apply for the Principal Software Engineer position at Cubic?

This listing links directly to Cubic's Workday application page. You can apply directly on Cubic's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Workday application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.