SciTec, a wholly owned subsidiary of Firefly Aerospace, is a dynamic non-traditional defense contractor that delivers advanced technologies in support of U.S. National Security and Defense. For the past forty-five plus years, we have supported Department of Defense customers by developing innovative remote sensing algorithms, tools, and techniques to deliver world-class data exploitation capabilities supporting missile defense; intelligence, surveillance, & reconnaissance; space domain awareness; and aircraft survivability missions.
Important Notice: SciTec exclusively works on U.S. government contracts that require U.S. citizenship for all employees. SciTec cannot sponsor or assume sponsorship of employee work visas of any @type. Further, U.S. citizenship is a requirement to obtain and keep a security clearance. Applicants that do not meet these requirement will not be considered.
SciTec is seeking a Sr Staff / Senior Python Software Engineer to design, develop, and sustain high-quality software systems that power advanced analysis and real-time data processing workflows. This role centers on building distributed systems, microservices, and streaming data pipelines that support mission-critical operations for the Missile Defense Agency, including automation and orchestration of satellite mission management and missile-tracking workflows.
The ideal candidate is a strong individual contributor with deep Python expertise, sound engineering judgment, and the ability to collaborate across scientific and technical disciplines. This engineer will influence technical direction through architectural leadership, mentorship, and ownership of a growing software product.
Responsibilities
Engineering
Design, implement, and maintain high-quality Python software that supports mission-critical program objectives
Deliver complex features end-to-end, from requirements gathering through deployment and validation
Build and maintain containerized, distributed microservices, including development, deployment, and automated testing
Design and operate real-time or near-real-time data processing and streaming workflows
Ensure the reliability, scalability, and performance of messaging systems and data pipelines
Develop and maintain comprehensive automated test suites (unit, integration, and system tests)
Promote strong engineering practices, including documentation, code quality, maintainability, and alignment with modern Python standards
Collaboration
Work directly with advanced technical and scientific users and customers to translate analytical workflows into robust, production-ready software
Participate in Agile development activities, including code reviews, design discussions, and sprint planning
Communicate technical decisions, tradeoffs, and risks clearly to both engineering and program stakeholders
Leadership & Growth
Identify technical risks and propose mitigation strategies to support program success
Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through code review, design guidance, and collaborative problem solving
Contribute to long-term architectural planning and help define the future direction of the software product
Drive knowledge sharing through documentation, design artifacts, and internal presentations
Other duties as assigned
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, or a related technical field
6+ years of professional software engineering experience, including delivering production-quality Python software
Strong proficiency in Python, including modern language features, packaging, and best practices
Hands-on experience building and maintaining microservice architectures and distributed systems
Experience designing and supporting real-time or near-real-time data processing pipelines
Proficiency writing and maintaining automated tests (pytest or similar) across unit, integration, and system levels
Professional experience developing software in Linux environments
Proficiency with Git and collaborative version-control workflows
Solid understanding of software engineering fundamentals, including modular design, maintainability, and performance considerations
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-disciplinary technical and scientific users
Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality, well-tested, well-documented code
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work in person at the Boulder, CO office location
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security clearance
Candidates who have any of the following skills will be preferred:
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences
Experience working with scientific, remotely sensed, or mission-critical data processing workflows
Familiarity with messaging and communication technologies such as Protocol Buffers (protobuf), ZeroMQ, Kafka, gRPC, or REST APIs
Professional experience with DevOps and CI/CD tooling, such as Docker, Podman, Jenkins, or GitLab CI/CD
Experience contributing to or guiding Agile development processes and tools, such as Jira
Experience mentoring engineers or contributing to technical leadership within a team
Active DoD security clearance
Resumes, Cover Letters, and Applications which are generated by AI will not be considered for employment.
Colorado Residents: In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Benefits
SciTec offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package, including:
4% Safe Harbor 401(k) match
100% company paid HSA Medical insurance, with a choice of 2 buy-up options
80% company paid Dental insurance
100% company paid Vision insurance
100% company paid Life insurance
100% company paid Long-term Disability insurance
Short-term Disability insurance
Annual Profit-Sharing Plan
Discretionary Performance Bonus
Paid Parental Leave
Generous Paid Time Off, including Holiday, Vacation, and Sick Pay
Flexible Work Hours
The pay range for this position is $126,000-$175,000 / year. SciTec considers several factors when extending an offer of employment, including but not limited to the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills. This is not a guarantee of compensation.
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SciTec is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. VET/Disabled.
