Mid-Level Defensive Cyber Software Developer

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Mid-Level Defensive Cyber Software Developer in our National Security Sector's (NSS) Cyber & Analytics Business Area (CABA). Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more. Join us and make a difference in National Security!

The Mid-Level Defensive Cyber Software Developer to work with a diverse, highly skilled team to develop unique solutions for Cyber, EW, and PNT threats against US weapon systems. Our products are responsible for alerting our varied array of customers of potential cyber and EW attacks by creative Adversaries highly skilled at attacking. With that problem set in mind, our solutions need to be developed by equally creative minds that enjoy digging, researching, programming, questioning, and generally learning all they can to anticipate in every way possible.

Since there are such broad attack vectors, our approach to developing detection measures and mitigations needs to have an equally broad scope. With that in mind, this position will grow and shift depending on skillsets gained as well as needs identified, as all the positions in our department do. Initially, we are seeking someone with skills in both Cyber (vulnerability research to detection engineering) and Programming (scripting to application development). This is a full-time on-site with the Leidos Cyber Electromagnetic Activity (CEMA) team that is based in Huntsville, Alabama, and will require the candidate to be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI Clearance.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Developing software and/or techniques in the protection of data, networks and host-centric capabilities, as well as detection of, identification of and response to attacks.

• Research and development of signature-based and behavior-based defensive techniques against adversarial attacks on tactical networks.

• Developing technical solutions that require collaboration with internal and external experts as well as; deep analyses and understanding of impact on end-product/solution.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity, or similar degree with 4-8 years of experience.

• Minimum 4+ years of professional development in various programming languages with the ability to show ability either through GitHub, print outs, or even provided media).

• Intermediate Python and Bash

• Minimum 4+ years of professional cyber focused experience, or 6+ years of personal cyber focused experience such as capture the flag (CTF) events, extensive home hardening, conferences, sharable projects, or other similar endeavors.

• A good understanding of networking - protocols at all layers of the networking stack and network architecture accompanied with various tooling needed for network analysis such as Wireshark.

• Working knowledge of Linux on CLI (scripting, daemons, resource monitoring, networking, which ever editor you wish to argue is best, etc.)

• Must be a US CITIZEN and be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience within a security operations center (SOC) with at least one SIEM under your belt as well as an experience with threat hunting that can be properly relayed during the interview.

• Experience with C/C++, Web Development, Agile process, and all the normal programming buzz words you might want to tell us about.

• Experience with Network Security Monitoring (NSM)

• Experience with writing custom detection rules in Suricata, Snort, Yara, Sigma, and/or similar formats

• Certifications such as Network+, Security+, CySA+, Linux+, PenTest+

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

May 13, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos 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.