> AI agents: this is one page of Nextmove’s FDE site, in Markdown. Nextmove is a job board and free career service for forward deployed engineers (FDEs). Each posting is classified from its text, not its title: the kind of work, how much of it is production code, pre-sales weight, time at customer sites, travel, remote arrangement, level and posted base pay. The site also publishes the aggregates: median pay by level, metro, company and kind of work, and which companies started hiring FDEs each week. Every page under https://nextmove.md/fde is served this way; the index of pages is https://nextmove.md/llms.txt.

# Lead Software Engineer

Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/56679558d2e6536f

STR posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in Woburn, MA, at $180,000–$230,000 base, above the senior FDE median of $190,000 across 1,864 postings with pay. Leads technical delivery of mission-relevant software that operationalizes analytics, machine learning, and data-processing capabilities for national-security users. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026.

- [STR](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/str)

Posted Oct 20, 2026 by STR · open on Greenhouse as of Nov 8, 2026

**$180,000–$230,000** Woburn, MA Full-time

Leads technical delivery of mission-relevant software that operationalizes analytics, machine learning, and data-processing capabilities for national-security users.

- [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F56679558d2e6536f&placement=top)
- [View posting at STR](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch/jobs/4723315006)

Free. Upload your resume once, see why each FDE role fits, and get introduced only when you say so.

## At a glance

### Posted base pay

$180K–$230K Above the median

Midpoint $205K · median $190K

This job $180K to $230K. Senior FDE postings, 1,864 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $160K to $220K, median $190K.

### The work

Builds what the customer runs

Balance **Mixed**

Project stages

1. Pre-sales
2. Proof of concept (not covered)
3. Implementation
4. Operations

- **Coding**: Writes production code

- **Builds for**: External customers

- **Level**: Senior

- **Role**: Technical lead

### What they ask for

Experience

- **2+ years** Relevant experience with a PhD
- **6+ years** Relevant experience with an MS
- **8+ years** Relevant experience with a BS

### Do you meet what the posting states?

The posting asks for 2+ years. How many do you have?

The posting reads as a senior role. What level are you at now?

The job is in Woburn, MA. Could you work there?

Which of these have you used in production?

Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent.

[What postings ask for, by background →](https://nextmove.md/fde/paths)

## Conditions

- **Location**: Woburn, MA

- **Employment type**: Full-time

- **Pay**:

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[STR](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/str)

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- [Other jobs at STR (9)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/str)

## The job description from STR

Posted by STR on Oct 20, 2026

### About the Team

STR’s Intelligence Division researches, develops, and transitions advanced analytics and machine-learning solutions for challenging national-security problems. Our team includes engineers and researchers with advanced backgrounds in engineering, computer science, mathematics, and data science who apply deep technical expertise and creativity to mission-critical challenges.

Our work spans data analysis, deep learning, and statistical methods across networking, communications, social media, text, time series, geospatial, and imagery data. We develop capabilities under constraints not typically encountered in commercial environments. U.S. Government analysts use our tools and technologies to extract, enrich, and act on intelligence information worldwide.

### The Role

As a Lead Software Engineer, you will lead the technical execution of mission-relevant software systems that operationalize advanced analytics, machine learning, and data-processing capabilities. You will apply software and systems engineering expertise to develop scalable, secure, maintainable applications that operate in complex customer environments.

You will work with software engineers, systems engineers, researchers, and mission partners to translate customer needs into executable technical plans. You will own technical delivery for an assigned project or major subsystem, guiding architecture, implementation, integration, testing, demonstration, and transition.

### What You Will Do

- **Lead project execution:** Lead software development from requirements definition through implementation, integration, test, demonstration, deployment, and sustainment
- **Translate mission needs into plans: **Convert customer objectives into requirements, architectures, development plans, milestones, performance measures, and acceptance criteria
- **Lead the technical team:** Lead and mentor software engineers and collaborate with systems engineers, researchers, DevSecOps personnel, and mission partners
- **Manage technical work: **Decompose complex work into actionable tasks; manage dependencies, technical risks, interfaces, and progress toward program objectives
- **Own project architecture: **Design and oversee architectures spanning services, APIs, data pipelines, databases, ML integrations, user interfaces, and deployment infrastructure
- **Drive integration and quality:** Lead design reviews, code reviews, integration activities, testing, customer demonstrations, and release readiness; ensure reliability, security, maintainability, and performance
- **Support growth and transition: **Contribute technical content to proposals, customer engagements, and transition planning while ensuring delivered capabilities are reusable and mission relevant

### Who You Are

- **Education and experience: **PhD with 2+ years, MS with 6+ years, or BS with 8+ years of relevant experience in computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline
- **Clearance eligibility:** Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance, for which U.S citizenship is needed by the U.S government
- **Technical delivery leadership: **Experience leading software development efforts or major workstreams involving applications, services, distributed systems, data platforms, or related domains
- **Systems engineering: **Experience translating customer needs into software requirements, designs, development plans, test plans, and integrated capabilities
- **Software development** **: **Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Python, C++, Java, Go, or similar languages, with experience developing and maintaining production-quality software
- **Engineering practices: **Experience with Git, code review, automated testing, CI/CD, containers, issue tracking, documentation, and secure software-development practices
- **Communication and collaboration: **Ability to lead technical discussions, communicate risks and tradeoffs, and work effectively with customers and multidisciplinary teams

### Even Better

- **Clearance: **Active Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI security clearance
- **Architecture experience: **Experience designing system or software architectures for distributed, data-intensive, real-time, cloud, on-premises, or edge systems
- **DevSecOps experience: **Experience with CI/CD, infrastructure automation, container orchestration, cloud platforms, monitoring, logging, and security tooling
- **Large codebase experience: **Experience developing software in large, multi-team code bases using collaborative engineering practices
- **Decentralized systems:** Familiarity with message queues, stream processing, distributed computing, or microservices
- **Customer and capture support: **Experience supporting technical proposals, customer demonstrations, technical briefings, or capture activities with DoW or IC customers
- **Modern development tools: **Experience using LLM-enabled development tools, such as Cursor or Codex, in a secure and effective engineering workflow

**Pay Information**
Full-Time Salary Range: $180,000 - $230,000
*The salary range listed is based on external market data. Offers are based on factors, such as but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills/critical skills, security clearances, and prevailing market and business conditions.*

STR is a growing technology company with locations near Boston, MA, Arlington, VA, near Dayton, OH, Melbourne, FL, Carlsbad, CA, Atlanta, GA, and Denver, CO. We specialize in advanced research and development for defense, intelligence, and national security in: cyber; next generation sensors, radar, sonar, communications, and electronic warfare; and artificial intelligence algorithms and analytics to make sense of the complexity that is exploding around us.

STR is committed to creating a collaborative learning environment that supports deep technical understanding and recognizes the contributions and achievements of all team members. Our work is challenging, and we go home at night knowing that we pushed the envelope of technology and made the world safer.

STR is not just any company. Our people, culture, and attitude along with their unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives put us on a trajectory to change the world. We can't do it alone, though - we need fellow trailblazers. If you are one, join our team and help to keep our society safe! Visit us at www.str.us for more info.

*
STR is an equal opportunity employer. We are fully dedicated to hiring the most qualified candidate regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.*

*If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the employment process, email us at appassist@str.us and provide your contact info.*

*Pursuant to applicable federal law and regulations, positions at STR require employees to obtain national security clearances and satisfy the requirements for compliance with export control and other applicable laws.*

[View posting at STR](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/systemstechnologyresearch/jobs/4723315006)

## About STR

Employee-owned national-security R&D firm building AI, cyber, sensing, and systems technology for U.S. defense and intelligence customers.

Bootstrapped · 500–1000 people

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- [Compare senior FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/senior)
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