Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer
ARA · San Antonio, TX
- On site
- Full-time
- $120,000 / year
- San Antonio, TX
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Job highlights
- Lead software test and evaluation for defense/security projects.
- Develop evaluation pipelines and state-of-the-art tools.
- Work with AI, ML, and simulation technologies.
- Collaborate in agile CI/CD environments.
- Contribute to business growth and emerging technologies.
About the role
Job Title: Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer
ARA Rocky Mountain Division is seeking an experienced Test and Evaluation Engineer to join a growing, elite, interdisciplinary team supporting multiple R&D projects for Defense and National Security customers. Strong candidates will have a solid background in using machine learning techniques to address complex problems. Examples of the sorts of problems you’ll be involved with include automated imagery and video analytics, autonomous systems, medical decision support, behavioral modeling and forecasting, and natural language processing. This position will be based in San Antonio, TX with the potential for occasional travel and remote work. Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
What You’ll Do As a Staff Software Engineer
Serve as our expert in test and evaluation of software and both front- and back-end code, often interacting with partners and customers as part of a dispersed team to develop and test software applications for various National Defense and Homeland Security applications. Build prototype and production-ready SW evaluation pipelines. Lead the development of state-of-the-art software tools and help lead the transition of these technologies to our customers. Help to expand our team and maintain ARA’s competitive edge by contributing to business growth initiatives on topics of your choosing. Work independently as well as collaboratively with teams supporting software applications for AI and ML tools, modeling and simulation tools and related research in wide-ranging domains such as autonomous systems, cyber and electronic warfare, aerial/ground/naval/space platforms, biotechnology, medical applications, and more. Engage in collaborative brainstorming and problem solving to define requirements, lay out objectives, explore potential solutions, and inform strategy and architecture design. Develop, test, and deploy software in an agile, continuous integration/continuous delivery environment. Recommend tools and capabilities to ARA, our partners, and our customers as part of a continuous effort to embrace and leverage emerging technologies. Seamlessly mesh tech know-how with business acumen to help us navigate all our cloud computing needs, including infrastructure design, maintenance, support, and planning, and everything in between. Occasionally travel to the DC area for collaboration with customers and partners.
Staff Software Engineer Requirements
- US Citizenship and eligibility to apply for and hold a US security clearance.
- BS or higher in computer science, engineering, applied mathematics, or a closely related field OR any of the following certifications: International Software Testing and Qualification Board (ISTQB), International Test and Evaluation Certification (ITEA).
- 5+ years of relevant work experience applying SW test and evaluation techniques.
- Strong experience designing modular, scalable systems (microservices, plugin architectures, service orchestration).
- Experience managing asynchronous workflows, job queues, and backend service orchestration.
- Strong proficiency in Python and experience interfacing with computational codebases in C++ or MATLAB.
- Experience developing unit, integration, and system-level test frameworks.
- Knowledge of automated testing tools (e.g., Pytest).
- Experience establishing test coverage, regression testing, and validation pipelines for scientific software.
- Strong technical documentation skills for software architecture, APIs, integration workflows, and developer guides.
- Experience with API documentation standards (e.g., OpenAPI).
- Proficiency with version control and release management using Git.
- Familiar with the following development tools: Git, GitLab, MLFlow, JupyterLab/GoogleColab.
Staff Software Engineer Preferences
- Proven ability to integrate independently developed computational/modeling libraries into a unified software framework.
- Familiarity with numerical methods, simulation workflows, and model parameter management.
- Experience testing and evaluating Machine Learning models as part of a larger software product.
- Understanding of model verification, validation, and uncertainty handling.
Company & Division Information
Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2,200 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The Medical Informatics, Simulation, and Training (MIST) Group is headquartered in San Antonio, TX with remote personnel in Dallas, TX, Raleigh, NC, and Bentonville, AR.
Key skills/competency
- Software Integration
- Test and Evaluation
- Machine Learning
- Python
- C++
- MATLAB
- CI/CD
- Agile
- Git
- API
Skills & topics
- Software Integration Engineer
- Test Engineer
- Evaluation Engineer
- Machine Learning
- Python
- C++
- MATLAB
- CI/CD
- Agile
- Git
- Software Testing
- Defense Technology
- National Security
- API
- Automation
- Systems Engineering
- Microservices
- Cloud Computing
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight experience with Python, C++, MATLAB, and automated testing tools like Pytest. Emphasize system design, asynchronous workflows, and CI/CD.
- Showcase your clearance: Clearly state your US Citizenship and eligibility for a US security clearance.
- Demonstrate expertise: Detail your experience in software test and evaluation, modular system design, and API documentation.
- Prepare for technical interviews: Be ready to discuss your experience with Git, GitLab, MLFlow, JupyterLab, and testing ML models.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the security clearance requirement for the Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer role at ARA?
- To be considered for the Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer position at ARA, you must be a US Citizen and eligible to obtain and hold a US government security clearance. This is a mandatory requirement for the role.
- What educational background is preferred for the Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer at ARA?
- ARA prefers candidates with a BS or higher in computer science, engineering, applied mathematics, or a closely related field. Alternatively, relevant certifications like ISTQB or ITEA can be considered.
- Can I work remotely as a Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer at ARA?
- While the position is primarily based in San Antonio, TX, there is potential for occasional remote work. The company also has remote personnel in other locations, indicating flexibility.
- What programming languages are essential for the Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer role?
- Strong proficiency in Python is essential for this role. Experience interfacing with computational codebases in C++ or MATLAB is also highly valued.
- What kind of projects will I work on as a Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer at ARA?
- You will work on R&D projects for Defense and National Security customers, focusing on areas like automated imagery and video analytics, autonomous systems, medical decision support, behavioral modeling, and natural language processing.
- Does ARA use Agile methodologies for software development?
- Yes, the job description explicitly mentions developing, testing, and deploying software in an agile, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) environment.
- What is the experience level required for this Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer position?
- ARA requires at least 5 years of relevant work experience applying software test and evaluation techniques for this role. A BS or higher degree is also preferred.
- What are the key tools and technologies mentioned for the Staff Software Integration and Test Engineer role?
- Key tools include Python, C++, MATLAB, Git, GitLab, MLFlow, JupyterLab/GoogleColab, and automated testing tools like Pytest. Experience with OpenAPI for API documentation is also noted.
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