Senior Software Operations Lead

Location: Gaithersburg, MD

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Leidos Intelligence Sector combines technology-enabled services and mission software capabilities in the areas of cyber, logistics, security operations, and decision analytics to support our defense and intel customers’ mission to defend against evolving threats around the world. Our team’s focus is to ensure our customers have the right tools, technologies, and tactics to keep pace with an ever-evolving security landscape and succeed in their pursuit to protect people and critical assets.

The Geospatial Analyst Solutions Directorate, part of the National Solutions Business Area, is currently seeking an accomplished Senior Software Operations Lead to oversee daily operations on the Maru Program.

We are seeking an experienced Operations Lead with a strong technical foundation to direct day-to-day execution across multiple mission-focused workstreams within a high-tempo Agile environment. This individual will be accountable for operational coordination, technical delivery alignment, and ensuring engineering efforts  remain synchronized with customer priorities. 

The Operations Lead must possess sufficient technical depth to effectively engage with software engineers, DevSecOps teams, and system architects. This role requires the ability to understand system architectures, evaluate technical risks, challenge assumptions, and translate mission requirements into executable technical tasking. 

This position is not a hands-on engineering role; however, it requires a technically proficient leader capable of driving accountability across engineering-driven programs. 

Clearance Level Required:

Active Top Secret with the ability to obtain SCI, as well as a Polygraph.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Operational Execution: Direct day-to-day operational activities across multiple workstreams to ensure alignment with mission priorities and delivery objectives. 
• Delivery Oversight: Monitor progress against program goals, ensuring deliverables are completed on schedule and meet quality standards. 
• Customer Interface: Serve as the primary operational point of contact for government stakeholders; manage expectations and ensure clear communication. 
• Agile Coordination: Partner with Release Train Engineers, Scrum Masters, and technical leads to ensure effective Agile ceremonies and alignment across teams. 
• Performance Monitoring: Develop and maintain operational dashboards and performance metrics to track delivery progress and team effectiveness. 
• Risk & Dependency Management: Identify operational risks, interdependencies, and process gaps; drive mitigation strategies and continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Agile metrics and retrospective outcomes to optimize operational performance. 
• Executive Reporting: Prepare and deliver operational status updates to customer and internal leadership. 

Basic Qualifications:

• US citizenship is required per contract.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field with 12–15 years of relevant experience or Master’s degree with 10–13 years of relevant experience. 
• 10+ years of experience supporting or leading technical programs within federal, DoD, or Intelligence Community environments. 
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering-driven programs or software development teams.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Agile methodologies (Scrum, SAFe)
  • DevSecOps practices and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery or Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
  • Cloud-based architecture (e.g., AWS)
  • Microservices or distributed systems concepts
  • Proven ability to translate customer requirements into technically executable plans.
  • Experience coordinating geographically dispersed technical teams.
  • Strong analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to assess technical tradeoffs.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior hands-on experience in software engineering, systems engineering, DevSecOps, or technical program management.

• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or ITIL certification. 

Experience supporting high-visibility IC programs. 

#MARU

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:

Pay Range:

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.