Job Information
SciTec Senior C++ Software Optimization Engineer in Boulder, Colorado
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 requirements will not be considered.
SciTec has an immediate opportunity for a talented engineer to support our programs delivering Next-Generation Missile Warning software. This is a unique opportunity to join a small business delivering core capabilities for National defense. You will work within a fast-paced team delivering end-to-end software processing of Overhead Persistent InfraRed (OPIR) sensor data for Missile Warning, Missile Defense, Battlespace Awareness, and Technical Intelligence.
We are seeking a Senior C++ Software Optimization Engineer to improve the performance, efficiency, and deployability of a large, existing C++ codebase supporting mission-critical sensor processing systems. This role focuses on analyzing, refactoring, and optimizing current software to enable execution on smaller, resource-constrained hardware while maintaining correctness, reliability, and mission performance.
Responsibilities
Analyze and optimize a large, mature C++ codebase to improve runtime performance, memory footprint, and power efficiency
Refactor existing architectures and implementations to support deployment on smaller or constrained hardware platforms
Profile, benchmark, and diagnose performance bottlenecks using industry-standard tools
Optimize algorithms, data structures, memory usage, threading models, and I/O pathways without changing mission intent
Reduce computational complexity and eliminate inefficiencies in high-throughput processing pipelines
Collaborate with system architects, algorithm developers, and hardware teams to balance performance, accuracy, and resource constraints
Ensure optimized code remains maintainable, testable, and well-documented
Support integration, testing, and validation of optimized software within existing systems
Contribute to Agile development activities, including sprint planning, code reviews, and technical design discussions
Mentor other engineers on performance-oriented coding practices and optimization techniques
Prepare technical documentation and briefings describing optimization approaches, trade studies, and performance gains
Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences
10+ years of professional C++ development experience, with demonstrated mastery of modern, idiomatic C+
- Proven experience optimizing existing software systems, including performance tuning and refactoring
Strong understanding of:
Memory management and cache behavior
Concurrency and multithreading
Performance trade-offs in large systems
5+ years of professional experience working in Unix/Linux environments
Experience working with large, complex, multi-module codebases
Ability to read, understand, and improve unfamiliar code efficiently
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences
Experience optimizing software for resource-constrained or embedded platforms
Experience with profiling and performance analysis tools (e.g., perf, valgrind, VTune, gprof)
Familiarity with remote sensing data exploitation (OPIR, EO/IR, SAR, Spectral, RF, or similar)
Experience working within government or defense software frameworks
Experience with DevSecOps practices and CI/CD pipelines
Experience in Agile software development environments
Leadership or technical mentorship experience
Familiarity with cross-compilation and hardware-specific optimization techniques
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 live insurance
100% company paid long-term disability insurance
100% company paid hospital indemnity insurance
Voluntary accident and critical illness insurance
Short-term disability insurance
Annual profit-sharing plan
Discretionary performance bonus
Paid parental leave
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), including holidays, vacation, and sick pay
Flexible work hours
The pay range for this position is $146,000-$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.
SciTec is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. VET/Disabled.