Software Systems Engineer

Job Title: Software Systems Engineer

Job Category: Information Technology

Time Type: Full time

Minimum Clearance Required to Start: TS/SCI

Employee Type: Regular

Percentage of Travel Required: Up to 10%

Type of Travel: Continental US

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The Opportunity:
We are looking for a Systems Software Engineer to design, develop, and optimize the core software that powers our platform. In this role, you will work close to the hardware, managing memory, CPU cycles, and I/O to ensure maximum performance and reliability. You will be responsible for building robust low-level components, troubleshooting kernel-level issues, and ensuring our software interacts seamlessly with various hardware architectures.

Responsibilities:

• Core Development: Design and implement low-level software components, including device drivers, kernel modules, and system libraries.
• Performance Optimization: Identify bottlenecks in the system stack and optimize code for low latency, high throughput, and efficient resource utilization (memory/CPU).
• Hardware Integration: Collaborate with hardware teams to bring up new boards, debug firmware/software interfaces, and implement hardware abstraction layers.
• Scalability: Develop and maintain large-scale distributed systems or real-time operating system (RTOS) components.
• System Diagnostics: Build monitoring and diagnostic tools to troubleshoot complex system-level issues in production and development environments.
• Code Quality: Participate in rigorous code reviews and write comprehensive unit/integration tests for critical system paths.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Languages: Proficiency in C or C++ is mandatory. Experience with Python or Assembly is highly desirable.
• Operating Systems: Deep understanding of OS internals (process management, memory allocation, file systems, concurrency, and networking stacks). Environments: Strong experience developing for Linux (Kernel/User space), Unix, or RTOS (FreeRTOS, VxWorks, QNX).
• Debugging: Mastery of system debugging tools such as GDB, Valgrind, Perf, Strace, or LTTng.
• Computer Architecture: Solid understanding of x86, ARM, or RISC-V architectures, including caching mechanisms, DMA, and interrupt handling.
• Concurrency: Proven ability to write thread-safe code and manage synchronization primitives (mutexes, semaphores, lock-free structures).
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to debug "impossible" problems where the cause may be far from the symptom.
• Attention to Detail: Systems software often lacks a safety net; a single memory leak or race condition can crash the entire environment.
• Communication: Ability to explain complex technical trade-offs to non-systems teams.
• Collaborative Mindset: Experience working in cross-functional teams (e.g., working with Hardware, QA, and SRE).
• Education: Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 3 years with strong academic projects or internships in systems/low-level programming. Mid/Senior: 3-7+ years of professional experience in systems programming, kernel development, or embedded systems.

Desired:

• Experience with virtualization technologies (KVM, QEMU) or containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Knowledge of high-performance networking (DPDK, RDMA, or eBPF).Experience with distributed storage systems (Ceph, GlusterFS) or database internals.
• Contributions to open-source systems projects (e.g., Linux Kernel, LLVM, Chromium).

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What You Can Expect:

A culture of integrity.

At CACI, we place character and innovation at the center of everything we do. As a valued team member, you'll be part of a high-performing group dedicated to our customer's missions and driven by a higher purpose - to ensure the safety of our nation.

An environment of trust.

CACI values the unique contributions that every employee brings to our company and our customers - every day. You'll have the autonomy to take the time you need through a unique flexible time off benefit and have access to robust learning resources to make your ambitions a reality.

A focus on continuous growth.

Together, we will advance our nation's most critical missions, build on our lengthy track record of business success, and find opportunities to break new ground - in your career and in our legacy.

Your potential is limitless. So is ours.

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Pay Range: There are a host of factors that can influence final salary including, but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories and contract wage rates, relevant prior work experience, specific skills and competencies, education, and certifications. Our employees value the flexibility at CACI that allows them to balance quality work and their personal lives. We offer competitive compensation, benefits and learning and development opportunities. Our broad and competitive mix of benefits options is designed to support and protect employees and their families. At CACI, you will receive comprehensive benefits such as; healthcare, wellness, financial, retirement, family support, continuing education, and time off benefits.

The proposed salary range for this position is:
$65,700 - $134,400

CACI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.