Senior Software Engineer (Hands on, Tech Lead)

Location: Austin, United States of America

Thales people architect identity management and data protection solutions at the heart of digital security. Business and governments rely on us to bring trust to the billions of digital interactions they have with people. Our technologies and services help banks exchange funds, people cross borders, energy become smarter and much more. More than 30,000 organizations already rely on us to verify the identities of people and things, grant access to digital services, analyze vast quantities of information and encrypt data to make the connected world more secure.

Position Summary

Austin, Hybrid

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join Thales in Austin, TX, serving as a senior technical leader in the design, evolution, and governance of core software products supporting state and law enforcement agencies.

This role provides hands on technical leadership, combining active software development with ownership of baseline and reference software solutions that underpin multiple customer programs and serve as the foundation for project delivery across the organization.

Operating as a recognized technical expert, you will lead the definition of complex software architectures, establishes engineering standards, and drives technical decision-making for mission-critical, secure, and scalable systems.

In close collaboration with engineering leadership, program stakeholders and technical board, this role shapes innovation within core products, anticipates emerging technical and security needs, and ensures solutions meet stringent performance, reliability, and regulatory requirements.

While remaining hands-on, the Software Engineer leads and develops core products that provides reusable foundations prioritizing simplicity and extensibility to enable project specific capabilities without adding unnecessary complexity.

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

Must have U.S. Citizenship to obtain the post-hire Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and must be able to obtain post-hire clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. (CFIUS) and Department of Treasury.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Provide technical leadership across cross-functional teams to define, design, and evolve complex software solutions for law enforcement products, primarily within cloud-based environments.

• Lead the full software development lifecycle at a systems and architecture level, guiding requirements analysis, solution design, implementation approaches, validation strategies, and long-term maintainability of core products.

• Deploy, configure, and validate core products and solutions in cloud environments, ensuring alignment with architectural guidelines and operational requirements

• Define and enforce engineering best practices, coding standards, and design patterns to ensure the delivery of secure, scalable, and high-quality software across multiple projects and teams.

• Drive resolution of complex, high-impact technical issues, including performance, scalability, and reliability challenges, performing root-cause analysis and defining sustainable corrective actions.

• Continuously evaluate emerging technologies, tools, and industry trends, recommending and driving adoption where appropriate to advance product capabilities, security posture, and development efficiency.

• Partner with engineering leadership, and project design authority team to translate business, customer, and regulatory requirements into coherent technical architectures and implementation strategies.

• Lead and influence technical reviews with the technical board, including architecture and code reviews, providing expert guidance and decision-making to ensure consistency, quality, and long-term product health.

• Establish and maintain authoritative technical documentation, including architecture descriptions, reference designs, and technical standards, to support product scalability and knowledge transfer across teams.

• Operate as a recognized technical expert, collaborating with Software Engineers and Architects to guide technical direction while remaining hands-on.

• Provide technical leadership and subject-matter expertise in sales and bid activities, shaping solution architectures, assessing feasibility and risk, and contributing to competitive, compliant proposals.

​Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 8 to 12 years of progressively responsible experience in software engineering, demonstrating expert-level application of software engineering principles, system design, and development lifecycles.

• Recognized expertise in modern software development, including advanced object-oriented and service-oriented design, using languages and frameworks such as Java, Angular, and/or React to deliver complex, mission-critical systems.

• Advanced scripting and automation expertise (e.g., PowerShell, Bash) to support large-scale deployment, integration, and operational efficiency.

• Extensive hands-on experience leading deployment, integration, and configuration of complex software solutions in both on-premises and cloud environments (AWS and/or Azure), including infrastructure-as-code and orchestration tools such as Ansible, Terraform, and Helm.

• Demonstrated experience providing technical leadership for software integration and deployment of complex, multi-component systems across teams or programs.

• Proficiency in version control and enterprise-scale development workflows, including Git and Bitbucket, with experience influencing branching, release, and quality practices.

• Deep expertise in secure software design and development, including application security, authentication and authorization mechanisms, and protection of sensitive data both in transit and at rest.

• Strong experience in data modeling, query optimization, and performance tuning using relational databases such as SQL Server and MySQL.

• Thorough understanding of software development methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall, with the ability to select and adapt practices based on program complexity and delivery needs.

• Expert knowledge of web API design principles, including scalability, usability, performance, and security considerations.

• Advanced understanding of server-side application architecture, including scalability, resiliency, fault tolerance, and long-term maintainability.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts, influence stakeholders, and guide teams without formal authority.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with a demonstrated ability to diagnose complex, high-impact technical issues and define sustainable, cost-effective solutions.

• Demonstrated pragmatic and strategic technical judgment, balancing quality, risk, cost, and delivery while guiding engineering decisions in ambiguous or evolving environments.

• Advanced knowledge of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and applied security best practices, particularly within identity management, authentication, authorization, and secure system design.

Special Position Requirements

Travel: up to 15%

Why Join Us?

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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.

Thales champions inclusion and we believe diversity strengthens the fabric of our culture. Thales is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at [email protected].

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 139,831.55 - 233,052.58 USD Annual

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.

(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please raise HR request through MyThales)

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period

•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off

•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program