Chief Software Engineer

Unlock the power of Safety- and Mission-Critical Engineering with QDSS. We are seeking exceptional individuals to join our elite team- where your expertise will make an impact that matters. Elevate your career in a company dedicated to excellence and the pursuit of safety and mission success.

Quest Defense Systems Solutions (QDSS) is seeking a Chief Software Engineer with deep experience in mission- and safety-critical software, working within an engineering services model, supporting aerospace and defense programs.

This role builds on strong software architecture experience and expands into a broader technical authority responsible for guiding how engineering is executed across multiple programs and customers. It is a customer-facing leadership position with accountability for technical direction, execution, and consistency of delivery.

You will work directly with customer engineering leadership to shape software architecture, align on certification approach, and ensure teams are set up to deliver effectively. This includes translating requirements, contractual scope, and certification constraints into a clear and executable technical strategy.

This role requires a balance of:

Technical depth in DO-178C (DAL A–C) systems

Experience working directly with customers

Ability to guide multiple teams and programs

Understanding of how to deliver within a services-based model

Due to the nature of the work, all applicants must be U.S. citizens.

This role can be done remotely with up to 25% travel. Preference is given to candidates who reside in Scottsdale, Minneapolis, or Cincinnati.

Key Responsibilities:

Customer-Facing Architecture Leadership

Act as the primary technical point of contact between our engineering teams and customer leadership

Turn customer requirements, contract scope, and certification needs into a clear, executable architecture approach

Lead architecture discussions, trade studies, and key technical decisions with customer stakeholders

Help guide customer technical direction while staying aligned with program scope and delivery commitments

Present architecture, compliance approach, and technical risks in customer and executive reviews

This isn’t a back-office architect role. You’ll be directly involved in active programs, working side-by-side with customers and delivery teams.

Mission Safety-Critical Architecture Ownership

Define and lead software architecture for embedded, real-time, high-assurance systems

Ensure alignment with key standards and processes, including:

DO-178C (DAL A–C)

ARP4754A system allocations

Safety assessments and hazard mitigation

Certification objectives and supporting evidence

Drive core architectural decisions around:

Modernization approaches

Partitioning strategy

Interface design

Timing and resource management

Fault containment and system robustness

Safety-driven design patterns

Engineering Services Delivery Model Integration

This role operates in a services-based delivery environment, not an internal OEM setup. That means architecture has to support execution just as much as design.

Define architecture in a way that enables:

Multiple scrum teams working in parallel

Coordination across distributed teams (onshore/offshore as needed)

Clear breakdown of work into executable packages

Structure architecture artifacts to support:

Traceability to the Statement of Work

Milestone-based delivery and billing

Predictable integration and verification progress

Contribute to proposals by helping define:

ROM estimates

Effort breakdowns

Technical risks

Staffing plans based on system complexity

Team Technical Leadership Oversight

Provide hands-on architectural guidance across multiple engineers and/or scrum teams

Help break down requirements into clear, testable, and implementable components

Mentor engineers at all levels in safety-critical development practices

Lead design reviews, interface reviews, and technical quality checks

Ensure consistency in how solutions are implemented across teams

Certification Compliance Strategy

Lead planning and alignment for certification artifacts, including:

PSAC inputs

SDP/SVP alignment

Traceability approach

Tool qualification considerations (DO-330, if applicable)

Work closely with customer DERs and certification authorities as needed

Make architectural decisions with certification in mind to reduce downstream risk

Technical Risk Program Health Management

Identify architectural risks early (multicore timing, partitioning issues, interface changes, unstable requirements)

Put mitigation plans in place and tie them to program milestones

Support internal and customer reviews with clear, data-driven risk updates

Ensure the architecture supports predictable integration and verification

Required Qualifications:

Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field

Significant experience architecting DO-178C compliant software (DAL A experience preferre…