Head of Engineering - Software Development

Head of Engineering - Software Development Cooperidge Consulting Firm is seeking a Director of Software Engineering for a top Defense Technology client. This leadership role, based in Atlanta, GA, will build, lead, and manage growing engineering teams across the United States and Europe, shaping the technical direction of advanced AI and computer vision software for airspace security. The Director is responsible for establishing leadership structure, setting technical direction, and driving execution across development projects while aligning technical strategy with high‑level business and national security objectives.

Cooperidge Consulting Firm provided pay range This range is provided by Cooperidge Consulting Firm. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more. Base pay range $180,000.00/yr - $200,000.00/yr Job Responsibilities Build, lead, and directly manage growing software and AI engineering teams distributed across the United States and Europe Establish an effective leadership structure, set strategic technical direction, and implement robust engineering processes to guide company expansion Drive project execution across software and AI development, prioritizing management and delegation over individual coding responsibilities Work closely with the CEO and Managing Director to align overall technical strategy with core business objectives and goals Ensure all software and AI development projects adhere to stringent regulatory standards of regulated industries such as defense, aviation, and aerospace Implement and enforce industry best practices, including strong adherence to Agile and DevOps methodologies Guide technical decision‑making and scale the engineering culture and technical standards from the ground up during a pivotal growth phase Qualifications Education Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field is required Master's degree or Ph.D. in Computer Science or a related field is preferred Experience Minimum of ten (10) or more years of overall software engineering experience is required Proven experience scaling and leading small engineering teams through rapid growth phases is required Prior DoD or defense contractor project management experience (e.g., Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, L3Harris, etc.) is mandatory Experience with AI‑driven defense applications, computer vision, or autonomous systems is preferred Certifications & Licenses U.S.

Citizenship is required (due to ITAR restrictions and government contract work) Strong technical leadership background with a deep understanding of Agile and DevOps practices Local to Atlanta or willing to relocate to the Atlanta metropolitan area is required Skills Exceptional leadership and communication skills (both technical and non‑technical) for managing distributed, international teams Background in hardware‑software integration and hardware interfacing is preferred Familiarity with international and distributed engineering team management is preferred Benefits Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision) Retirement Plan (401k, IRA) Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D) Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays) Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity) Short Term & Long Term Disability Training & Development Wellness Resources Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level Employment Type Full‑time Job Function Information Technology Industries IT Services and IT Consulting #J-18808-Ljbffr