Principal Software Developer Kafka

Description Leidos is seeking a Principal Software Developer / Kafka Architect to join a high performing team, leading the digital modernization of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) platform. TFDM is a critical FAA NextGen program that improves aircraft surface and terminal operations by enabling more efficient runway and airspace management, helping reduce congestion across the National Airspace System (NAS).We are a team of forward-looking professionals in need of a strong candidate with these key required skills: Software Development (Java/C++/Python), Kafka, Containerization, , AI/AI Assisted Development.This position can be remote, however, preference will be given to those who are local to and can work 3 days a week in one of the following locations: Gaithersburg, MD; Atlantic City, NJ; or Eagan, MN.Responsibilities:Architect, design, develop, and implement next-generation application using software engineering best practices in the latest technologies:AI-Leveraged Development (agentic coding tools like Claude Code, multi-agent orchestration, MCP-based tool integration, RAG, context engineering, AI evals/guardrails)Data Streaming (Apache Flink, Kafka Streams, ksqlDB, Kafka Connect, real-time data processing)Infrastructure-as-Code (CloudFormation / Terraform, Ansible)Containerization and Platform-as-a-Service (Docker, OpenShift/Kubernetes)Use extensive knowledge in multiple development languages, software development and system design best practices, Kafka/data streaming, automation and configuration tools, testing, tool integrations, AI, and communication to modernize TFDM platform.Provide architectural oversight to support the development team's software development, Kafka/data streaming, integration, test automation, security testing, and deployments.Provide architectural oversight, hands-on software expertise, and mentoring in these areas: modern application integration, Kafka/data streaming, service oriented a