Software Development Manager at Cogent People Inc – Columbia, Maryland

Location: This is a hybrid position that requires in-office presence two days per week in Columbia, MD

Residency Requirement: Candidates MUST have lived in the U.S. for at least 3 of the past 5 years and be authorized to work in the U.S. (Citizen, Permanent Resident, or EAD).

Sponsorship: This position does not offer any sponsorship. Candidates must already be authorized to work in the U.S. (e.g., Citizen, Permanent Resident, or EAD).

Clearance: Public Trust Clearance (or ability to obtain)

Cogent People Inc. is seeking an experienced Software Development Manager with a strong technical foundation to direct day-to-day execution across multiple mission-focused workstreams and drive accountability across a geographically dispersed team. This individual will report to the Project Manager and be accountable for operational coordination, technical delivery alignment, and ensuring IT efforts remain synchronized with customer priorities. The Software Development Manager must possess sufficient technical depth to effectively engage with software engineers, DevSecOps team, and system and data architects. This role requires the ability to understand system and data architectures, evaluate technical risks, challenge assumptions, and translate mission requirements into executable technical tasks.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor an agile software engineering team supporting mission-critical data ingestion, analytics, and reporting systems in an AWS-based federal environment
• Provide technical direction across application, data, and infrastructure layers to ensure scalable, secure, and maintainable solutions
• Guide system design decisions and evaluate implementation approaches before development and release
• Establish and reinforce engineering standards, including code review rigor and disciplined release practices
• Identify technical risks, architectural gaps, and technical debt, and recommend pragmatic improvements
• Strengthen collaboration across development, infrastructure, QA, operations, and program leadership
• Support modernization initiatives aligned to long-term platform strategy while maintaining operational stability
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Agile metrics and retrospective outcomes to optimize operational performance

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field with 12–15 years of relevant experience
• 5+ years in technical leadership or development management roles
• Strong hands-on background in modern application development, industry best practices, and DevSecOps
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering-driven programs or software development teams
• Strong understanding of:
• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
• Agile methodologies (Scrum, SAFe)
• DevSecOps practices and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery or Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines
• Cloud-based architecture (e.g., AWS)
• Proven ability to translate customer requirements into technically executable plans
• Experience coordinating geographically dispersed technical teams
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to assess technical tradeoffs
• Demonstrated ability to review technical designs and implementations
• Experience operating in structured or compliance-driven environments
• Strong communication skills and ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting federal programs (CMS experience strongly preferred)
• Familiarity with secure cloud environments and compliance processes
• Experience with Python and SQL (PL/SQL preferred)
• Experience modernizing legacy systems or leading platform evolution efforts
• Background in both application development and cloud infrastructure domains

Why Cogent People Inc.

At Cogent People, we foster a collaborative, growth-driven environment where innovation thrives. You’ll be part of a team working on mission-critical technology solutions that make a real impact. We offer competitive salaries, career development opportunities, and the chance to contribute to meaningful projects that shape the future.

As a Certified Great Place to Work, we prioritize employee satisfaction and provide a supportive, inclusive culture where every team member is valued and empowered to succeed.

Benefits:

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Comprehensive coverage.

401(k) Plan: Matching contributions.

Life Insurance & Disability Coverage: Company-paid life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance.

Paid Time Off: 3 weeks of PTO annually, plus 10 holidays.

EEO Employer:

Cogent People Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, or any other status protected by law.