Lead Software Engineer, Back End (Java/ Python/ Go Backend, REST/ GraphQL APIs, WAF, HTTP Protocol, AWS)

Lead Software Engineer, Back End (Java/ Python/ Go Backend, REST/ GraphQL APIs, WAF, HTTP Protocol, AWS)

Do you love building and pioneering at the intersection of security and cloud infrastructure? Do you enjoy solving complex problems in a fast-paced, collaborative, and iterative environment? At Capital One, you'll be part of a team of makers, breakers, doers, and disruptors who protect millions of customers at the edge of our network every day. We are seeking Back End Software Engineers who are passionate about edge security, automation, and leveraging emerging technologies — including AI — to stay ahead of evolving threats.

What You'll Do:

• Design, build, and operate edge network security infrastructure including WAF rule sets, bot protection services, and traffic inspection pipelines that defend Capital One's applications at scale

• Develop and maintain Python-based automation and tooling that manages WAF policies & infrastructure, bot mitigation configurations, and security event workflows across AWS environments

• Build and maintain serverless architectures using AWS Lambda, Application Load Balancers, DynamoDB, and related AWS services to power real-time threat detection and response

• Use AI coding assistants and AI-driven analysis tools to accelerate development, identify patterns in security telemetry, and build smarter, faster protection capabilities

• Collaborate with security, product, and platform teams to translate threat intelligence and compliance requirements into deployable infrastructure-as-code

• Participate in on-call rotations and incident response for edge security events, using automation and AI tooling to reduce toil and mean time to resolution

• Stay current with the WAF, bot protection, and cloud security landscape — experimenting with new capabilities, contributing to internal security communities, and sharing knowledge across engineering teams

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree

• At least 4 years of professional software engineering experience (Internship experience does not apply)

• At least 1 year experience with cloud computing (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree

• 7+ years of experience in at least one of the following: Java, Scala, Python, Go, or Node.js

• 2+ years of experience with AWS, GCP, Azure, or another cloud service

• 4+ years of experience in open source frameworks

• 1+ years of people management experience

• 2+ years of experience in Agile practices

• Experience leveraging interactive AI tooling to accelerate productivity, utilizing capabilities beyond basic code completion

At this time, Capital One will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization, or offer any immigration related support for this position (i.e. H1B, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, TN, E-2, E-3, L-1 and O-1, or any EADs or other forms of work authorization that require immigration support from an employer).

The minimum and maximum full-time annual salaries for this role are listed below, by location. Please note that this salary information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within one of these locations, and refers to the amount Capital One is willing to pay at the time of this posting. Salaries for part-time roles will be prorated based upon the agreed upon number of hours to be regularly worked.

McLean, VA: $197,300 - $225,100 for Lead Software Engineer

Plano, TX: $179,400 - $204,700 for Lead Software Engineer

Richmond, VA: $179,400 - $204,700 for Lead Software Engineer

Candidates hired to work in other locations will be subject to the pay range associated with that location, and the actual annualized salary amount offered to any candidate at the time of hire will be reflected solely in the candidate’s offer letter.

This role is also eligible to earn performance based incentive compensation, which may include cash bonus(es) and/or long term incentives (LTI). Incentives could be discretionary or non discretionary depending on the plan.

Capital One offers a comprehensive, competitive, and inclusive set of health, financial and other benefits that support your total well-being. Learn more at the Capital One Careers website. Eligibility varies based on full or part-time status, exempt or non-exempt status, and management level.

This role is expected to accept applications for a minimum of 5 business days.

No agencies please. Capital One is an equal opportunity employer (EOE, including disability/vet) committed to non-discrimination in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Capital One promotes a drug-free workplace. Capital One will consider for employment qualified applicants with a criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws regarding criminal background inquiries, including, to the extent applicable, Article 23-A of the New York Correction Law; San Francisco, California Police Code Article 49, Sections 4901-4920; New York City’s Fair Chance Act; Philadelphia’s Fair Criminal Records Screening Act; and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding criminal background inquiries.

If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation, please contact Capital One Recruiting at 1-800-304-9102 or via email at RecruitingAccommodation@capitalone.com. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extent required to provide needed reasonable accommodations.

For technical support or questions about Capital One's recruiting process, please send an email to Careers@capitalone.com

Capital One does not provide, endorse nor guarantee and is not liable for third-party products, services, educational tools or other information available through this site.

Capital One Financial is made up of several different entities. Please note that any position posted in Canada is for Capital One Canada, any position posted in the United Kingdom is for Capital One Europe and any position posted in the Philippines is for Capital One Philippines Service Corp. (COPSSC).