Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer (LEAD) to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP). L-CAP is a mission-critical, future-ready automation platform built on a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, enabling next-generation air traffic management capabilities. You will lead systems engineering across a four-ART engineering organization, providing technical governance for requirements, interfaces, integration, verification, and safety analysis. We are building with an AI-first engineering mindset, embracing emerging AI capabilities and modern development practices to accelerate delivery, improve software quality, and continuously evolve how we design and build mission-critical systems. This position supports government programs and requires the ability to obtain andmaintaina favorable Public Trust investigation.
This role is part of a growing program, and hiring will depend on available funding. We review applications on a rolling basis, but the timeline for interviews and offers may vary. In some cases, we may extendcontingent offersthat become active once funding is confirmed.
This position is located inGaithersburg, MD; Egg Harbor Township, NJ; or Eagan, MN. This is an opportunity to contribute to projects that impact millions of air travelers.
This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days onsite and 2 days remote work. Candidates should reside a commutable distance to one of the above locations.
What Youll Do
Lead cross-program systems engineering activities across four ARTs
Establish and govern requirements management processes and standards
Define and manage interface control documents and integration specifications
Develop verification and validation (V&V) strategy and execution plans
Maintain requirements traceability from stakeholder needs through implementation
Lead system integration planning and execution across the platform
Conduct safety analysis including hazard identification and mitigation
Support certification activities and regulatory compliance evidence
Define and enforce SE process standards and best practices
Lead technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR
Ensure cross-ART architectural consistency byestablishingshared systems engineering standards and interface governance
Lead modernization planning from a systems engineering perspective including decomposition strategies and transition sequencing
Govern interfaces between legacy and modernized servicesmaintainingtechnical coherence across the program
Champion an AI-first engineering culture byidentifyingand applying AI-assisted development capabilities, automation, and emerging software engineering practices that improve developer productivity, code quality, testing, and delivery.
Core Technical Qualifications:
Experience ensuring architectural consistency across multiple development teams or release trains
Demonstrated leadership in systems engineering for large-scale modernization programs
Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust
U.S. citizenship required
Successful completion of background investigations as required by the government customer
Preferred / Desired Qualifications
If youre looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo because the mission demands it. Were not hiring followers. Were recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. Were already at step 30 and moving faster than anyone else dares.
Original Posting:August 21, 2026
For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
