Sr. Systems Engineer

Leidos Holding$107K — $195K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with the ability to pass a Polygraph examination
  • Bachelor's in Systems Engineering or related field with 8-12 years experience, or Masters with 6-10 years
  • Minimum 8 years of professional systems engineering experience
  • Experience with mission systems or GEOINT programs
  • Strong background in systems engineering principles and lifecycle
  • Familiarity with Agile frameworks and requirements management tools
  • Knowledge of cloud environments and DevSecOps practices

Responsibilities

  • Lead systems engineering throughout the system lifecycle
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate mission needs into technical solutions
  • Develop and maintain system architectures and technical documentation
  • Perform functional analysis and systems decomposition
  • Support backlog refinement and sprint planning
  • Assess system performance and troubleshoot complex issues
  • Coordinate integration across teams and mission partners

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on innovative technologies that matter
  • Professional growth and leadership development
  • Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams
  • Exposure to cutting-edge engineering practices and DevSecOps principles
  • Participation in design and architecture reviews
Full Job Description

What You'll Do

As a key member of our engineering team, you’ll help design, integrate, and evolve cutting-edge systems that enable our customers’ mission. You’ll work alongside software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and government partners to transform mission needs into scalable, secure, and resilient solutions using modern engineering practices and DevSecOps principles. At Leidos, you’ll have the opportunity to innovate, lead, and grow while contributing to technologies that matter.

Please note Gaithersburg, MD is the program’s primary work location.


Clearance Level Required:

Active Top Secret/SCI with the ability to successfully pass a Polygraph examination.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Lead systems engineering activities across the full system lifecycle, including requirements analysis, architecture development, integration, testing, deployment, and sustainment.
  • Collaborate with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Agile development teams to refine features and translate mission needs into technical solutions.
  • Develop and maintain system architectures, interface definitions, operational concepts (CONOPS), and technical documentation.
  • Perform systems decomposition, functional analysis, allocation, and traceability using industry-standard systems engineering practices.
  • Support backlog refinement, sprint planning, and technical roadmap development.
  • Lead system performance assessments, troubleshoot complex issues across applications, infrastructure, interfaces, networks, and data flows, identify and mitigate technical risks, and drive solutions that ensure system reliability, mission effectiveness, and operational performance.
  • Coordinate integration across multiple development teams and external mission partners.
  • Support verification and validation activities, ensuring requirements are fully tested and documented.
  • Participate in design reviews, architecture reviews, technical interchange meetings, and customer briefings.
  • Support DevSecOps initiatives and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes.
  • Ensure compliance with customer and Intelligence Community engineering standards and security requirements.

Required Qualifications:

  • US citizenship is required per contract.
  • Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related STEM discipline and 8-12 years of prior relevant experience or Master’s with 6-10 years of prior relevant experience.
  • 8+ yearsof professional systems engineering experience.
  • Must have experience supporting the customer’s mission systems or GEOINT programs.
  • Experience with geospatial intelligence storage, discovery, dissemination and exploitation systems/segments/tools, sensor programs, data/product types/formats and specifications and system/segment interfaces.
  • Strong understanding of systems engineering principles and the systems development lifecycle.
  • Experience working with Agile frameworks (Scrum, SAFe, Kanban).
  • Experience with requirements management tools such as Jira, Confluence, or similar.
  • Knowledge of cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GovCloud).
  • Experience with system integration, interface management, and enterprise architecture.
  • Familiarity with DevSecOps pipelines and CI/CD tools.
  • Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.

PreferredQualifications:

  • INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional Certification (ASEP, CSEP, or ESEP).
  • SAFe Agilist (SA), Scrum Master, or Agile certification.
  • Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML.
  • Familiarity with Cameo Systems Modeler or similar modeling tools.
  • Experience with Kubernetes, Docker, and containerized applications.
  • Knowledge of microservices architecture.
  • Experience with REST APIs and distributed systems.
  • Experience supporting cloud-native or hybrid cloud environments.
  • Experience with evaluation, cost analysis and cost impact development, to support system impacts for new and modified requirements levied through the RFC process.

#Maru

#NSBA

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.



Original Posting:
August 28, 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:
Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

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.

About Leidos Holding

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Joining Leidos Holding presents an unparalleled opportunity to advance one's career with a leader in innovation and technology. The company offers a plethora of job opportunities aimed at fostering professional growth and development in a diverse and inclusive environment.

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Leidos Holding is actively seeking skilled professionals who are passionate about leveraging their expertise to drive innovation and leadership in their fields. With a variety of open positions, Leidos Holding provides a platform for individuals to challenge themselves in a dynamic work environment.

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At Leidos Holding, innovation is at the core of everything they do. Employees are encouraged to think creatively and push boundaries. The company supports this drive for innovation through comprehensive professional development and diversity training programs that are designed to enhance skills and foster leadership.

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Leidos Holding is committed to creating a workplace where diversity is not only recognized but celebrated. With a culture that values and promotes diversity, Leidos Holding ensures that all team members have the opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow.

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