Director, Systems Engineering Jobs

Explore Director, Systems Engineering opportunities on Ladders, where you can find vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more. These senior leaders guide the design, integration, and performance of complex systems while aligning engineering work with business goals.

What Does a Director of Systems Engineering Do?

Directors of Systems Engineering set technical direction across products, platforms, and programs. They oversee systems architecture and requirements, coordinate cross-functional engineering teams, manage technical risks, and help ensure solutions meet performance, reliability, security, and regulatory expectations. The scope varies by organization and industry, from software and telecommunications to aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and healthcare technology.

Common Responsibilities

  • Define systems engineering strategy, architecture principles, and technical roadmaps.
  • Lead managers and multidisciplinary teams through development, integration, verification, and validation.
  • Translate customer and business needs into system requirements and measurable outcomes.
  • Oversee budgets, schedules, staffing, vendor relationships, and program risks.
  • Partner with product, software, hardware, operations, and executive leaders.
  • Improve engineering processes, quality practices, and lifecycle governance.

Qualifications and Skills

Employers commonly seek extensive engineering experience and a record of leading complex programs or large technical teams. A bachelor's degree in systems engineering or a related discipline is often expected; some positions prefer an advanced degree. Valuable strengths include systems architecture, requirements management, integration and test, risk management, technical communication, strategic planning, and people leadership. Specific qualifications depend on the employer and sector.

Find Director, Systems Engineering Roles on Ladders

Browse vetted Director, Systems Engineering openings and compare opportunities by employer, location, industry, and responsibilities. Ladders focuses on professional roles paying $100,000 or more, helping experienced engineering leaders explore their next career move.

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$107K - $150K *

Engage with clients to design and implement advanced Physical Security Systems. Collaborate with top engineers on complex projects, ensuring high-quality solutions and customer satisfaction while mana...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$165K - $175K *

Join a dynamic engineering team as a Senior Technical Advisor, providing strategic guidance on emerging technologies and systems integration while supporting Agile program execution and modernization...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$110K - $130K *

Elevate your career by designing and maintaining advanced IT infrastructure platforms, ensuring reliability and security. Collaborate with teams to optimize solutions, automate processes, and enhance...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$180K - $225K *

Tackle the procurement lifecycle for mission-critical cooling equipment in data centers. Lead strategic initiatives, supplier performance, and operational excellence, while managing risks and driving...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$95K - $125K *

Advance your career by coordinating healthcare technology integration across multiple VA sites. Leverage your project management skills to support the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization pr...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$135K - $180K *

Drive innovative electrical design solutions for high-density compute environments. Collaborate across teams to ensure compliance with industry standards while mentoring junior engineers. Make a signi...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$174K - $273K *

Lead the charge in a high-impact Growth team, managing and mentoring engineers, optimizing delivery, and driving product strategy to enhance customer acquisition and engagement efficiently...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $190K *

Drive innovative detection solutions in a high-security environment, collaborating across teams to enhance security posture and engineering excellence while tackling emerging cyber threats with precis...

Denver, CORemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Drive the development of advanced machine learning systems for autonomous trucks, leading a team in perception capabilities. Oversee the complete lifecycle from data requirements to deployment, ensuri...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$171K - $190K *

Unlock potential by leading the design and implementation of scalable data platforms. Drive innovation in cloud data architecture and pipeline automation, collaborating across teams to deliver impactf...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$179K - $248K *

Lead the charge in operationalizing strategy and driving cross-division initiatives. Collaborate with senior stakeholders to enhance efficiency and client satisfaction in a fast-paced corporate travel...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$220K - $240K *

Champion a high-performing Cyber Defense team, driving strategic execution and operational excellence in incident response, detection engineering, and security technology across diverse environments t...

Virginia, USRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$255K - $290K *

Drive the technical vision for a complex database platform, ensuring scalability and performance. Lead architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and collaborate across teams to enhance data infrastruc...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$115K - $175K *

Lead the creative program management efforts, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality projects across various marketing initiatives. Drive process improvements and foster collaboration within a dynam...

Seattle, WARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$141K - $224K *

Lead the design and modernization of mission-critical SATCOM systems, ensuring seamless integration and lifecycle support. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance system performance and ope...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$150K - $180K *

Partner with us to drive commercial growth by transforming innovative services into market-relevant solutions. Shape go-to-market strategies and enable sales teams, bridging market needs with offering...

Boston, MARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$160K - $200K *

Elevate your career by joining a dynamic team focused on transforming corporate learning. As a senior leader, you'll drive strategic initiatives, engage with top executives, and shape the future of wo...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$111K - $150K *

Elevate your career by leading the design and integration of advanced electrical control systems. Collaborate with engineering teams to enhance efficiency and mentor junior members while ensuring proj...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$135K - $160K *

Elevate the design and development of a robust replication engine for large-scale data systems, focusing on high-performance, secure, and resilient asynchronous replication capabilities to ensure reli...

North Carolina, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Empower your career by leading innovative GTM engineering initiatives. Drive AI workflows, automate marketing processes, and enhance productivity across teams. Collaborate with stakeholders to transfo...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$228K - $423K *

Lead the charge in advancing national cybersecurity initiatives, overseeing program execution and stakeholder engagement. Drive strategic objectives into actionable plans while ensuring technical perf...

Colorado Springs, CORemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$171K - $300K *

Take ownership of architecting and developing AI-driven backend solutions for Access Security, enhancing identity intelligence and risk detection while collaborating with cross-functional teams to del...

Minneapolis, MNRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Partner with us to optimize high-speed interconnect performance through SI/PI simulation, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance design quality and resolve signal issues across various a...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$132K - $211K *

Unlock potential by serving as a key technical leader, bridging engineering and enterprise architecture to eliminate adoption friction and enhance cloud-native infrastructure and AI platform deploymen...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$160K - $200K *

Join us in shaping the future of cybersecurity by leading the platform engineering team. Drive innovation and operational excellence in a fast-paced environment, enhancing our data platform and suppor...

CanadaRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Director of Systems Engineering do?question toggle

    A Director of Systems Engineering sets technical strategy and oversees teams responsible for system architecture, requirements, integration, verification, and delivery. The role also connects engineering decisions to business objectives, timelines, budgets, and customer needs.

  • What qualifications are commonly required for Director, Systems Engineering jobs?question toggle

    Requirements vary, but employers often look for a bachelor's degree in systems engineering or a related technical field, substantial engineering experience, and a history of leading multidisciplinary teams or complex programs. Some roles prefer an advanced degree or industry-specific credentials.

  • Which industries hire Directors of Systems Engineering?question toggle

    Employers may include companies in aerospace and defense, software, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare technology, and other industries that develop or operate complex systems.

  • What skills are important for a Director of Systems Engineering?question toggle

    Commonly valued skills include systems architecture, requirements management, integration and test, technical risk management, strategic planning, cross-functional communication, budgeting, and team leadership.

  • Where can I find Director, Systems Engineering jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Ladders features vetted professional job opportunities paying $100,000 or more. Browse current listings to explore Director, Systems Engineering roles by employer, location, industry, and responsibilities.