Advanced Capabilities Engineer - NGA Programs Lead

Peraton; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical plans

Tuition reimbursement

Fertility treatment

Job summary

Peraton is seeking an Advanced Capabilities Engineer - NGA Programs Lead in Reston, Virginia. This full-time, on-site role involves leading technical proposals for NGA, requiring 8+ years of experience in systems engineering or related fields. Candidates must have a TS/SCI clearance and excellent written communication skills. Benefits include comprehensive medical plans and tuition reimbursement. The salary range is $135,000 – $216,000, based on experience and qualifications.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in a related field, or 6+ years with MS/MA, or 3+ years with PhD.
• Understanding of NGA’s structure, acquisition processes, and mission priorities.
• Proven ability to work effectively in fast-paced proposal environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of technical volumes for NGA proposals.
• Engage with NGA stakeholders to build understanding of requirements.
• Conduct competitive analysis to highlight Peraton’s technical value.

Skills

Technical proposal leadership

Systems engineering

Geospatial data processing

Strong written communication

Active TS/SCI clearance

Education

BS/BA in Systems Engineering or related field

MS/MA in relevant field

PhD in relevant field

Tools

Model-based systems engineering tools

Digital Twins

Job description

Responsibilities

Advanced Capabilities Engineer - NGA Programs Lead within Peraton's Space and Mission Solutions sector; immediate need for a cleared ACE to serve as the primary technical proposal lead. Full‑time, on‑site at Peraton locations in Northern Virginia with regular presence at NGA facilities and program offices as required.

As an ACE, you sit at the intersection of technical strategy and proposal execution. You translate deep NGA mission understanding into winning technical approaches, blending technical expertise with proposal leadership.

This role carries urgency given Peraton's position on current and future pursuits, including high‑priority, high‑Pwin endeavors where approach quality directly determines outcome.

You will work closely with the NGA Mission Domain Expert, the Digital Engineering Next‑Gen Technology Engineer, and the Growth Organization to ensure Peraton’s NGA pursuits are technically differentiated from capture through final proposal submission.

What you’ll do

• Lead the development of technical volumes and approaches for NGA proposals, owning content from outline to final submission, with immediate focus on the Archimedes‑NSES recompete.
• Engage with NGA program offices and technical stakeholders during pre‑RFP phases to build understanding of requirements, evaluation criteria, and mission priorities.
• Collaborate with the NGA Mission Domain Expert to translate customer relationships and mission insight into technically differentiated proposal strategies.
• Work with the Digital Engineering Next‑Gen Technology Engineer to incorporate digital twin, MBSE, and model‑based approaches into NGA technical solutions.
• Conduct competitive analysis and develop differentiation strategies that highlight Peraton’s unique technical value for NGA pursuits.
• Support bid/no‑bid assessments by providing technically grounded Pwin analysis and honest evaluation of Peraton’s competitive position.
• Participate in color team reviews – both as author and reviewer – providing and receiving substantive technical feedback.
• Maintain awareness of NGA acquisition pipeline, technology priorities, and program office activity to inform pursuit strategy.
• Mentor junior engineers and proposal contributors on technical writing, solution architecture, and proposal best practices.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 8+ years of experience with a BS/BA in Systems Engineering, Geospatial Science, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field; or 6+ years with MS/MA; or 3+ years with PhD. Four years of additional work experience may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
• Direct experience supporting NGA programs – understanding of NGA’s structure, acquisition processes, and mission priorities.
• Demonstrated experience leading or significantly contributing to technical volumes on competitive NGA proposals – ownership of sections, not just review.
• Strong systems engineering background – ability to architect solutions, develop concepts of operations, and translate requirements into technical approaches.
• Experience with one or more of the following NGA mission areas: systems engineering and integration, geospatial data processing and analytics, digital engineering and MBSE, or enterprise IT and cloud modernization.
• Proven ability to work effectively in fast‑paced proposal environments with compressed timelines and evolving requirements.
• Strong written communication skills – ability to write clear, compelling, evaluator‑focused technical content.
• An active TS/SCI clearance is required.

Desired Qualifications

• An active TS/SCI with polygraph is highly desired.
• Direct experience on NGA SE&I contracts, the Archimedes program, or NGA enterprise engineering support programs.
• Familiarity with NGA’s digital twin strategy, AI/ML modernization initiatives, and the Luno program or commercial GEOINT partnership strategies.
• Experience with model‑based systems engineering (MBSE) tools such as Cameo, DOORS, or Teamcenter in a geospatial or intelligence context.
• Understanding of GEOINT data types, processing pipelines, and analytical workflows – including multi‑INT fusion approaches.
• Knowledge of cloud‑native architectures for geospatial data processing in IC environments.
• INCOSE certification (ASEP, CSEP) or PMP certification.
• Experience working alongside or in support of a business development or capture team on NGA opportunities.

Benefits

At Peraton, our benefits are designed to help keep you at your best beyond the work you do with us daily. We are fully committed to the growth of our employees, offering fully comprehensive medical plans, tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance, fertility treatment, and more to support you all the way.

Target Salary Range

$135,000 – $216,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to scope and responsibilities of the position, individual experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO

Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.