DARPA TTO Space-Based Communications & Testing Support Engineer

Amentum; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Retirement benefits including 401(k) matching

Educational reimbursement

Parental leave

Employee stock purchase plan

Disability and life insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Amentum is looking for a mid- to senior-level engineer/scientist in Arlington, VA, with at least 5 years of experience in TS/SCI and SAP environments. This full-time role involves working on space-based communications and test planning, requiring an active U.S. Government Top Secret Security Clearance. The compensation ranges from $170K to $240K.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for supporting government programs, leading test reviews, and overseeing space-based program concepts.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher; substantial relevant experience may substitute.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience.
• Experience leading test working groups for integrated space systems.

Responsibilities

• Support a government program manager in developing space-based concepts.
• Lead Mission Integration Working Groups across multiple organizations.
• Serve as a test lead to run Test Readiness Reviews for major program objectives.

Skills

Active US Government Top Secret Security Clearance

Working knowledge of space-based communications architectures

Experience in space-based test planning and execution

Education

Master’s degree or PhD in a relevant field

Job description

Amentum is a leading provider of engineering, scientific, and program management support services to some of the top agencies in the U.S. government, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the intelligence community.

The mission of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) is to reimagine every aspect of military hardware design, development, test, manufacture, and sustainment – with a focus on rapid, affordable, and scalable deployment – to create and prevent technological surprise. TTO’s goal is to demonstrate compelling hardware at the smallest scale that traces to disruptive capability, with designs that reduce risk and cost by managing complexity and can be manufactured responsively and affordably. Additional information on TTO is available here: https://www.darpa.mil/about/offices/tto.

Amentum is currently seeking a mid- to senior-level engineer/ scientist with experience working in both the TS/SCI and SAP environments (at least 5 years of experience). This is a full-time position supporting a classified effort in which 50% of the time will be dedicated to space-based communications and the other 50% of the time will be dedicated to test planning and execution. This position will be based on-site at the client location (Arlington, VA Ballston area), with some travel (local and/or Colorado/California) required at least twice a quarter. Annual salary between $170-240K depending on qualifications and experience.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support a government program manager (PM) in developing space-based program concepts, providing oversight to ongoing space-based programs and efforts
• Lead (2x year) Mission Integration Working Groups across 15-20 unique organizations; support for these meetings will include defining common security baseline, coordinating agenda, speakers, reviewing test plans and modeling and simulation
• Serve as a test lead to run Test Readiness Reviews (TRRs) for major program objectives when final systems are ready for test; work with security to make sure all barriers for testing are clear
• Work with contractors after individual test events to review data products and make any updates or changes to mission test objectives based on data gathered/ learned through each individual test
• Provide overarching support to program to include attending biweekly calls for performers, attending major reviews, drafting PowerPoint charts and memorandums for DARPA and transition partners, attending transition partner meetings and internal DARPA team meetings

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or higher - substantial relevant occupational experience (~10 or more years) may be considered in lieu of degree requirement
• At least 5 years’ relevant experience
• Active US Government Top Secret Security Clearance, with ability to obtain SCI access. Please note US Citizenship is required to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Working knowledge of space-based communications architectures to include ground entry points, radios, and integration of hardware and software into a system
• Experience working with transition partners to include, but not limited to, the U.S. Air Force, NASA, Space Force, NRO, and SSC
• Understanding of the methodologies to send data throughout a mission using both secure and open means
• Experience in space-based test planning and execution to include defining test objectives, measures of performance, and developing detailed test plan for life of mission
• Experience leading test working groups for fully integrated space systems with multiple payloads, and multiple government, industry and lab partners
• Experience in defining test objectives and using a variety of sensor and data collection methodologies to complete testing

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior DARPA experience
• PhD in a relevant field

Compensation Details:

$170K - $240K

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off and holidays

• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)

• Educational reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Tax-saving options

• Disability and life insurance

• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting:

03/06/2026 - Until Filled

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed, marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low-income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language at Labor Laws Posters.