Lead Payload Systems Engineer — DoD Secret Clearance

Apex Tk; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

APEX TK is seeking a Principal Engineering leader to provide oversight of target system payloads and countermeasure development. You will act as a trusted advisor to the program office, delivering critical assessments of prime contractor designs and instrumentation layouts.

You will guide engineering during major milestones and collaborate across modeling teams, cost analysts, and schedulers to ensure timely, accurate delivery of complex systems for missile defense programs.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret clearance required.
• Master's degree in STEM with 12+ years on missile defense or large DoD programs.
• Experience managing end-to-end program lifecycles for complex systems.
• Willingness to travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering oversight for payloads and countermeasure development from concept through fielding.
• Review prime contractor designs, plans, reports, and technical procedures.
• Evaluate target instrumentation layouts, component selection, and testing methodologies.
• Support milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRB, MRB, PAR).
• Coordinate with external MDA organizations and lead TIMs.
• Assist cost estimation and scheduling activities with program management.

Skills

Security Clearance

Education & Experience

Program Execution

Adaptability

Multitasking

Travel

Education

Master's degree in STEM

Job description

APEX TK is seeking a Principal Engineering leader to provide oversight of target system payloads and countermeasure development. You will act as a trusted advisor to the program office, delivering critical assessments of prime contractor designs and instrumentation layouts.

You will guide engineering during major milestones and collaborate across modeling teams, cost analysts, and schedulers to ensure timely, accurate delivery of complex systems for missile defense programs.