Lead, Systems Engineer - Mission Protection

Jobtome; Springfield (IL); On-site; USD 128,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer for Mission Protection to direct a high-priority national security program. You will lead a contractor Mission Protection team, apply OPSEC and cyber defense principles, and ensure survivability of U.S.

assets in contested environments. The role requires strong leadership and deep threat-informed engineering expertise to integrate protection requirements into architecture, lifecycle activities, and operational planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher with relevant experience.
• Active Top Secret/SCI with CI Poly clearance required.
• 5 years of threat modeling, vulnerability analysis, and risk management experience.
• 5 years of experience supporting a Weapons and Tactics team and integrating protection strategies.

Responsibilities

• Conduct mission protection assessments across space, cyber, and ground architectures.
• Collaborate with mission planners and operators to embed protection throughout the system lifecycle.
• Develop and implement mitigation plans and countermeasures aligned with mission assurance priorities.
• Coordinate with DoW and IC stakeholders to align with national guidance and classification policies.
• Lead threat modeling, CONOPS, and risk management activities for the program.
• Lead the Mission Protection contracting team in red/blue team exercises and program reviews.
• Prepare briefings for senior leadership on threats and mitigation outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Threat modeling

Vulnerability analysis

Risk management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree

Tools

STK Level 2/3 Certification

ODTK

Job description

Job Title

Lead, Systems Engineer - Mission Protection

Job Code

44786

Job Location

Springfield, Virginia (100% On-site)

Job Schedule

5/8 Monday-Friday

Job Description

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer - Mission Protection to support a high-visibility, mission-critical national security program. This individual will lead the contractor Mission Protection team and serve as the primary authority for Mission Protection activities supporting sensitive space and ground capabilities for U.S. Government operations. This position is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating threats across space, cyber, and ground segments. The selected candidate will apply operational security (OPSEC), counterintelligence, cyber defense, and threat analysis principles to protect critical systems and ensure the survivability and resilience of U.S. assets in contested and degraded environments. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong leadership, technical depth in threat-informed engineering, and the ability to integrate Mission Protection requirements into operational planning, system architecture, and lifecycle activities.

Essential Functions

• Conduct mission protection assessments to identify vulnerabilities across space, cyber, and ground architectures.
• Collaborate with mission planners, operators, and mission partners to integrate protection strategies throughout the system lifecycle.
• Lead the development of mitigation plans and help implement countermeasures aligned with mission assurance priorities.
• Coordinate with DoW and IC stakeholders to ensure protection efforts are synchronized with national-level guidance and classification policies.
• Develop and maintain program-specific threat models, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and risk management frameworks.
• Lead the Mission Protection contracting team to red/blue team assessments, tabletop exercises, and program security reviews.
• Prepare briefings and documentation for senior leadership on threat assessments, mitigation strategies, and mission assurance outcomes.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Battlespace Awareness operations certification.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively in classified operations centers, supporting 24/7 mission requirements when needed.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing senior stakeholders.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Graduate of Air Force Weapon School or Advance Instructor Course (AIC).
• DoW/NRO Systems Liaison / Field Representative- Strong Orbital Mechanics background.
• System Tool Kit (STK) Level 2/3 Certification;
• Orbital Determination Tool Kit (ODTK)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
• Active Top Secret/SCI with CI Poly clearance required.
• 5 years of experience with threat modeling, vulnerability analysis, and risk management.
• 5 years of experience working with or supporting a Weapons and Tactics (W&T) team, with familiarity in integrating protection strategies.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Virginia - Greater Washington, D.C. Area is $127,500 - $236,500.00. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Equal Opportunity Employer

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.