Principal Program Scheduler - Indirect Fires & Force Protection

Leidos; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos seeks a Principal Program Scheduler to provide strategic scheduling leadership on high-priority U.S. Government defense programs. This role anchors the IMS and EVM COE, influencing program execution and outcomes across complex contracts, with onsite presence in Huntsville several days weekly.

The candidate will lead scheduling, apply advanced techniques (CPM, Monte Carlo), and communicate insights to senior leadership, aligning technical, cost, and resource baselines to drive performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 10-12 years of aerospace & defense scheduling leadership (or equivalent experience).
• Expert in Earned Value Management (EVM) principles and scheduling on large, complex programs.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Project and scheduling analytics.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a scheduling leader and advisor for major defense contracts.
• Partner with program leadership to influence decisions and performance.
• Build and maintain complex Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) compliant with EIA-748 standards (PASEG, NDIA).
• Communicate schedule analysis, execution metrics, and insights clearly to stakeholders.
• Drive integration of technical, cost, and resource baselines to forecast ETCs and insights.
• Present schedule insights and what-if scenarios to senior stakeholders.
• Ensure scheduling governance across multiple contracts.
• Develop scheduling artifacts to meet contractual requirements.
• Must be able to work onsite at Huntsville location multiple days per week.

Skills

Scheduling leadership

EVM principles

CPM & float management

Monte Carlo simulations

Schedule execution metrics

Resource loading & baselines

Stakeholder communication

On-site collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Project

Milestones Professional

MS Project macros

SSI tools for MS Project

Job description

Leidos is seeking an accomplished Principal Program Scheduler to provide strategic scheduling leadership on high-priority U.S. Government manufacturing and production programs. This role will directly influence program execution, delivery, and business outcomes across a portfolio of complex defense programs.

In this dynamic role, you will serve as a principal scheduling authority for mission-critical programs, trusted by senior leadership to anticipate risks, drive solutions, and ensure alignment between technical execution, resources, and program objectives. This highly visible role is ideal for a senior scheduling professional who thrives in fast-paced, high-impact environments and seeks to apply their expertise to programs that directly support national defense.

The Principal Program Scheduler will be an integral part of the larger enterprise-wide Leidos Corporate Earned Value Management (EVM) Center of Excellence (COE). The Leidos Corporate EVM COE is a team-leading and executing the core responsibilities of scheduling, planning, EVMS, the associated infrastructure and tools, implementations, training, and surveillance for Leidos.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as a scheduling leader and advisor for major defense manufacturing contracts, shaping program strategies through advanced scheduling practices.
• Partner with program leadership, CAMs, and manufacturing leads to influence decision-making and optimizing program performance.
• Build and maintain complex Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) compliant with EIA-748 standards and industry best practices (PASEG, NDIA).
• Provide the “why” - demonstrating the ability to clearly communicate schedule analysis, execution metrics, and overall program understanding through a cost informed scheduling perspective.
• Drive the integration of technical, cost, and resource baselines to establish accurate forecasts, estimates-to-complete (ETC), and actionable insights for leadership.
• Present schedule insights, risks, and “what-if” scenarios to senior program and customer stakeholders, often shaping contract execution strategies.
• Ensure program scheduling rigor, governance, and compliance across multiple high-visibility contracts.
• Develop scheduling artifacts to meet contractual/project requirements.
• Must be able to collaboratively work onsite at our Huntsville location multiple days per week.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with 10 - 12 years of progressive Aerospace & Defense scheduling leadership (or equivalent experience in lieu of degree).
• Recognized expertise in programmatic scheduling and Earned Value Management (EVM) principles, with proven success leading schedule management on large, complex programs.
• Advanced mastery of Microsoft Project and scheduling analytics.
• U.S. citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
• Extensive experience in manufacturing, production, or prototyping environments with a deep understanding of shop floor integration into enterprise schedules.
• Strong command of advanced scheduling practices, including:
  • 14-Point Analysis and schedule health assessments
  • Critical Path Method (CPM) and float management
  • Schedule execution metrics (BEI, CEI, CPLI, SV, SPI, etc.)
  • Resource loading, management, and alignment with cost baselines
  • Schedule risk modeling and Monte Carlo simulations
  • Baseline change control governance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Structured Solutions Inc. (SSI) tools for Microsoft Project
• PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) certification
• Milestones Professional experience
• Proficiency in MS Project macros and custom reporting
• Active DoD Secret clearance.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

August 10, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $105,300.00 - $190,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.