Principal System Engineer

Leidos; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 131,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

11 paid Holidays

401K with 6% company match

Flexible Schedules

Discounted Stock Purchase Plans

Technical Upskilling

Education and Training Support

Parental Paid Leave

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer in our Intel Sector, ASBA, to lead technical teams across Security Engineering, CNO, and mission software. You will interact with customers, analyze complex issues, and implement corrective actions to ensure high availability of mission-critical systems.

Requirements include a TS/SCI with Polygraph, mastery across disciplines, and proven leadership of major technology initiatives.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph is required.
• Mastery across multiple technical disciplines and high-impact mission challenges.
• Experience leading major technology initiatives and enterprise-scale solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical team members and interface with customers.
• Review and modernize SOPs; ensure efficiency.
• Provide second-tier triage for complex problems and act as Technical Lead.
• Communicate with customers and cross-functional teams for timely resolutions.
• Assess and improve incident management and automation workflows.

Skills

Security Engineering

CNO

Mission Software

Analytical Methods

Modeling

SIGINT

Key Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 12+ years experience

MS degree + 10+ years experience

Tools

JIRA

ServiceNow

Job description

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Principal Systems Engineer in our Intel Sector's (IS) Solutions Analysis Business Area (ASBA). Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more. Join us and make a difference in National Security!

Benefits

• Paid Time Off
• 11 paid Holidays
• 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting
• Flexible Schedules
• Discounted Stock Purchase Plans
• Technical Upskilling
• Education and Training Support
• Parental Paid Leave
• and much more.

Job Description This is a technical leadership role responsible for leading team members and interacting with customers to handle service inquiries and problems. Duties include examining and solving highly complex customer problems and implementing appropriate corrective action to initiate a repair or return. This role analyzes recurring problems and initiates solutions for preventing reoccurrence. Individuals in this role may be required to remotely log into the end users' endpoint (desktops and/or servers with Windows or Linux OS) to perform complex problem triage, technical software configuration, and implementing remedial actions. Responsible for developing and applying in-depth understanding towards solutions to technical issues and problems in multiple areas of discipline that are undefined and complex. Issues are complex in nature, team members respond to and address customer technical challenges through the diagnosis, analysis, application, and monitoring of complex solutions across multiple technical platforms which span organizational structures and classification levels.

Primary Responsibilities

• IT Operations subject-matter-expert (Help Desk / Tier 1, Close Support, Tier 2) Review/Update existing operational SOP’s, modernize and ensure efficiency as needed.
• Provide on-the-job training to new / Junior team members.
• Provide second-tier triage and technical expertise of complex close support problems for customer applications and mission systems (Technical Lead / “go-to" person for the team to provide assistance with complex issues).
• Provide technical leadership following up with customers, working with co-workers and external support teams facilitating communications and timely resolution of close support problems within operational service level agreements.
• Provide expert assessment of existing and next-generation Problem Management & Incident Management systems (JIRA, ServiceNow).
• Analyze workflows for potential efficiency where possible (automation, AI/ML implementation, etc.).

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with 12 or more years of experience, or a MS degree and 10 or more years of prior relevant experience. Will consider additional work experience in lieu of a degree. Must have an active TS/SCI with a Polygraph, to be considered Demonstrated mastery across multiple technical disciplines, applying advanced engineering principles to complex, high-impact mission challenges. Proven experience leading major technology initiatives, including architecture, design, integration, modernization, and implementation of enterprise-scale solutions. Experience evaluating system performance, technical risk, scalability, and architecture to recommend significant changes that improve mission outcomes and long-term technical viability. Recognized technical expert with demonstrated success providing technical direction and solving highly complex problems across multiple projects and engineering domains. Experience serving as a senior technical advisor to customers and stakeholders, translating mission requirements into technical strategies, architectures, and actionable engineering solutions.

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift and move IT equipment (up to 30–50 lbs.) and crawl under desks for physical cabling or machine #CABARESTON #ASBA #HALO #HALOincumbents

Pay Range

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00 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.

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 here.

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave and Retirement

Commitment and Diversity

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.

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: October 15, 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 and Benefits

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 $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.