Principal Systems Engineer

Via Logic LLC; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 154,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

11 paid holidays

401K with 6% company match

Flexible schedules

Education and training support

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer (SE-3) to support a complex Warfighter program. The role collaborates with software developers, SMEs, and analysts to refine requirements, derive system architectures, and lead engineering efforts. A Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph clearance is required.

The candidate will guide an integrated team, prepare CONOPs and architecture diagrams, and manage schedules and status reporting. Strong communication and leadership are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Minimum 20 years as a Systems Engineer on programs of similar scope and complexity.
• Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Derive functional, system, and performance requirements.
• Develop system engineering artifacts (CONOPs, architectures).
• Create schedules and backlogs; participate in backlog grooming.
• Write or review program documentation.
• Serve as team lead and produce status reports.

Skills

Team leadership

Requirements derivation

Communication

Self-starting

Proactive mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Confluence

MS Project

Visio

Job description

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Principal Systems Engineer in our National Security Sector's (NSS) Cyber & Analytics Business Area (CABA). 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!

Are you seeking a new and challenging position supporting a complex Program for the Warfighter, which implements the latest technology? Well, look no further! This is an exciting time to contribute to a mission-critical program with lasting impactful results. Leidos is currently looking to add a Principal Systems Engineer (SE-3) to a growing task. The SE will work closely with the team of software developers, Subject Matter Experts, and analysts to perform requirements derivation and refinement. The candidate must be a proactive, self- starter with significant technical leadership experience and excellent communication skills.

Primary Responsibilities

• Derive functional, system, and performance requirements
• Develop various systems engineering artifacts (CONOPs, architecture diagrams, etc.)
• Develop schedules for features; Perform backlog grooming
• Write or review documentation
• Serve as team lead
• Create various status reports

Basic Qualifications

• Twenty (20) years' experience as a SE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required. Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Five (5) years of additional SE experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.
• Clearance Requirement: Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts
• Participate in an Integrated Product Team to design new capabilities based upon evaluation of all necessary all development and operational considerations
• Support the planning and test analysis of the DoD Certification/Accreditation Process (as well as other Government Certification and Accreditation (C&A) processes)ed.
• Experience with Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence)
• Agile experience
• Experience with MS Project and/or Visio

CONMD

CSSRC

Original Posting

August 19, 2026

Pay Range

Pay Range $154,050.00 - $278,475.00

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.