Principal Systems Engineer

Leidos LLC; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 131,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Income Protection

Paid Leave and Retirement

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead requirements analysis, CONOPS, and system architectures for scalable, data-driven solutions across Linux server environments, containerized platforms, and NexGen architectures.

The role leverages GOTS products and Apache NiFi, guiding requirements development, system design, and integration of distributed technologies while collaborating with Government stakeholders on engineering deliverables.

Qualifications

• Twenty years of Systems Engineering experience in programs of similar scope.
• Experience with Linux server environments, container technologies, GOTS product integration, and Apache NiFi.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering or science field.
• Five years of additional Systems Engineering experience may substitute for a bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Develop and allocate system and functional requirements across hardware, Linux servers, containerized platforms, and NiFi data flows.
• Design and evaluate NexGen system architectures leveraging GOTS products and enterprise server environments.
• Derive and manage detailed requirements, ensuring they are verifiable and aligned with stakeholders’ needs.
• Establish and maintain configuration and change management processes, including design reviews.
• Lead development and review of system engineering documentation across Linux, container, and distributed architectures.
• Support integration, verification, and validation efforts, including security requirements implementation.
• Provide technical leadership across IPTs to deliver scalable, secure, and operational solutions.

Skills

Linux server environments

Container technologies

GOTS product integration

Apache NiFi

Requirements analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline

Tools

NexGen architectures

NiFi data flows

Job description

Program Summary

Leidos delivers advanced technical, engineering, and system administration expertise in direct support of a high-priority foreign engagement mission. This established effort leverages solutions, alongside tailored engineering approaches, to enable mission-critical capabilities within a secure, high-trust environment. The program supports a complex and evolving mission where experienced cleared professionals operate side-by-side with the customer to architect, integrate, modernize, and optimize systems that directly drive operational outcomes.

Job Summary

Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to lead the analysis of user requirements, CONOPS, and system architectures to design and deliver scalable solutions across Linux server environments, containerized platforms, and NexGen architectures. The ideal candidate will leverage GOTS products and Apache NiFi to support modern, data-driven mission capabilities. This role provides technical leadership in requirements development, system design, and integration of distributed technologies. The candidate will develop system architecture documentation, support integration and testing efforts, and collaborate with Government stakeholders to resolve technical challenges. The Senior Systems Engineer will ensure the integrity of engineering deliverables while working closely with cross‑functional teams and program leadership.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and allocate system and functional requirements across hardware, Linux servers, containerized platforms, and NiFi data flows, ensuring traceability and completeness.
• Design and evaluate NexGen system architectures leveraging GOTS products, container technologies, and enterprise server environments.
• Derive and manage detailed requirements, ensuring they are verifiable, unambiguous, and aligned with mission and stakeholder needs.
• Establish and maintain configuration and change management processes, including participation in CCBs and design reviews.
• Lead development and review of system engineering documentation, ensuring alignment with Linux, container, and distributed system architectures.
• Support system integration, verification, and validation efforts across server-based and containerized environments, including security requirements implementation.
• Provide technical leadership and coordination across Integrated Product Teams, ensuring delivery of scalable, secure, and operationally effective solutions.

Qualifications

• Twenty (20) years of Systems Engineering experience in programs of similar scope, including experience with Linux server environments, container technologies, GOTS product integration, and data flow tools such as Apache NiFi.
• Demonstrated experience leading system engineering efforts in modernized (NexGen) architectures.
• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline.
• Five (5) years of additional Systems Engineering experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree conmd NSSPF.

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

Original Posting: August 25, 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 $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.

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.

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.

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

More details are available here.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

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.