Risk and Requirements Systems Engineer

Saic; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a Risk and Requirements Systems Engineer in Chantilly, VA to support a large SETA program for the NRO. The role emphasizes risk identification/mitigation, cross-functional collaboration, and managing requirements from concept to delivery in accordance with federal standards.

The ideal candidate will have deep systems engineering expertise, government requirements processes, and hands-on experience with risk assessment, traceability, and MBSE practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline with nine+ years experience or advanced degrees with adjusted years of experience.
• 5+ years as Systems Engineer with requirements development, risk management, and system integration for government/defense programs.
• Familiar with DoD/IC lifecycles and requirements processes (e.g., DoDI 5000.02, MIL-STD-499B).
• Proficient in requirements management tools (DOORS, JIRA, Cameo).

Responsibilities

• Develop, analyze, and validate system requirements aligned with user needs and government standards.
• Manage requirements through lifecycle; apply RTMs to maintain traceability.
• Lead decomposition of high-level requirements into system, subsystem, and component levels.
• Collaborate with federal clients and stakeholders to elicit and manage requirements.

Skills

Requirements development

Risk management

Systems engineering

DoD/IC lifecycle

Requirements tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree

PhD or JD with experience

Tools

IBM DOORS

JIRA

Cameo

SysML MBSE tools

Job description

Description

SAIC is seeking Risk and Requirements Systems Engineer with a strong focus on Risk Management and Requirements Development in Chantilly, VA to support SAIC’s large SETA program, supporting the NRO’s Ground Enterprise Directorate (GED), Advanced Ground Office.

The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of systems engineering principles, government requirements development processes, and proactive risk identification/mitigation strategies. This role entails working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams to ensure the program delivers technically sound, secure, and mission-compliant systems that align with federal standards and regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Requirements Development and Management

• Develop, analyze, and validate system requirements, ensuring alignment with user needs, government standards, and mission-critical objectives.
• Manage requirements throughout the project lifecycle, using tools such as DOORS, JIRA, or related requirements management software.
• Lead the decomposition of high-level requirements into system, subsystem, and component-level requirements.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and requirements elicitation discussions with federal clients, end-users, and relevant stakeholders.
• Prepare and manage Requirements Traceability Matrices (RTM) to maintain consistency between customer needs and system designs.

Risk Management

• Develop, implement, and oversee risk management processes in compliance with government and industry standards (e.g., ISO 31000, DoD Risk, Issue, and Opportunity Management Guide).
• Identify, assess, mitigate, and monitor risks across the system lifecycle, from concept development through decommissioning.
• Create and maintain detailed risk management plans, reports, and mitigation matrices for project stakeholders.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prioritize risks and implement corrective actions to ensure cost, schedule, and performance objectives are met.

Systems Engineering & Integration

• Develop and review system designs, technical data packages, and engineering change proposals, ensuring traceability to approved requirements.
• Perform trade studies and analyses to evaluate design alternatives, assess their risks, and recommend optimal solutions.
• Work closely with Configuration Management (CM) and Verification & Validation (V&V) teams to ensure system integrity and compliance throughout the lifecycle.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Facilitate technical reviews (e.g., SRR, PDR, MDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure all required documentation is prepared, reviewed, and approved.
• Serve as a liaison between technical teams and government customers to ensure understanding and alignment of engineering objectives.
• Collaborate across teams to integrate cybersecurity risk considerations into overall system planning and architecture.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, reports, and whitepapers to communicate complex technical topics to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience ; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience. Relevant experience to be substituted in lieu of degree.
• 5+ years of experience as a Systems Engineer with demonstrated expertise in requirements development, risk management, and system integration for government or defense-focused programs.
• Strong familiarity with DoD, IC, or other federal agency systems engineering lifecycles and requirements processes (e.g., DoDI 5000.02, MIL-STD-499B).
• Proficiency in requirements management tools (e.g., IBM DOORS, JIRA, Cameo, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience implementing risk management per government standards such as MIL-STD-882E, ISO 31000, or DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Understanding of systems engineering methodologies, such as waterfall, agile, and MBSE.
• Hands-on experience with risk assessment tools and techniques, including qualitative and quantitative analysis approaches.
• Exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to navigate complex systems and derive actionable solutions.
• Proficient in technical writing, process documentation, and the production of technical artifacts for government auditing and compliance.

Desired Education and Experience

• Experience working with government policies, particularly IC/DoD Acquisition, Federal Risk Management Framework (RMF), or NIST SP 800-37 standards.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies and complex systems, such as AI/ML platforms, cloud architectures, and advanced communications systems.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate effectively across diverse technical teams, clients, and government stakeholders.
• Experience with cost and schedule estimation, particularly EVMS (Earned Value Management System).
• Provide expertise in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and practices, including SysML, to enhance system integration and documentation.

Certifications

ITIL, PMP, or Agile-related certifications; CISSP, CEH, CISA , PMI-RMP or RIMS-CRMP.

Target salary range: $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.