Satellite Communications Engineer

Leidos LLC; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 126,100 - 227,950; Full time

Job summary

00100 LEIDOS, INC. is seeking a communications engineer in Chantilly, Virginia, to support mission-critical communications for national security and intelligence operations. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's in a relevant engineering field and 12+ years of satellite communications engineering experience. Responsibilities include developing innovative solutions, conducting system analysis, and collaborating with teams. An active TS/SCI security clearance is required. Competitive pay range is $126,100.00 - $227,950.00.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in satellite communications engineering, preferably in defense or intelligence.
• An active TS/SCI security clearance is required; TS/SCI with a polygraph is highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Support mission-critical communications for national security and intelligence operations.
• Develop innovative solutions and analyze advanced satellite communication systems.
• Conduct system-level analysis, link budget calculations, and simulations.

Skills

Satellite communications engineering

RF interference analysis

Technical documentation

System-level analysis

Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications, aerospace engineering, or related field

Master’s degree in electrical engineering, satellite communications, or related discipline

Job description

We’re seeking a communications engineer to support mission‑critical communications for national security and intelligence operations. You will conduct research, develop innovative solutions, and analyze advanced satellite communication systems to enable design, development, and integration for secure, reliable data, voice, or video transmissions.

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications, aerospace engineering, or related field.
• At least 12 or more years of experience in satellite communications engineering, preferably supporting defense or intelligence programs.
• Lead research and development of novel satellite communication technologies for national security applications.
• Perform system‑level analysis, link budget calculations, and simulations to optimize performance under operational constraints.
• Integrate satellite communications with ground stations, mobile platforms, and other defense assets.
• Analyze and resolve technical issues in deployed systems, including RF interference and encryption challenges.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including government and contractor personnel, to ensure mission success.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, system architectures, and compliance records.
• Support field testing, validation, and operational deployment of satellite communications hardware and software.
• Provide technical briefings and training to stakeholders and end‑users.
• An active TS/SCI security clearance is required to be considered for this position. An active TS/SCI with a polygraph is highly desired.

Desired

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, satellite communications, or related discipline.
• Expertise in RF and microwave system design, signal processing, and satellite network engineering.
• Experience in investigating and documenting existing system architectures for defense platforms.
• Subject matter expertise in advanced system concepts related to aerospace, spacecraft, or military communications.
• Experience with DoD acquisition processes and documentation.

Compensation

Pay Range $126,100.00 - $227,950.00