Senior Systems Engineer

Leidos LLC; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 108,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

11 paid Holidays

401K with 6% match

Flexible Schedules

Discounted Stock Purchase Plans

Technical Upskilling

Education and Training Support

Parental Paid Leave

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to drive complex cryptologic and cybersecurity programs. You will lead requirements analysis, craft architectures, and develop documentation while guiding teams across engineering disciplines.

The role demands clear technical leadership, risk management, and collaboration with government stakeholders. A TS/SCI with polygraph is required, and travel CONUS/OCONUS is possible.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's level engineering degree with 7+ years of relevant experience or higher degrees with reduced experience
• Master's in engineering with 5+ years or Doctoral with 3+ years
• Alternative: degree in CS/Math/Physics with equivalent experience
• Active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph required

Responsibilities

• Lead requirements analysis, solution design, and value modeling for cryptologic and cybersecurity systems
• Develop CONOPs, architectures, ICDs, and technical docs
• Lead integration, testing, and evaluation per NSA standards
• Conduct risk analysis and mitigation strategies
• Develop XML schemas, metadata models, and data dictionaries
• Integrate reliability, supportability, and security into development processes
• Mentor junior engineers and coordinate knowledge transfer

Skills

Requirements analysis

System architecture design

CONOPs development

ICD development

Technical leadership

Risk management

Mentoring engineers

XML schemas

Data dictionaries

Led complex programs

Education

Engineering degree +7 yrs

Engineering master +5 yrs

Engineering PhD +3 yrs

CS/Math/Physics degree +equiv

Tools

XML Schemas

Metadata models

Data element dictionaries

CONOPS docs

System testing

Job description

ob Description: Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Senior Systems Engineer in our Intelligence Sector's 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!

• 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

Program Summary

Leidos supports critical missions within the Directorate of Operations and Directorate of Cybersecurity, delivering systems engineering solutions that enable cryptanalysis, foreign intelligence operations, and protection of National Security Systems. Our team explores, designs, and integrates emerging technologies to provide the nation with a decisive advantage over adversaries.

Job Summary

We're seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead complex systems engineering efforts supporting cryptologic and cybersecurity missions. You'll drive requirements development, conduct analysis of alternatives, and lead integration efforts for emerging technologies while providing technical leadership to Government stakeholders and engineering teams.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead requirements analysis, solution design, and value modeling for complex cryptologic and cybersecurity systems
• Develop comprehensive CONOPs, system architectures, ICDs, and technical documentation
• Lead integration, testing, and evaluation of prototypes and systems per NSA standards
• Conduct risk analysis and develop mitigation strategies for technical challenges
• Develop XML schemas, metadata models, and data element dictionaries for mission systems
• Integrate specialty engineering disciplines (reliability, supportability, security) into development processes
• Mentor junior engineers and coordinate knowledge transfer initiatives

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering plus 7 years of relevant experience, OR Master's plus 5 years, OR Doctoral plus 3 years
• Alternatively: Bachelor's/Master's/Doctoral in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physics with equivalent experience
• For non-ABET programs: degree must include differential and integral calculus plus 5 of 18 specified technical areas*
• Active TS/SCI with polygraph clearance required
• Demonstrated technical leadership in systems engineering for complex programs
• Experience with analysis of alternatives, value modeling, and risk management
• Ability to work in a SCIF environment and travel CONUS/OCONUS

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: October 2, 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 $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

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.

Company Overview

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.