Space Systems Program Chief Engineer

Trident Systems; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 129,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Holidays

401(k) with match

Tuition reimbursement

Parental/military leaves

Annual discretionary bonus

Job summary

Trident Systems seeks a seasoned Program Chief Engineer to lead a high-visibility space electronics program in Fairfax, VA. You will own the technical direction, align with product strategy, and drive system verification to ensure a fully compliant solution for mission-critical space software defined systems.

The role demands a strong track record in aerospace/defense hardware, cross-team leadership, and proactive risk management, with travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of engineering experience (OR 10+ years with a graduate degree) with demonstrated technical leadership.
• Experience in delivering aerospace, defense, communications, or other mission critical hardware systems.
• Background in project engineering, systems engineering, integration, and verification.
• Experience supporting or leading complex development programs.
• Strong communication, planning, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead all technical aspects of the program and serve as the primary technical point of contact.
• Drive requirements development, system integration, and verification activities.
• Manage technical risks and issues with timely, actionable mitigation plans.
• Prepare and conduct engineering reviews and support customer technical discussions.
• Lead customer-facing Program Reviews including SRR, PDR, and CDR.
• Ensure engineering execution supports overall program cost, schedule, and performance goals.
• Coordinate with engineering functional teams on staffing, standards, and engineering processes.
• Provide clear communication of technical status to program and engineering leadership.
• Ability to support travel or off-site work, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Systems engineering

Aerospace/defense

Project engineering

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Trident Systems seeks a seasoned Program Chief Engineer to lead a high-visibility space electronics program in Fairfax, VA. You will own the technical direction, align with product strategy, and drive system verification to ensure a fully compliant solution for mission-critical space software defined systems.

The role demands a strong track record in aerospace/defense hardware, cross-team leadership, and proactive risk management, with travel as needed.