System Engineers - Future Consideration

ANSER; Falls Church (VA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ANSER seeks a capable System Engineer to support mission-critical defense and intelligence programs in secure environments around Northern Virginia. This on-site role requires TS/SCI clearance with SCI eligibility and a strong background in systems engineering principles, government lifecycles, and secure data flows.

You will design, integrate, and manage complex systems, collaborate with analysts, program managers, developers, and engineers, and produce documentation for classified use cases.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, EE, CS, or related field.
• 5+ years of systems engineering experience in intelligence or classified programs.
• Strong understanding of government acquisition lifecycle and secure design.
• Experience with cloud architectures and secure data flows in TS/SCI environments.
• Active TS/SCI clearance with SCI eligibility; current polygraph desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support end-to-end systems engineering activities from requirements to verification.
• Develop solutions for secure, classified environments with IC standards.
• Collaborate with analysts, program managers, developers and engineers to align systems with mission objectives.
• Provide technical oversight on system design, interfaces, and lifecycle planning.
• Coordinate across multidisciplinary teams to integrate legacy systems with cloud/hybrid technologies, ensuring security and resilience.

Skills

Communication skills

Briefing ability

Team collaboration

Security mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Advanced degrees or certifications (INCOSE, PMP, CISSP)

Tools

Cloud architectures

Secure environments

Job description

Company Overview

ANSER enhances national and homeland security by strengthening public institutions. We provide thought leadership for complex issues through independent analysis, and we deliver practical, useful solutions. ANSER values collaboration, integrity, and initiative and we are client focused in all that we do. Because we were established for the purpose of public service and not for profit, we measure our success in the impact of our service.

As a System Engineer at ANSER, youll support mission-critical programs across the defense and intelligence communities by designing, integrating, and managing complex systems within secure, classified environments. Youll apply systems engineering principles to support high-impact projects that advance national security objectives.

Most roles are based in the greater Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area and require on-site work five days a week in secure facilities. Due to the nature of the work, remote or hybrid flexibility is rare and generally not an option.

General Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Lead or support end-to-end systems engineering activities including requirements development, architecture design, integration planning, testing, and verification.
• Develop technical solutions that operate effectively within classified environments, ensuring secure interoperability and compliance with intelligence community standards.
• Collaborate with analysts, program managers, developers, and other engineers to align systems with mission objectives and operational constraints.
• Provide technical oversight and guidance on system design decisions, interface control, and lifecycle planning.
• Coordinate across multidisciplinary teams to integrate legacy systems with new technologies, including cloud-based and hybrid solutions.
• Ensure system designs incorporate security, scalability, and resilience from the ground up.
• Produce detailed technical documentation, including system architectures, engineering plans, and risk assessments tailored for classified use cases.
• Support Configuration Management (CM), Change Control Boards (CCBs), and readiness reviews.
• Apply deep knowledge of IC and DoD mission needs, architectures, and acquisition processes.

General Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Advanced degrees or certifications (e.g., INCOSE, PMP, CISSP) are a plus.
• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering roles supporting the intelligence community or classified technical programs.
• Deep understanding of systems engineering principles, government acquisition lifecycle, and secure systems design.
• Familiarity with cloud architectures, service-based systems, and secure data flows in TS/SCI environments.
• Strong knowledge of intelligence community frameworks, directives, and compliance standards (e.g., ICDs, DoDI 5000 series, RMF, NIST).
• Demonstrated experience working in SCIFs or other secure facilities, with adherence to handling and documentation protocols.
• Excellent communication and briefing skills, with the ability to interface with both technical teams and senior government leadership.
• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility (TS/SCI) is required for most positions. Current polygraph is highly desirable. #LI-DNP #cjno

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with ANSER, please call 703-416-2000 or e-mail [e-mail]

ANSER is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek individuals from a broad variety of backgrounds with varying levels of experience who have a desire to do meaningful work. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.