Systems Engineer

Leidos Inc; Rockaway Township (NJ); On-site; USD 108,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to provide research and development engineering support to the Propulsion Development Branch, DEVCOM Armaments Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.

You will implement requirements, decompose functions, and perform trade studies to advance multidisciplinary concepts toward an allocated prototype baseline while balancing TPMs with cost and schedule constraints. Strong MS Project, Excel, and PowerPoint skills, plus 10+ years of experience, are required.

Qualifications

• BS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Chemical, Systems, or related engineering.
• 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Expert knowledge of system engineering principles.
• Demonstrated abilities in the responsibilities listed above.
• High level of expertise with MS Project, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Implement requirements definition, functional decomposition, and trade studies to advance concepts toward an allocated prototype baseline.
• Optimize system design and balance TPMs against cost and schedule constraints.
• Plan and manage systems engineering execution in MS Project; develop WBS and track milestones.
• Lead IPTs through SRRs, PDRs, CDRs, TRRs, PRRs with entry/exit criteria and data package synthesis.
• Identify, quantify, and manage technical and programmatic risks with burn-down plans.
• Guide end-to-end prototyping and test execution, including modeling, simulations, and test reporting.
• Create technical reports, white papers, and qualification plans; develop dashboards for executives.

Skills

Systems engineering

MS Project

Excel

PowerPoint

Communication

Education

BS in Engineering

MS or higher preferred

Tools

MS Project

Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

Job description

Description

The Defense Sector at Leidos currently has an opening for an experienced Systems Engineer to provide research and development engineering support to the Propulsion Development Branch, DEVCOM Armaments Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.

Primary Responsibilities.

• Implement requirements definition, functional decomposition, and trade studies to advance multidisciplinary concepts from initial formulation to an allocated prototype baseline
• Optimize system design and ensure technical baseline closure by tracking and balancing Technical Performance Measures (TPMs) against cost and schedule constraints
• Plan and manage systems engineering execution in MS Project; developing Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), mapping critical paths, and tracking schedule milestone
• Guide multidisciplinary Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) through formal Systems Engineering Technical Reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, PRR), establishing entry/exit criteria, synthesizing technical data packages, and driving discrepancy resolution for advanced defense systems
• Identify, quantify, and manage technical and programmatic risks, developing actionable burn-down and mitigation plans while maintaining and briefing dynamic RIO registers at milestone reviews and Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs)
• Guide end-to-end prototyping and test execution, including subscale feasibility testing, modeling and simulation (M&S) coordination, fabrication oversight, and full-scale test reporting (test matrices, plans, and qualification)
• Leverage Microsoft productivity and analytics tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI) to author formal technical reports, white papers, and qualification plans, model engineering datasets, develop interactive performance dashboards, and deliver executive milestone briefing

Basic Qualifications.

• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Aerospace, Mechanical, Chemical, Systems, or related engineering discipline required; Master of Science (MS) or higher preferred1
• 10 plus years of relevant experience
• Expert knowledge of system engineering principles and practices
• Demonstrated abilities in the areas of responsibilities listed above
• High level of expertise with MS Project, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• US citizenship required.

Preferred Qualifications.

Direct experience with energetic materials, munitions, ordnance, propulsion systems, or related defense technologies.

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: September 16, 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 onlyand 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.

About Leidos

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 $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. 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. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos' name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

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.