Systems Engineer in Del Mar

Energy Jobline ZR; Del Mar (CA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA to join a fast-paced R&D team focusing on unmanned maritime systems and ISR solutions for NIWC PAC. The role leads vehicle production, lab operations, and testing to ensure government requirements are met.

You will oversee acceptance, testing, and certification of unmanned vehicles, manage a production lab, and coordinate with R&D and production teams in a TS-cleared environment.

Qualifications

• U.S. with ability to obtain TOP SECRET security clearance; active SECRET clearance required.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Process-oriented with attention to detail.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to manage small teams.
• Flexible and responsive to customer needs.
• Frequent movement around piers, docks, and facility spaces; able to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to work aboard marine vessels and in varied environments.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with NIWC Vehicle SMEs to review data and address issues.
• Support FATs, performance testing, and certification checks at sea.
• Manage the Master Production Schedule and baseline milestones.
• Engage with industry partners on schedules, issues, and resources.
• Inform NIWC leadership of risks, issues, and challenges.
• Oversee vehicle configuration to meet sponsor requirements.
• Generate vehicle readiness reports and track failures.
• Manage inventory, materials, parts, and lab procurement.
• Align materials flow to production needs.
• Prepare procurement requests based on schedule and load.
• Manage test space and equipment; coordinate in-lab tests.
• Liaise between Engineering/R&D and Production teams.
• Implement QA and configuration management programs.
• Maintain knowledge of quality control advances; analyze data.
• Drive improvements in projects, processes, and solutions.

Skills

System production experience

Written and verbal communication

Leadership

Problem solving

UUV testing experience

Project management

Microsoft Office

Visio

Open Project

Crane operation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Visio

Open Project

Job description

Job DescriptionDescription

General program information and/or position overview:

Leidos' Undersea Systems Division is seeking a Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA to join a fast-paced R&D engineering group. This role is a unique opportunity to drive innovation in underwater vehicle systems, maritime sensors, subsea telemetry, and ISR solutions that support critical defense and security missions at Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific (NIWC PAC).

Leidos' USD is a recognized leader in C4ISR technologies, delivering innovative, mission-critical solutions across sensor networks, unmanned systems, and tactical platforms. We're known for achieving "industry firsts" in the most challenging maritime domains.

The selected candidate will be part of an elite, top-notch group and will be responsible for overseeing and managing the acceptance, testing, and certification of unmanned maritime vehicles for a rapid-paced, high-priority project. This is a high-impact leadership role that bridges the gap between the vehicle R&D team and the onsite production team. The Vehicle Production Lead manages the laboratory/shop environment, directs a team of technicians, and ensures that each unmanned platform meets the government's rigorous testing requirements and system specifications.

Join us and be part of a world-class team delivering unmatched solutions for today's most pressing maritime missions.

This position will require the candidate to maintain a Top Secret Clearance.

This position will require the candidate to work a 9/80B schedule (80 hours of work into nine days over a two-week period, allowing for every other Friday off) to align with the NIWC government team.

Primary Responsibilities

• Coordinate with NIWC Vehicle SMEs to review vehicle system data and address unforeseen technical issues.
• Support the Test Director with planning and executing at-sea Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs), performance testing, and certification checks.
• Manage and maintain the Master Production Schedule (MPS) along with system software and hardware baseline milestones.
• Engage with industry partners on schedules, issues, and resources that impact NIWC's ability to deliver fully tested and operational vehicles on schedule.
• Keep NIWC project leadership (PM, DPM, LSE, and Vehicle Lab Lead) informed of risks, issues, and challenges.
• Oversee the configuration of vehicles to support sponsor requirements.
• Generate vehicle readiness reports and track the status of each vehicle's issues/failures.
• Manage vehicle inventory, materials, parts, and procurement of lab supplies.
• Align the flow of materials to meet production requirements.
• Prepare procurement requests for the production or purchase of components or parts based on the Master Production Schedule, shop load, and inventory requirements.
• Manage vehicle production lab space and test equipment.
• Manage local test procedures, tools, and equipment for conducting vehicle preparation, checkout, and post data offload for each system and at-sea event.
• Coordinate with industry partners to develop in-lab test procedures, plans, tools, and equipment to ensure proper Factory and Government Acceptance Testing.
• Liaison between Engineering/R&D and Production teams.
• Implement, manage, and oversee quality assurance and configuration management programs for the vehicle production effort.
• Maintain current knowledge of the quality control field, relying on current literature pertaining to materials use, technological advances, or statistical studies.
• Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.
• Affect significant improvements in projects, processes, and solutions to enhance results.

Basic Qualifications

• U.S. with ability to obtain TOP SECRET security clearance; active SECRET clearance required.
• Bachelor's (or higher) degree from an accredited institution and 5+ years of relevant experience.

• Process-oriented and attention to detail.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Experience working with and managing small groups.
• Must be flexible and responsive to customer needs.
• Requires frequent movement around piers, docks, and facility spaces.
• Required to transport or lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds across the facility.
• Requires constant use of hands/fingers to operate machinery, tools, or computer equipment.
• Requires ability to move about the warehouse, stoop, kneel, or reach for extended periods.
• Ability to climb ladders up to 20 feet.
• Able and willing to work aboard marine vessels of various sizes, sometimes overnight.
• Requires work in various temperatures and inclement weather.
• Required to work in /or in loud production environments.
• Supervise 1+ personnel in their daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly activities and provide mentoring, guidance, and career discussions for direct report employee(s).
• Be responsible for hiring, firing, raises, promotions, and all HR associated actions for direct report employee(s).

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• System production experience
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and teamwork abilities.
• Highly organized and able to prioritize tasks for team members.
• Ability to read, understand, and interpret complex technical documents.
• Strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills
• UUV testing experience (or general at-sea test experience)
• Project management experience
• Experience with Microsoft Office and Visio
• Experience with Open Project is a plus
• Ability to operate crane/davit
• Capable of supporting at-sea testing is a plus
• Small boat certified (or willingness to get certified) is a plus

SUBSEAMSS

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

August 19, 2026

Pay Range

Pay Range $82,550.00 - $149,225.00

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 [emailprotected].

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 , , , , , citizenship, , physical or mental , medical condition, genetic information, , family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, , 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.