Systems Engineer Section Manager

Leidos; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 108,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos is hiring a Systems Engineering Section Manager for the Huntsville, AL office. You will lead a team of direct-report Systems Engineers within a matrix organization, while maintaining your technical commitments across multiple programs.

You will tailor staffing plans, guide career development, and ensure alignment with Leidos policies. The role requires DoD Secret clearance and an ABET-accredited engineering degree, with a preference for MS in System Engineering.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited degree with 8+ years experience
• Experience leading cross-discipline teams
• Active DoD Secret clearance
• Strong communication and teamwork across teams

Responsibilities

• Track long-term staffing of direct reports and their careers
• Check in with direct reports weekly or biweekly
• Coordinate with technical supervisors
• Track equipment requests and office space
• Report status to Branch Manager weekly
• Interview new SE Branch candidates
• Onboard new employees and train on Leidos policies
• Counsel employees with performance issues

Skills

Team leadership

Requirements derivation

Verification planning

DoD clearance

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

MS in System Engineering

Tools

DOORS

JAMA

Cameo/MagicDraw

Job description

Description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

Are you ready for your next career challenge?

Leidos Defense provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions.

The Systems Engineering Branch at Leidos currently has an opening for a Systems Engineering Section Manager to work in our Huntsville, Alabama office. ThisSection Manager will join a team of 5 managers in the SE Branch, where they will be involved in the daily management decisions for the branch. TheSection Manager will be expected to maintain their current technical commitments while taking on Section Management.

The Section Manager will be responsible for at least six direct-report Systems Engineers within the Branch, which is a matrixed organization. These direct reports may be working different programs, have varying experience levels, and have different specialties (e.g. Risk, Reliability). The expectation for the Section Manager is:

• Track the long-term staffing of their direct reports.
• Help their direct reports manage their careers long-term by finding them opportunities that are aligned with their desires and skillsets.
• Check in with their direct reports frequently (as determined by the Section Manager, but weekly or every other week is suggested) to track their job satisfaction.
• Work with direct reports’ technical supervisors to ensure the supervisors are satisfied with their performance.
• Track requests for items like purchased equipment (e.g. headsets).
• Report back on direct reports’ status to the Branch Manager weekly.
• Interview new candidates for the SE Branch.
• Onboard new employees, including putting requests in for new equipment, identifying office space, meeting new employees on their first day, and training the new employee on Leidos policy and procedure.
• Counsel employees with performance difficulties

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering,Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent degree from an ABET-accredited university with8+ years of experience or an MS with6+ years.
• Experience in derivingand managingrequirements for complex electrical, electro-mechanical, mechanical, and software systems.
• Experience creating verification and testplans, andcoordinating system integration and test activities to support verification of system level requirements.
• Basic understanding ofinterceptor systems
• Experience leading cross-discipline and product teams
• Demonstratedexperience effectively communicating within a team environment, including leading and conducting Technical Design Reviews
• Resident of the North Alabama area or willing torelocateto the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.
• Active DoD Secret clearance. (U.S. Citizenship is required)

Preferred Qualifications

Preference shown to candidates whopossessa Master of Science in System Engineering from an ABET-accredited university.

Preferred candidates will also have experience and/or working knowledge with:

• Requirements management tools, such as DOORS, JAMA, or Cameo/MagicDraw.
• Demonstratedexperience effectively leading a team of engineers.
• Demonstratedexperience accurately estimating the engineering effort (i.e.hours) associated with Systems Engineering tasks.
• Understanding of the DoD acquisition processes and methods
• Experience supporting one or more DoD programs
• Object Management Group (OMG) Certified System Modeler Professional (OCSMP) certification
• INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification (ASEP or CSEP)

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 18, 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

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.