Chief Engineer

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 sustainably. 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.

Your greatest work is ahead!

Leidos’ Defense Systems Persistent Surveillance Portfolio is seeking a highly experienced Chief Engineer to lead the technical execution of a large, multi-phase U.S. Air Force radar program with concurrent development, test, production, and sustainment activities.

As Chief Engineer, you will serve as the technical authority across multiple product lines and configurations, ensuring design integrity, technical performance, and disciplined engineering execution. This role requires a systems-minded leader who can balance near-term production needs with long-term technology advancement.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

About Leidos Defense Systems Sector

Leidos Defense Systems Sector offers a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Our defense solutions 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 solves the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead overall technical execution, system performance, and compliance with requirements across multiple product lifecycle stages.
• Provide technical direction and oversight to subsystem leads, Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), and specialty engineering disciplines to ensure design maturity, integration, and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with the Chief Scientist to identify, evaluate, and mature emerging technologies for integration into production baselines.
• Ensure technical baselines are well-defined, configuration-controlled, and traceable throughout design, testing, and production.
• Lead technical readiness assessments, design reviews, and engineering change processes to maintain alignment with program goals and customer expectations.
• Partner with Program Management, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to meet cost, schedule, and manufacturability targets.
• Support trade studies, performance analyses, and design updates to improve capability, reliability, and lifecycle supportability.
• Communicate technical progress, challenges, and opportunities to senior leadership and government stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop engineering staff, fostering a culture of innovation, rigor, and collaboration.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or related Engineering field plus 15-20 years of progressive engineering experience, including 5+ years in a lead or chief engineer role on large DoD or aerospace programs.
• OR Master's degree in electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or related Engineering field plus 13-16 years of progressive engineering experience, including 5+ years in a lead or chief engineer role on large DoD or aerospace programs.
• Proven success leading complex, multidisciplinary engineering teams through concurrent development, integration, testing, and production.
• Ability to balance long-term R&D investment with production program requirements.
• Strong system-level engineering expertise including requirements management, integration, and verification.
• Excellent technical judgment with the ability to communicate complex issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience with formal design review processes (PDR/CDR), configuration management, and risk management.
• Active DoD Secret clearance.
• Candidate must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Huntsville – North Alabama, AL, area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or related Engineering field.
• Experience with radar, EO/IR, or advanced sensing technologies.
• Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), digital engineering tools, and design-to-manufacture workflows.
• Demonstrated success transitioning technology from prototype to production systems.
• Experience working within or leading cross-company or joint-service development efforts.

Ready to make an impact?

Join us in solving critical national defense challenges. Share your resume with us today!

At Leidos, we don’t want someone who "fits the mold"—we want someone who melts it down and builds something better. This is a role for the restless, the over-caffeinated, the ones who ask, “what’s next?” before the dust settles on “what’s now.”

If you’re already scheming step 20 while everyone else is still debating step 2… good. You’ll fit right in.

Original Posting:

October 29, 2025

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 $148,850.00 - $269,075.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and 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.