Chief Engineer

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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.

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Leidos' Defense Systems is seeking a Chief Engineer to join our team supporting the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) Flight Test Program in our Huntsville, AL, or Crane, IN offices. The candidate will provide High Speed vehicle technical leadership within Leidos and the Department of Defense customer community to execute hypersonic missile system design and testing activities. In this technical position, the candidate will be expected to apply deep domain knowledge to provide technical leadership to the program efforts to advance and execute low-cost high-cadence hypersonic flight testing. Such efforts include test vehicle design, integration, test planning, and test operations as well as any associated process improvements. With offices across the United States engaging in the defense, space, cyber and commercial fields, Leidos provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific and IT solutions.

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

Leidos Defense Systems Sector 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. To explore and learn more, click here!

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Primary Responsibilities

The Chief Engineer will lead development and execution of new missile system and testbed concepts to enable rapid, lower-cost testing of hypersonic technologies. The successful candidate will lead technical execution across all system activities, from concept development through prototyping and flight test campaign integration and mission execution. Support development of discriminating Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis techniques through contract and internal R&D.

The Chief Engineer will be expected to provide leadership in the following specific areas:

• Systems engineering, flight test engineering, and digital engineering
• Ensure proper engineering discipline, rigor, review, reporting, and focus in our solutions and planning
• Hardware and software engineering
• Engineering to support production and manufacturing
• Engineering to support logistics, maintenance, and sustainment (LMS)
• Engineering resource and talent planning
• Supporting our Customers with engineering solutions and processes that reduce cost and risk, and that enable agility, speed, and security
• Development and mentoring of engineering staff to include providing career guidance and professional growth opportunities for high potential employees

Additionally, as a leader on the MACH-TB Team, the successful candidate will interface directly with Sr. Leadership, program management, military and other government personnel, and a team of multi-discipline design and development engineers, both internal and external, to support the program's complex and thorough test and evaluation requirements. The candidate must be able to guide the development of test and evaluation strategies utilizing models, simulations, analyses, tests, and demonstrations. A firm understanding of missile system architectures, system interfaces, performance requirements verification and validation techniques is essential for the role. The selected candidate will lead presentation of the test plans and related artifacts they have developed to the customer in formal design reviews and will serve as a customer liaison in test and evaluation IPTs.

Basic Qualifications

• Candidate must have an ABET-accredited Bachelor's Degree in an engineering field with 20+ years of relevant experience OR an ABET-accredited Masters with 15+ years of relevant experience
• Management of multi-disciplinary engineering teams, integrated product teams, and working groups
• Management and oversight over rigorous system engineering processes and tools to include requirements management, baseline management, risk management, configuration management, schedule management, verification and validation, and reporting
• Developing, enforcing, and improving engineering policy, standards, best practices, and management
• Candidate must have strong technical background in weapon systems and flight systems (or subsystems)
• Candidate must have experience in Flight Test and Analysis for rocket, missile or hypersonic development flight testing
• Candidate must have extensive experience performing risk management, test planning and/or proposal development
• Strong verbal and written skills are required along with public speaking skills
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with senior leadership (internal/client) on matters of strategic importance to the organization/project
• Capability of performing in a collaborative engineering environment, working closely with multi-disciplinary teams
• Ability to mentor, lead, and promote talent
• Organizational skills to document work and interface with team members to ensure flow of information
• Must be able to travel up to 25%
• A with a current DOD Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• A current DOD Top Secret clearance
• Experience with prototype production efforts
• Solid, practical knowledge of complex missile or space systems, system integration, and associated testing

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:
January 12, 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 $154,050.00 - $278,475.00

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.