Program Chief Engineer

Leidos • Huntsville, AL

428d • $148,850 - $269,075

About The Position

The Program Chief Engineer at Leidos is responsible for overseeing the technical performance of programs related to national defense, ensuring that engineering teams meet cost and schedule constraints while delivering high-quality solutions. This role serves as the primary technical interface with customers and senior leadership, guiding design decisions and maintaining the technical baseline throughout the product lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Software, Electrical, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering or equivalent field from an ABET accredited school is required; Master's preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience as Chief Engineer or similar role, and at least 15 years of experience with engineering complex systems through the whole product development cycle.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing tools and techniques.
• Experience engineering complex electro-mechanical systems, with optical systems being a plus.
• Experience building and delivering products that operate in the space environment.
• Demonstrable experience with process control and root cause analysis using data-driven techniques.
• Demonstrated experience with design for manufacturability and design for test.
• Multi-disciplinary knowledge and experience in systems, electrical, software, mechanical, manufacturing, and test engineering.
• Experience providing accurate estimates at completion (EAC) values.
• Familiarity with modern software development techniques like Agile and SecDevOps.
• Proficient at Office Products, document creation, and data analysis.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Excellent team player and able to travel at least 25% of the time.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret Clearance (U.S. citizenship required).

Nice To Haves

• Mechanical engineering development skills using Solidworks and Windchill.
• Electrical engineering development skills using Altium.
• Experience with software development using the Green Hills IDE and RTOS.
• Experience with firmware (FPGA) development using Vivado.
• Experience with modern software development using git branching structures and continuous integration with Gitlab.
• Experience managing a team using the Atlassian tool chain (Confluence, JIRA).
• Experience developing automated custom reports on programmatic and/or technical performance.
• Experience with tracking optical telescope usage and design skills.
• Proficient in python script development.
• Experience with spacecraft or payload development, launch, and/or operations.
• Experience with SDA, NRO, SSC/SMC/MDA or other space/missile defense agencies.
• Experience with Model-based systems engineering, digital engineering, and DevSecOps principles.
• Proficient in information technology skills in Windows and Linux.

Responsibilities

• Works closely with the Program Manager to maintain consistent design and project direction.
• Ensures that the engineering teams properly account for cost and schedule constraints in their design decisions.
• Serves as the program's primary technical interface with the customer and Leidos senior leadership.
• Responds to requests for technical information and reviews/approves the information aggregated by the program team.
• Models the use of sound engineering principles and provides disciplined guidance for successful execution of technical plans.
• Ensures that the delivered end-product(s) provide the necessary operational capability while meeting system requirements and quality objectives.
• Provides oversight and mentoring to the program's technical teams, designers, and analysts throughout the full product lifecycle.
• Assists with requirement analysis, mission analysis, and system design trade-offs.
• Collaborates with the program's Lead System Engineer to ensure system requirements and architecture are properly defined and communicated.
• Drives the use of standard Leidos division processes across the program and proposes process tailoring to optimize execution.
• Supports the engineering staff in the analysis and resolution of engineering issues and coordinates additional resources as required.
• Actively supports identification of root causes and resolutions when failures occur.
• Participates in all system level and customer-facing engineering technical meetings.
• Reviews and approves program specific system engineering trade studies.
• Addresses and resolves technical disputes between engineering teams.
• Maintains and shares lessons learned throughout program execution.

Benefits

• Competitive salary range of $148,850.00 - $269,075.00
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth
• Comprehensive health insurance
• 401k retirement savings plan
• Paid holidays and vacation time
• Flexible work arrangements

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree