Leidos is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer (LEAD) to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of the Leidos Common Automation Platform (L-CAP). L-CAP is a mission-critical, future-ready automation platform built on a hybrid cloud data mesh architecture, enabling next-generation air traffic management capabilities. You will lead systems engineering across a four-ART engineering organization, providing technical governance for requirements, interfaces, integration, verification, and safety analysis. We are building with an AI-first engineering mindset, embracing emerging AI capabilities and modern development practices to accelerate delivery, improve software quality, and continuously evolve how we design and build mission-critical systems. This position supports government programs and requires the ability to obtain andmaintaina favorable Public Trust investigation.

This role is part of a growing program, and hiring will depend on available funding. We review applications on a rolling basis, but the timeline for interviews and offers may vary. In some cases, we may extend contingent offers that become active once funding is confirmed.

This position is located in Gaithersburg, MD; Egg Harbor Township, NJ; or Eagan, MN. This is an opportunity to contribute to projects that impact millions of air travelers.

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days onsite and 2 days remote work. Candidates should reside a commutable distance to one of the above locations.

What You'll Do

Lead cross-program systems engineering activities across four ARTs
Establish and govern requirements management processes and standards
Define and manage interface control documents and integration specifications
Develop verification and validation (V&V) strategy and execution plans
Maintain requirements traceability from stakeholder needs through implementation
Lead system integration planning and execution across the platform
Conduct safety analysis including hazard identification and mitigation
Support certification activities and regulatory compliance evidence
Define and enforce SE process standards and best practices
Lead technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, and TRR
Ensure cross-ART architectural consistency byestablishingshared systems engineering standards and interface governance
Lead modernization planning from a systems engineering perspective including decomposition strategies and transition sequencing
Govern interfaces between legacy and modernized servicesmaintainingtechnical coherence across the program
Champion an AI-first engineering culture byidentifyingand applying AI-assisted development capabilities, automation, and emerging software engineering practices that improve developer productivity, code quality, testing, and delivery.

Core Technical Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of relevant experience or Master's degree and 10+ years of experience or equivalent experience.

Systems engineering leadership for large-scale, complex programs

Requirements managementexpertiseincluding decomposition and allocation

Verification and validation planning and execution at the enterprise level

Interface management across multiple subsystems and teams

MBSE andSysMLmodeling experience for complex system architectures

System integration planning and execution for distributed platforms

Safety-critical systems engineering including hazard and risk analysis

Aviation or defense domain systems engineering experience

Proficiencywith DOORS, Jama, or equivalent requirements management tools

Ability to obtain andmaintaina Public Trust clearance; US citizenshiprequired; subject to government background investigation

Experience ensuring architectural consistency across multiple development teams or release trains
Demonstrated leadership in systems engineering for large-scale modernization programs
Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust
U.S. citizenship required
Successful completion of background investigations as required by the government customer

Preferred / Desired Qualifications

FAA certification experience (DO-178C, DO-254, DO-278A)

DO-178 and DO-254 compliance and evidence development

INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)

Large program SE leadership across 100+ engineers

Model-based systems engineering approaches

Formal verification and validation methods

Experience governing interfaces between legacy and modernized services in complex system-of-systems environments

Why Leidos?

You’ll work on systems where performance, precision, and reliability matter - every second. This is not experimental AI for prototypes. This is disciplined, responsible AI applied to mission-critical software that supports national infrastructure.

If you’re excited by solving complex problems in regulated, real-world environments - and using AI as a force multiplier rather than a shortcut - we’d like to talk.

ATMC

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 21, 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 $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

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.

Job ID

R-00190342|loc1

About Leidos

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