Applied R&D Systems Engineer

Job

Location:

CHANTILLY, VA, United States

Date Posted:
Dec 30, 2025

Category:
Software

Subcategory: SW Systems Engr

Schedule:

Full-time

Shift: Day Job

Travel:
Yes, 10 % of the Time

Minimum

Clearance Required:

TS/SCI with Poly

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:
None

Potential for Remote Work:
On-Site

SAIC seeks an R&D Systems Engineer to join our team of professionals providing technical and program services to the U.S. Government (USG). SAIC provides research, engineering, design, analysis, acquisition, development, integration, test, and operations support USG Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) customers. We support development and delivery of next generation and generation after next national security systems based on land, at sea, in air, and in space.

The engineer sought here serves a USG Program Office leading Research & Development (R&D) of evolutionary, revolutionary, and transformational space systems and technology. This position provides Systems Engineering & Technical Advisory (SETA) support services.

• Technical review and assessment of concepts, systems, technologies, designs, architectures, interfaces, and operation of space and ground systems.
• Feasibility and applicability of relevant systems and technologies to ground systems and machine learning capabilities.
• Analysis of alternatives to optimize technical, cost, and schedule performance and improve knowledge and understanding of systems, technology, and architecture tradeoffs.
• Technical and programmatic support through the entire project life cycle including concept development, system definition, acquisition planning, source selection, system design, development, integration and test, system delivery, and mission operations for machine learning systems.
• Briefings and reports including technical and programmatic assessments presenting analysis, results, conclusions, and recommendations. Brief USG staff and industry partners, as requested.
• Active member of enterprise R&D, learning, and innovation environment creating, gathering, and sharing knowledge to grow organizational competency and capability.

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Poly.
• Bachelor’s degree with five (5) years’ experience;
  Master’s degree and three (3) years’ experience;
  PhD and zero (0) years or more experience.
• Knowledge, skills, and abilities in space ground systems.
• Proficient skills using Microsoft Office applications (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Interpersonal and communication skills for written reports, group discussion, and oral presentations.

• Knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or experience in one ormore of the following:
• Systems engineering and integration applied to spacecraft, ground, and launch systems.
• R&D of space and/or ground systems.
• System acquisition, design, development, integration, test, and/or flight operations.
• Spacecraft subsystems (power, thermal, attitude control, guidance, navigation, data processing, space-to-ground and/or space-to-space communications, payloads).
• Overhead space systems collection in one or more domains (signals, imagery).
• Flight safety and/or Mission Assurance of space systems.
• Artificial Intelligence and/or Machine Learning technologies.
• System modeling & simulation and/or system performance analysis.
• IC mission, organizations, disciplines, systems, and/or processes.

SAIC accepts applications on an ongoing basis and there is no deadline.

SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services and professional services. We integrate emerging technology, rapidly and securely, into mission critical operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives.

We are approximately 24,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.5 billion. For more information, visit  For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom.