Advanced Capabilities Engineer - NRO Programs Lead

Advanced Capabilities Engineer – NRO Programs Lead

Location:

US‑VA‑Reston.

Within Peraton's Space and Mission Solutions sector, there is an immediate need for a cleared Advanced Capabilities Engineer (ACE) to serve as the primary technical proposal lead for National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) opportunities. This is a full‑time, on‑site position based at Peraton locations in the Northern Virginia area, with regular presence at NRO facilities and program offices as required.

As an ACE, you sit at the intersection of technical strategy and proposal execution. You are not a pure technologist and you are not a pure proposal writer – you are the person who translates deep NRO mission understanding into winning technical approaches. You have spent enough of your career on NRO programs to understand how the NRO thinks, what it values, and what a credible technical solution looks like in their eyes.

This role is designed for a mid‑career systems engineer or technical architect who has led or significantly contributed to technical volumes on competitive NRO proposals – and who is ready to step into a role where that skill is the primary contribution. You will work closely with the NRO Mission Domain Expert, the CTO Office's Next‑Gen Technology Engineers, and the Growth Organization to ensure Peraton's NRO pursuits are technically differentiated from the first day of capture through final proposal submission.

• Lead the development of technical volumes and technical approaches for NRO proposals, owning the content from outline through final submission
• Engage with NRO program offices and technical directorates during pre‑RFP phases to build understanding of requirements, evaluation criteria, and mission priorities
• Collaborate with the NRO Mission Domain Expert to translate customer relationships and mission insight into technically differentiated proposal strategies
• Work with Next‑Gen Technology Engineers in AI/data fusion, networking, and cloud to incorporate emerging capabilities into NRO technical solutions
• Conduct competitive analysis and develop differentiation strategies that highlight Peraton's unique technical value for NRO pursuits
• Support bid/no‑bid assessments by providing technically grounded Pwin analysis and honest evaluation of Peraton's competitive position
• Participate in color team reviews – both as author and as reviewer – providing and receiving substantive technical feedback
• Maintain awareness of NRO acquisition pipeline, technology priorities, and program office activity to inform pursuit strategy
• Mentor junior engineers and proposal contributors on technical writing, solution architecture, and proposal best practices

• 8+ years of experience with a BS/BA in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, or related field; OR 6+ years with MS/MA; OR 3+ years with PhD. 4 years of additional work experience may be considered in lieu of a Bachelor's degree
• Direct experience supporting NRO programs – you understand NRO's organizational structure, acquisition processes, and mission priorities from having worked within that environment
• Demonstrated experience leading or significantly contributing to technical volumes on competitive NRO proposals – you have owned sections, not just reviewed them
• Strong systems engineering background – ability to architect solutions, develop concepts of operations, and translate requirements into technical approaches
• Experience with one or more of the following NRO mission areas: enterprise IT and infrastructure, intelligence data processing and exploitation, ground systems and base‑end networking, or systems engineering and integration
• Proven ability to work effectively in fast‑paced proposal environments with compressed timelines and evolving requirements
• Strong written communication skills – ability to write clear, compelling, evaluator‑focused technical content
• An active TS/SCI with polygraph is required

• Prior career within NRO, a major NRO contractor, or a closely affiliated intelligence community program office
• Experience on NRO SE&I contracts, enterprise IT…