Chief Engineer

The Emerging Space Systems Division at Leidos currently has an opening for a Chief Engineer to work in our San Diego, CA office. This is an exciting opportunity to use your experience to develop novel EO/IR sensors for Space-based missions, including Missile Warning/Tracking, Missile Defense, Space Domain Awareness, and others. In this mission, we design and mature next-generation space-based payloads, transitioning critical technology from laboratory environments to flight‑ready hardware.

This role focuses on the end-to-end development of prototype optical sensors, bridging the gap between TRL 4 and TRL 7 to ensure mission success in orbital environments.

• Serve as the primary technical authority for the design, integration, and testing of space‑qualified optical sensor systems.
• Lead multi‑disciplinary engineering teams, providing technical direction across mechanical, electrical, thermal, algorithm development, and software engineering workflows.
• Lead hardware maturation efforts to transition technologies from breadboard validation (TRL
  4) through space‑qualified prototyping and demonstration (TRL
  7).
• Direct the integration of complex sensor processing algorithms into flight software architectures, ensuring real‑time performance and data integrity.
• Conduct rigorous trade studies and design reviews (PDR, CDR) to ensure sensor performance meets stringent mission requirements for sensitivity, resolution, and SWaP‑C.
• Oversee environmental testing protocols, including thermal vacuum (TVAC), vibration, and radiation hardening, to validate flight readiness.

• Education & Experience:
  
  Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years of applicable experience, or a Master’s degree with 10+ years of experience. Additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Security Clearance:
  Must have a Secret security clearance to be considered for the position.
• Subject Matter Expertise:
  Must be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) within IR optical or opto‑mechanical engineering (e.g., precision mechanisms, optical housing design, or opto‑thermal stability).
• Technical Breadth:
  Demonstrated working knowledge of associated engineering disciplines, including software development, algorithm maturation, and electrical systems.
• Space Flight Heritage:
  Proven track record of leading space‑based payload development programs through the full flight qualification lifecycle.
• Active SECRET clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.

• Space‑Based IR Analytical Expertise:
• Mission‑Specific Studies:
• Standards & Interfaces:
  * Deep familiarity with SDA (Space Development Agency) standards and optical communication terminal (OCT) specifications.
• Tools:
  Expertise in specialized design software such as Zemax, Code V, or MATLAB/Simulink for system‑level performance simulation.
• Proficiency in digital signal processing (DSP) or computer vision algorithms related to optical sensing.
• Expertise in the procurement and management of high‑reliability (Hi‑Rel) space components and sub‑tier supplier technical oversight.
• Expertise in hyperspectral imaging, seekers, laser communications, or other sensing modalities or missions.

April 30, 2026

Pay Range $ - $

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.