Systems Engineer

Systems Engineer

The Undersea Systems Division at Leidos currently has an opening for a Systems Engineer to work at a customer site in San Diego, CA. This is an exciting opportunity to apply advanced naval engineering, submarine operations, systems integration, and test-and-evaluation experience in support of large-scale fleet activities and critical maritime missions.

The selected individual will serve as a senior technical interface among engineers, fleet personnel, operational stakeholders, and customer representatives. The role will help translate operational needs into technically feasible solutions, support planning and execution of fleet activities, and communicate complex technical information to senior military and government leadership. The position requires substantial travel, including participation in overseas activities several times each year, and may involve periods of intensive support during major fleet events.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support test and evaluation activities for large-scale fleet operations and maritime systems.
• Serve as a senior technical representative in San Diego, coordinating activities among engineering organizations, fleet personnel, program stakeholders, and operational commands.
• Interface with engineers and fleet representatives to assess operational needs, evaluate technical feasibility, and negotiate achievable solutions.
• Translate operational requirements into actionable engineering, testing, integration, and demonstration activities.
• Support the assessment, planning, execution, and reporting of system-level test and evaluation events.
• Apply practical experience from both shipboard and in-water operations to evaluate system performance, operational suitability, safety, and mission effectiveness.
• Coordinate with customer representatives and other stakeholders to understand mission needs and develop appropriate technical responses.
• Prepare and deliver technical briefings, decision presentations, and status updates to senior military and government leadership, including flag-level officers.
• Develop and review test plans, test procedures, evaluation criteria, data-collection plans, and test reports.
• Analyze test results and operational data to identify deficiencies, risks, limitations, and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve technical issues and determine practical courses of action.
• Support fleet exercises, demonstrations, operational assessments, and other customer-facing events.
• Travel extensively in support of domestic and overseas test and evaluation activities, including several overseas trips per year.
• Provide increased levels of support during major operational periods, which may include approximately four months of intensive activity.
• Communicate technical information clearly to audiences with diverse technical and operational backgrounds.
• Apply sound engineering judgment while balancing operational requirements, technical constraints, schedule, cost, safety, and mission priorities.
• Support other systems engineering and test-and-evaluation activities as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in naval architecture, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, ocean engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in systems engineering, naval engineering, test and evaluation, fleet operations, or a related maritime technical field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex maritime, naval, shipboard, submarine, or other defense systems.
• Experience interfacing with engineers, fleet personnel, operators, and government or military customers to address operational requirements and technical issues.
• Experience developing, reviewing, or executing test and evaluation plans, test procedures, technical assessments, or operational evaluations.
• Experience communicating complex technical and operational information through written products, briefings, and senior-level presentations.
• Ability to travel extensively, including domestic and overseas travel several times per year.
• Ability to work in a customer-facing environment and support periods of intensive operational activity.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior U.S. military service, particularly experience in the U.S. Navy.
• Submarine experience, including submarine operations, maintenance, engineering, testing, or fleet support.
• Naval Special Warfare experience or experience supporting special operations maritime missions.
• Experience supporting fleet activities, operational assessments, demonstrations, or exercises.
• Experience with shipboard systems, underwater systems, maritime operations, or in-water testing.
• Experience supporting senior military leadership or other senior government officials.
• Experience translating operational needs into engineering requirements, test objectives, evaluation criteria, or technical recommendations.
• Naval architecture, naval engineering, nuclear engineering, or advanced systems engineering experience.
• Experience coordinating among government organizations, engineering teams, fleet personnel, contractors, and operational commands.
• Graduate degree in engineering, naval architecture, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience working with classified programs, operational planning, or defense-intelligence organizations.

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.