General Engineering

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Leidos Defense provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions.

The Emerging Space Systems Division at Leidos currently has an opening for a Chief Engineer to work in our San Diego, CA office. 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.
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. 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).
Demonstrated working knowledge of associated engineering disciplines, including software development, algorithm maturation, and electrical systems.
Active SECRET clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.

Experience leading Radiometric Performance Modeling (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis, Noise Equivalent Differential Temperature (NEDT), and stray light suppression studies).
Proficiency in Thermal-Optical-Mechanical (STOP) Analysis to predict sensor performance under extreme orbital thermal gradients.
Experience conducting Stray Light and Ghosting Studies using tools like FRED or ASAP to ensure high-fidelity IR sensing against bright backgrounds.
Leading Jitter and Line-of-Sight (LOS) Stability analyses to ensure sub-microradian pointing accuracy during dynamic maneuvers.
Conducting Radiation Effects Analysis (TID, SEE) for cryogenically cooled IR detectors and associated readout integrated circuits (ROICs).
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.
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.

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. Securing Your Data

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