Operational Test and Evaluation Engineer

The Undersea Systems Division at Leidos currently has an opening for an Operational Test and Evaluation 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 maritime systems, fleet operations, exercises, demonstrations, and operational assessments.
• Serve as a technical representative at the customer site in San Diego, coordinating with engineering organizations, fleet personnel, program teams, and operational commands.
• Engage with engineers, operators, and fleet representatives to understand operational needs, assess technical feasibility, and identify achievable solutions.
• Translate operational requirements and mission objectives into engineering, testing, integration, and demonstration activities.
• Support the planning, execution, assessment, and reporting of system-level test and evaluation events.
• Apply systems engineering and operational knowledge to evaluate system performance, operational suitability, safety, mission effectiveness, and technical risks.
• Coordinate with customer representatives and other stakeholders to develop technical recommendations and responses to mission needs.
• Prepare and deliver technical briefings, decision presentations, status updates, and recommendations to senior military and government leadership.
• Develop, review, and execute test plans, test procedures, evaluation criteria, data-collection plans, and test reports.
• Analyze test results, operational data, and field observations to identify deficiencies, limitations, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve technical issues and develop practical courses of action.
• Support fleet exercises, operational demonstrations, test events, and other customer-facing activities.
• Coordinate activities across engineering, operations, program management, and government stakeholders.
• Provide technical support during periods of increased operational tempo or surge activity.
• Travel extensively in support of domestic and international test and evaluation activities.
• Communicate technical information clearly to audiences with varied technical, operational, and leadership backgrounds.
• Apply sound engineering judgment while balancing operational requirements, technical constraints, schedule, cost, safety, and mission priorities.
• Support other systems engineering, integration, and test-and-evaluation activities as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in systems engineering, naval architecture, mechanical engineering, ocean engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in systems engineering, naval engineering, test and evaluation, maritime operations, fleet support, or a related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex maritime, naval, shipboard, submarine, underwater, or other defense systems.
• Experience working with engineers, operators, fleet personnel, government customers, or military stakeholders to address operational requirements and technical issues.
• Experience developing, reviewing, or executing test and evaluation plans, test procedures, technical assessments, operational evaluations, or related engineering documentation.
• Experience analyzing technical or operational data and communicating findings through written products, briefings, and presentations.
• Ability to work effectively in a customer-facing environment with senior government, military, and technical personnel.
• Ability and willingness to travel extensively, including domestic and international travel several times per year.
• Ability to support periods of increased operational activity, including exercises, demonstrations, assessments, and field events.
• Must have a current Secret clearance and the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior U.S. military service, with a strong preference for former U.S. Navy Officers.
• Experience serving in a naval operational, engineering, acquisition, or test-and-evaluation role.
• Submarine experience, including submarine operations, maintenance, engineering, testing, fleet support, or shipboard systems.
• Experience supporting Naval Special Warfare, special operations maritime missions, or other undersea operational communities.
• Experience supporting large-scale fleet activities, operational assessments, demonstrations, exercises, or field testing.
• Hands-on experience with shipboard, underwater, maritime, or in-water systems.
• Experience translating operational needs into system requirements, test objectives, evaluation criteria, engineering analyses, or technical recommendations.
• Experience briefing senior military leaders, flag-level officers, government executives, or other senior decision-makers.
• Experience coordinating across government organizations, engineering teams, fleet personnel, contractors, operational commands, and other stakeholders.
• Experience with systems integration, systems architecture, requirements analysis, verification and validation, or mission-level assessment.
• Background in naval architecture, naval engineering, nuclear engineering, ocean engineering, or advanced systems engineering.
• Graduate degree in engineering, naval architecture, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• DAWIA, Defense Acquisition Corps, INCOSE, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience supporting classified programs, defense acquisition, operational planning, intelligence organizations, or government test agencies.
• Experience working with maritime command-and-control, communications, combat systems, unmanned systems, or related mission technologies.

SUBSEAMSS

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.

Original Posting:

September 10, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

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.