Program Engineer

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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 sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business. 

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Leidos’ Defense Systems Defense Sensors is seeking a highly motivated and organized Project Engineer to support execution of a complex, fast-paced defense modernization effort. This role will be required to support multiple tasks in parallel, productively contribute to and lead team environments, and communicate effectively with management, coworkers, and customers. The ideal candidate will lead cross-functional engineering activities, manage technical baselines, track deliverables, and serve as the integration focal point between Systems, Software, Mechanical, Electrical, Test, and Program Management teams. This role requires strong technical leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to drive execution across multiple engineering disciplines in a fast-paced environment. You must also be self-motivated and highly organized with a focus on managing expectations with a constant goal of generating high quality products on time and within budget. In this role, you will partner with the integrated product team (IPT) lead to develop and maintain the development schedule, including creating task networks, ensuring execution progress, updating estimates to complete, and capturing the drivers behind cost and schedule variances.  

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!  

Leidos Defense Systems Sector 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. To explore and learn more, click here! 

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Primary Responsibilities 

• Directly support program management office in successful execution of all aspects of the program(s) including cost, schedule, procurement, integration, resource management  

• Collaborate with program management on staffing forecasts, estimate at completion/estimate to completion planning, and engineering services hours tracking  

• Develop, maintain, and track engineering schedules, technical deliverables, risk items, and action plans  

• Identify, document, and mitigate engineering risks and technical issues  

• Work with technical leads to define and evaluate resources and schedule required to complete defined work   

• Proactively manage the personnel performing the detailed scope of work  

• Support supplier management, subcontractor coordination, and integration of directed subcontractor activities  

• Assist in the development of technical documentation, system engineering management plan elements, verification plans, and integration schedules  

• Capture and communicate status across engineering teams and senior leadership, including weekly metrics, dashboards, and risk registers  

• Participate in system integration and test planning events, including readiness assessments and deficiency resolution  

• Review all resources and cost charging to the control account and assure its accuracy  

• Prepare control account variance analysis reports that clearly address cause, impact, and corrective action  

• Participate in applicable IPT meetings to assure technical integration  

• Work in a team environment, oversee team status on progress and issues, and elevate as needed for support 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, systems engineering, or related technical discipline from an accredited school and a minimum of four (4) years of direct experience, or a MS degree from an accredited school and two (2) years of direct experience  

• Demonstrated experience supporting large defense development programs or production programs  

• Demonstrated strong verbal and written communication skills, be able to work in a team, and develop cooperative relationships   

• Hands-on experience with engineering schedule management, integrated master schedules, or project planning tools  

• Ability to track multiple tasks and prioritize work independently  

• Ability to lead technical discussions, drive decisions, and maintain momentum within cross-functional teams  

• Experience with supply chain management and ability to work with suppliers to help them meet both hardware and non-hardware deliverable requirements  

• Must have current active Secret clearance to be considered  

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience supporting missile defense, radar, integrated air and missile defense, or other complex defense systems programs. 

• Familiarity with Integrated Master Scheduling (IMS), Earned Value Management (EVM), and risk management processes. 

• Experience supporting gate reviews, technical baseline management, or production/program integration activities. 

• Understanding of hardware development, manufacturing integration, and system test execution. 

• Experience working with subcontractors including SOW development and technical oversight. 

• Familiarity with tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Confluence, or similar program execution tools. 

• PMP certification or equivalent program management training is a plus. 

Desired Skills 

• Program execution and integration 

• Cross-functional team coordination 

• Schedule and milestone tracking 

• Risk and opportunity management 

• Action item management and closure 

• Executive-level communication 

• Technical review coordination 

• Problem solving and critical thinking 

• Team leadership and collaboration 

• Attention to detail and organizational discipline 

Work Environment 

This role operates in a collaborative program office environment supporting a large-scale defense modernization effort. The position requires strong coordination across engineering, manufacturing, operations, and customer stakeholders to ensure integrated execution of program objectives. 

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 30, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

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.