Chief Engineer- Space Payloads

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact

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. Our Mission Vision and Values guide the way we do business.

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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 worlds toughest security challenges for customers with cant 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. 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 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.

Primary Responsibilities

• 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.

Basic Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelors degree with 12 years of applicable experience or a Masters 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• Space-Based IR Analytical Expertise:

  • 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.

  • Familiarity with Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC) and Bad Pixel Replacement (BPR) algorithm development for focal plane arrays (FPAs).

  • Experience conducting Stray Light and Ghosting Studies using tools like FRED or ASAP to ensure high-fidelity IR sensing against bright backgrounds.

• Mission-Specific Studies:

  • 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).

• Standards & Interfaces: * Deep familiarity with SDA (Space Development Agency) standards and optical communication terminal (OCT) specifications.

  • Experience managing Cryocooler Integration and vibration isolation studies for long-wave infrared (LWIR) or mid-wave infrared (MWIR) missions.

• 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.

If youre looking for comfort keep scrolling. At Leidos we outthink outbuild and outpace the status quo because the mission demands it. Were not hiring followers. Were recruiting the ones who disrupt provoke and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. Were already at step 30 and moving faster than anyone else dares.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand 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.