Systems Engineer Section Manager

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 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.

Are you ready for your next career challenge?

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 Systems Engineering Branch at Leidos currently has an opening for a Systems Engineering Section Manager to work in our Huntsville, Alabama office. This Section Manager will join a team of 5 managers in the SE Branch, where they will be involved in the daily management decisions for the branch. The Section Manager will be expected to maintain their current technical commitments while taking on Section Management.

The Section Manager will be responsible for at least six direct-report Systems Engineers within the Branch, which is a matrixed organization. These direct reports may be working different programs, have varying experience levels, and have different specialties (e.g. Risk, Reliability). The expectation for the Section Manager is:

• Track the long-term staffing of their direct reports.

• Help their direct reports manage their careers long-term by finding them opportunities that are aligned with their desires and skillsets.

• Check in with their direct reports frequently (as determined by the Section Manager, but weekly or every other week is suggested) to track their job satisfaction.

• Work with direct reports' technical supervisors to ensure the supervisors are satisfied with their performance.

• Track requests for items like purchased equipment (e.g. headsets).

• Report back on direct reports' status to the Branch Manager weekly.

• Interview new candidates for the SE Branch.

• Onboard new employees, including putting requests in for new equipment, identifying office space, meeting new employees on their first day, and training the new employee on Leidos policy and procedure.

• Counsel employees with performance difficulties

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent degree from an ABET-accredited university with 8+ years of experience or an MS with 6+ years.

• Experience in deriving and managing requirements for complex electrical, electro-mechanical, mechanical, and software systems.

• Experience creating verification and test plans, and coordinating system integration and test activities to support verification of system level requirements.

• Basic understanding of interceptor systems

• Experience leading cross-discipline and product teams

• Demonstrated experience effectively communicating within a team environment, including leading and conducting Technical Design Reviews

• Resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.

• Active DoD Secret clearance. (U.S. Citizenship is required)

Preferred Qualifications

Preference shown to candidates who possess a Master of Science in System Engineering from an ABET-accredited university.

Preferred candidates will also have experience and/or working knowledge with:

• Requirements management tools, such as DOORS, JAMA, or Cameo/MagicDraw.

• Demonstrated experience effectively leading a team of engineers.

• Demonstrated experience accurately estimating the engineering effort (i.e. hours) associated with Systems Engineering tasks.

• Understanding of the DoD acquisition processes and methods

• Experience supporting one or more DoD programs

• Object Management Group (OMG) Certified System Modeler Professional (OCSMP) certification

• INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) certification (ASEP or CSEP)

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:

August 18, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

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.