Airborne Solution Architect

Are you ready to lead a team to deliver Next-Generation Airborne Systems?

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.

Within the Leidos Defense Group, the Airborne Systems provides avionics, weapons, and aircraft-based solutions and operational expertise around the world for our US Military and foreign partners.  Since 9/11 Leidos has been a leader in quick reaction capabilities (QRC) deployments of advanced mission capabilities including communications, SIGINT, full-motion video, and radar sensor suites with the supporting infrastructure to provide actionable intelligence and mission effects. Over 100 aircraft have been delivered to date, and our ISR operations critically provide intelligence in world events including in eastern Europe, Africa, and the Pacific.

Your greatest work is ahead…delivering solutions to the US government and partners in response to CURRENT and emerging world events

The Defense System Sector, Airborne Systems currently has a dynamic job opportunity for a Solution Architect to support current and emerging opportunities to include Aircraft Mission Operations, such as Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) Electronic Warfare, and other missions. The Leidos Airborne team is geographically separated with primary duty locations of Manassas, VA, Bridgewater, VA, Dayton, OH, and Huntsville, AL.  

In this role, you will be responsible for providing technical leadership and oversight of developing technical initiatives, associated IRAD projects, and growth capture initiatives. You will be responsible for ensuring the viability of programs in execution, helping shape proposals with solid engineering approaches and systems engineering discipline. Duties will include contributing to and reviewing proposals and white papers, IRAD development program execution, and support to the Chief Technology Officer in engagements with customers, subcontractors, and vendors. This position reports to the Airborne Systems Chief Technology Officer under the Office of Technology in Leidos.

The Solution Architect, uses disciplined development approaches and collaboration to design, deliver and sustain aircraft, weapon, and/or avionics baselines and revisions. As a technical leader of a multi-discipline team, you will develop and update program hardware, software and processes; manage IPT and subcontractor development efforts; integrate new/updated COTS/GOTS into the baseline; support Engineering Change Proposals; perform system checkout and support the Test & Evaluation team throughout contractor testing and system fielding. You will participate in the full lifecycle of the program assisting the Program Management Team and IPT Leads on the program to ensure the on-time delivery of engineering efforts that meet program performance requirements.  It is essential that the candidate have a strong background in mission system integration, and production of systems at the program of record high-volume level (desired) or low-rate initial production level (minimum). Demonstrated experience with lessons learned (including experience with and recovery from failures and technical and execution issues), risk management, and successful mitigation planning is essential in being a successful candidate. Strong leadership talents are a must with the ability to lead, direct and manage high-end engineering staff.

Are you ready to make an impact? Begin your next journey of a flourishing and meaningful career, share your resume with us today!

Primary Responsibilities

• Effectively lead a geographically dispersed multi-discipline team to achieve the capture objectives including program schedule and all deliverable requirements 
• Develop system release schedules which meet program objectives and present those schedules to leadership and the customer
• Coordinate with the IPT and subcontractor teams to effectively build and deploy new system product
• Interface with Government customers, support contractors, and teammates
• Create and maintain documentation associated with support activities
• Provide support metrics and reporting to leadership
• Maintain performance of subsystem, as systems are tested, and checkouts completed
• Support the engineering team in the design, integration, and security posture of products; COTS, GOTS, and/or Leidos developed systems

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or STEM field with a minimum of 13+ years of related work experience, or a Masters with a minimum of 10 years of related work experience
• Aviation experience (5 years minimum), or Mission Equipment Payload (MEP) systems experience for manned, or unmanned platforms.
• Technical leadership experience (3 years minimum) leading a medium-to-large program supporting design, development, integration, and testing of a complex, multi-component system.
• Engineering domain experience including:
  • Management of multi-disciplinary engineering teams, integrated product teams, working groups, and trade studies – ownership of the technical baseline,
  • Management and oversight over rigorous system engineering processes and tools to include requirements management, baseline management, risk management, configuration management, schedule management, verification and validation, and reporting,
  • Driving discrimination and innovation in the system engineering process and tools in areas such as Digital Engineering,
  • Developing, enforcing, and improving engineering policy, standards, best practices, and management
• Ability to mentor and lead technical team.
• Possess strong troubleshooting, problem solving, and organizational and verbal/written communication skills.
• A minimum of 25-50% travel may be required to support activities at each of the primary duty location as well as CONUS.
• Current DOD Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with advanced communications technologies, weapon system development, and
• DOD airborne mission and system operational experience
• Experience with the management of system development, testing, operations and sustainment.
• Familiarity with FAA, DOD Commercial Derivative Aircraft (CDA) Programs and/or Military Airworthiness Policies
• Experienced with designing and developing solutions that align to Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA/WOSA) requirements.
• Experience in driving innovation in the model-based engineering principles (e.g. MBSE, MBE, MBD, etc.)
• Work experience with aircraft manufacturing, modification, and/or repair station operations
• Experience providing technical leadership of proposals for medium to large sized efforts ($50M-$1B).
• Familiarity and experience with Open, Agile, and Digital development methodologies
• Experience with lifecycle development of large system integration programs following DoD standards, experience with relevant quality control standards such as AS9100.

Security Clearance Requirement
A current DoD Secret with ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI clearance

Original Posting Date:

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:

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.