Systems Engineer Section Manager

About the role

Ready to start your systems engineering career on one of the most exciting technologies in defense?

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.

Leidos Defense is seeking a Systems Engineer Section Manager to join a management team as a first-level line manager ("Section Manager").

The Section Manager will be responsible for up to eight 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

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.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent degree from an ABET-accredited university with 8+ years of experience or an MS with 6+ years of experience.
• Applicable Leadership Experience
• Demonstrated experience effectively communicating within a team environment.
• Resident of the North Alabama area or willing to relocate to the Huntsville - North Alabama, AL area.
• Possess a secret clearance, or have the ability to obtain a secret clearance.

AppKinetic

• 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: November 13, 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 $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.