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Program Chief Engineer (Lead, Systems Engineer)

L3Harris

Millersville, MDJob$138–237K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$138–237K/yr
Location
Millersville, MD
Work Authorization
Citizenship required

Olive focuses on jobs in the United States, including remote roles you can work from there.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Secret clearance, required

Job overview

L3Harris seeks a Program Chief Engineer to lead engineering execution across a program’s lifecycle, with accountability for technical, cost, and schedule performance. The role oversees design, development, integration, testing, qualification, and production transition, while guiding cross-functional teams and coordinating with business-unit leadership. It also supports program planning, staffing, performance analysis, corrective action, and proposal activities.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Technical Leadership, requiredSystems Integration, requiredProgram Execution, requiredControl Account Management, requiredEarned Value Management, requiredRisk Management, requiredEngineering Metrics, requiredIntegrated Product Teams, requiredBid and Proposal Writing, requiredBasis of Estimate Review, requiredProgram Baselining, requiredWork Breakdown Structures, requiredIntegrated Master Scheduling, requiredSystems Engineering, requiredTechnical Presentations, requiredUndersea Systems, nice to haveUndersea Acoustics, nice to haveSonar Systems, nice to haveFiber Optic Systems, nice to haveEngineering Process Transformation, nice to haveDesign for Excellence, nice to haveDesign for Manufacturability, nice to haveFixed-Price Program Execution, nice to haveEngineering Management, nice to haveModel-Based Systems Engineering, nice to haveJira, nice to have

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree or 9 Years Experience, requiredGraduate Degree or 7 Years Experience, required13 Years Experience in Lieu of Degree, required9+ Years Aerospace and Defense Experience, required9+ Years Engineering Team Leadership, requiredDoD Secret Clearance or Ability to Obtain, requiredUS Citizenship, requiredDevelopment Program Transition Experience, requiredIPT/CAM Experience on Large Programs, requiredActive DoD Secret Clearance, nice to have

Benefits

Medical Insurance
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance
Parental Leave
Paid Time Off

Full job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Program Chief Engineer (Lead, Systems Engineer)

Job Code: 47127

Job Location: Millersville, MD or Herndon, VA

Job Schedule: 9/80 reg, with every other Friday off

L3Harris is currently seeking a Program Chief Engineer based in Millersville, MD. The Program Chief Engineer will be responsible and accountable for all Program engineering technical, cost and schedule performance, including technical oversight of engineering design and development, integration, test and maintenance of multiple systems within the program.

The Chief Engineer is responsible for shaping, developing, and leading an engineering team in execution of the Engineering content of the program and will be the primary program engineering representative for that program to the SBS Business Unit, working closely with the SBS Chief Engineer and General Manager. The position requires flexibility to manage multiple customer requirements (cost, schedule, technical capabilities), while using analytical and strategic skills to guide the engineering team to successful program deliveries of customer needs. A key part of this role is to work collaboratively across organizational boundaries and ensure programs are smoothly transitioned to production and deployment phases. The successful candidate is an experienced technical and business professional who is able to focus simultaneously on near and long term objectives.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • Technical leadership of a cross-functional engineering team throughout the full program lifecycle including design, development, manufacturing, formal hardware/software qualification, integration and test, transition to production, and production support.

  • Ability to direct and oversee seamless integration of mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems and systems; including internal and external stakeholders

  • Provide guidance and support to achieve project goals including participation in major design and milestone reviews, technical meetings, and project planning sessions

  • Technical leadership of a cross-functional engineering team throughout the full program lifecycle including design, development, manufacturing, formal hardware/software qualification, integration and test, and issue resolution.

  • Technical, cost, and schedule accountability for technical program execution.

  • Ability to direct and oversee seamless integration of mechanical, electrical, and software subsystems and systems; including internal and external stakeholders

  • Provide guidance and support to achieve project goals including major design and milestone reviews, technical meetings, and project planning sessions

  • Establish the engineering staffing demands and work plans for the business and collaborate with the functional engineering organization (matrix organization) to ensure appropriate resources are assigned to execute programs in accordance with time limitations and funding.

  • Develop and support a culture of continuous improvement and best practices.

  • Guide and review Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) efforts

  • Use tools such as Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS) and engineering metrics to analyze program performance and apply corrective actions.

  • Support new business pursuits and proposal cost reviews to ensure proper technology readiness, Design to Cost, and resource alignment.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.

  • 9+ years of applicable experience in Aerospace and Defense.

  • 9+ years of experience leading cross functional engineering teams (including at least one assignment leading an engineering team) through program lifecycles from proposal to production and sustainment.

  • Ability to obtain a DoD Secret Clearance, which requires US Citizenship.

  • Experience transitioning development programs through qualification to production.

  • Good working knowledge of Control Account Management (CAM) and Earned Value Management, Risk and opportunity management, as well as understanding and reporting of engineering metrics.

  • Ability to use engineering metrics, earned value metrics, and technical inputs to make decisions that drive positive program technical execution.

  • Prior experience operating within an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment as a Program Chief Engineer or IPT/CAM on a program or Control account with >$10M/yr of engineering content (excluding material) and >$40M /yr total program value (including material).

  • Bid/Proposal experience including technical volume writing and BOE review and approval.

  • Program baselining experience including review and approval of WBSs, work packages, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and budgets.

  • Working knowledge and experience implementing disciplined System Engineering Processes.

  • Experience presenting high-stakes technical briefs to internal and external stakeholders.

Desired Qualification:

  • Undersea / Subsea Systems expertise and experience

  • Undersea acoustics / sonar experience

  • Fiber optic systems experience

  • Experience building and transforming a team to implement disciplined and rigorous engineering processes to successfully execute programs on cost and schedule

  • Design for Excellent (DfX) experience; Design for Manufacturability (DfM) in particular

  • DoD and International fixed priced development and qualification program execution experience

  • Engineering discipline functional manager experience

  • Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) experience

  • Familiarity using Jira for engineering metrics

  • Active US DoD Secret Clearance, which requires US Citizenship.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Colorado state, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York state, Cleveland Ohio, Vermont and Virginia is [$137,500 MIN - $236,500 MAX]. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements. .

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.

L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer. Please click here for the E-Verify Poster in English (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) or Spanish (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) . For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here for English (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\_EEOC\_KnowYourRights\_10\_20.pdf) or Spanish (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/22-088\_EEOC\_KnowYourRightsSp\_10\_20.pdf) .

How this job compares

Set against the 10,954 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 15, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$138–237K/yr
  • Maryland median$120–198K/yr577 salary ranges
  • US median$115–187K/yr8,483 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $187K, is 17% above the Maryland median midpoint ($159K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Maryland.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 701 open Systems Engineer jobs in Maryland and 10,954 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Maryland
Experience
This posting asks for at least 9 years of experience — more than three in four Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 9,183 postings).
Education
4,122 of the 10,954 open Systems Engineer jobs (38%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 15, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.

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