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Focal Plane Engineer

SAIC

Chantilly, VAFull-time$200–240K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$200–240K/yr
Location
Chantilly, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

TS/SCI clearance

Job overview

SAIC seeks a Focal Plane Engineer with space-domain experience to support a program office in Chantilly, Virginia. The engineer will support a Government point of contact overseeing focal-plane design and implementation, provide technical coaching and mentoring, and coordinate related work such as major program reviews. The role focuses on electro-optical payload focal-plane systems, including design, integration, characterization, calibration, testing, and operational support.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Intelligence ProcessesCommunicationCollaborationStrategic ProactivitySensor PhenomenologyAnomaly ResolutionFocal Plane DesignFocal Plane ManufacturingFocal Plane CalibrationDetector Technology EvaluationArray ArchitecturePixel ConfigurationReadout Integrated CircuitsVNIRFocal Plane IntegrationDetector PackagingElectrical InterconnectsThermal Control SystemsFocal Plane CharacterizationSystems Engineering ProcessesSatellite SystemsSpace Systems DesignIntegration and TestTest Equipment Support

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Aerospace or Systems Engineering or Related +14 Years; Master's +12 YearsActive TS/SCI With PolygraphDoW/IC Programs and SOW ComplianceInstallation/Test Procedure ReviewRisk Identification and Discrepancy ResolutionOn-Site SupportINCOSE ESEP or CSEPImplementation Plan ReviewTravel Up to 25% Monthly

Full job description

Description

SAIC is looking for a Focal Plane Engineer with Space-domain experience in Chantilly, VA to support a very dynamic and innovative space program office in Chantilly, VA. In this position, you will provide technical support, coaching and mentoring Government points of contact (GPOCs) relative to ongoing capability development activities happening across diverse geographically located contractor facilities. You will also be coordinating other scopes of related work such as major program reviews.

The job requires knowledge of intelligence processes and plans, excellent communication and collaboration skills, the ability to create unique work products, while having the ability to be strategically proactive. This position requires an active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Polygraph. The Focal Plane Engineer directly supports the GPOC overseeing the design and implementation of focal planes. The potential candidate needs to be proficient with sensor phenomenology and anomaly resolution, along with modern system manufacturing and implementation.

Role Responsibilities:

  • Design, manufacture, and calibrate focal planes, focal plane assemblies, and focal plane electronics for electro-optical payloads.

  • Evaluate detector technologies, array architectures, pixel configurations, and readout integrated circuits to meet system performance requirements.

  • Apply specialized knowledge of the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) domain to support electro-optical sensor and instrument development.

  • Lead the design and integration of focal plane assemblies and focal plane electronics with electro-optical sensors and instruments.

  • Collaborate with optics and systems engineers to optimize detector performance within the overall imaging system.

  • Support the development and troubleshooting of detector packaging, electrical interconnects, and thermal control systems.

  • Perform focal plane characterization and calibration in factory and laboratory environments, as well as during mission operations.

  • Support the development, integration, testing, and operational use of electro-optical payload focal plane systems.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field and 14 years of experience; Masters and 12 years of experience.

  • Active TS/SCI with Polygraph within the last 2 years

  • Familiarity with DoW/IC programs and SOW compliance

  • Strong organizational and communication skills within high pressure environments

  • Experience in reviewing installation/test procedures, monitoring execution, identifying risks, discrepancy resolution and on-site support

  • The ability to travel up to 25% of a given month, averaging 10% per year

Desired:

  • INCOSE ESEP or CSEP

  • Experience using systems engineering processes, methods, tools, and program roles to develop, implement, and deploy solutions for Satellite Systems.

  • Experience reviewing implementation plans and other related documents.

  • Thorough understanding of space systems design, integration and test requirements and test execution, including test equipment support.

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

REQNUMBER: 2618587

SAIC is a premier technology integrator, solving our nation's most complex modernization and systems engineering challenges across the defense, space, federal civilian, and intelligence markets. Our robust portfolio of offerings includes high-end solutions in systems engineering and integration; enterprise IT, including cloud services; cyber; software; advanced analytics and simulation; and training. We are a team of 23,000 strong driven by mission, united purpose, and inspired by opportunity. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $6.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For information on the benefits SAIC offers, see Working at SAIC. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability

How this job compares

Set against the 11,696 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$200–240K/yr
  • Virginia median$120–182K/yr854 salary ranges
  • US median$116–190K/yr8,703 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $220K, is 45% above the Virginia median midpoint ($152K) — in the top quarter of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 1,087 open Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia and 11,696 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 14 years of experience — more than three in four Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 9,778 postings).
Education
4,476 of the 11,696 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 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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