Acquisition Program Engineer, SSC/SW
Chantilly, VAFull-time$102–158K/yrPosted today
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At a glance
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Job overview
Space Systems Command seeks an Acquisition Program Engineer in Chantilly, Virginia, to support development and acquisition of advanced sensing capabilities. The engineer will work across a system-of-systems environment, translating operational needs into technical solutions and helping shape program strategies. The ideal candidate has experience with complex space, airborne, sensor, or weapon-system capabilities and can lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts, assess alternatives, and advise senior leaders.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Summary
Do not email applications. To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here. For additional information on other USSF direct hire opportunities visit the Air Force Civilian Careers Space Force website and follow USSF on LinkedIn.
Duties
The United States Space Force (USSF) in Chantilly, VA is searching for an Acquisition Program Engineer to support SSC/SW (NH-0801-03, GS-12/13 Equivalent). Description: Join Space Systems Command as a General Engineer supporting the development and acquisition of advanced sensing capabilities that strengthen space-enabled mission outcomes. In this role, you will lead and support complex engineering projects and studies within established cost, schedule, and performance constraints, with a focus on advanced sensor acquisition, and targeting capabilities. You will work across a dynamic system-of-systems environment to translate operational needs into sound technical solutions, resolve challenging integration issues, manage technical risk, and help shape program strategies. Looking for an innovative, collaborative engineer who can bring together diverse technical and program stakeholders to achieve shared objectives. You will apply sound engineering judgment to evaluate complex problems, develop and assess alternatives, and provide clear, actionable recommendations to senior leaders. Success in this position requires the ability to manage priorities and resources, coordinate with customers and partner organizations, monitor progress, and evaluate results. Strong communication, relationship-building, and negotiation skills are essential to explaining highly technical concepts, building consensus, and advancing solutions that meet operational expectations. Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate is an experienced engineer with a background in systems, aerospace, electronics, or a related engineering discipline, with demonstrated experience supporting the acquisition, development, integration, testing, or sustainment of complex space, airborne, sensor, or weapon-system capabilities. The candidate should be able to independently lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts; develop and manage system requirements, specifications, and performance objectives; assess technical alternatives; and provide recommendations that balance cost, schedule, performance, reliability, supportability, and technical risk. Experience integrating hardware, software, sensors, and mission systems across multiple platforms or domains is highly desirable. The candidate should be skilled in systems engineering, specialty engineering, mission assurance, lifecycle management, risk mitigation, and technical analysis. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential for preparing technical reports, presenting briefings, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and advising leadership. Experience with advanced sensing architectures, Airborne/Space Moving Target Indication (AMTI), space systems, surveillance or reconnaissance systems, sensor integration, or similar mission areas is preferred. Qualifications
The 0801 series has an individual occupational requirement that must be met and can be viewed here. In addition to the above requirements you can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 4th section titled Professional and Scientific Positions.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here: Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position. Other Information
Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information. Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.
How this job compares
Set against the 11,894 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$102–158K/yr
- Virginia median$120–184K/yr865 salary ranges
- US median$115–190K/yr8,804 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $130K, is 14% below the Virginia median midpoint ($152K) — in the middle half of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Virginia.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 1,107 open Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia and 11,894 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 3 to 8 years (9,814 postings).
- Education
- 4,402 of the 11,894 open Systems Engineer jobs (37%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 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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