S

Systems Planning and Analysis

Provides data-driven national security analytics

Radio Frequency and Radar

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026Deadline 7/2/27
$190k - $250k/yr+ Variable compensation opportunities
Senior
Bachelor's, Master's
Arlington County, Arlington, VA, USA
In PersonOnsite in Arlington, Virginia, based on client needs.
Electrical EngineeringRF & Microwave Engineering
No H1B Sponsorship
US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, or a related discipline is required.
  • At least 5 years of relevant experience with radar systems and engineering design for sensor systems that operate with some degree of automation.
  • An active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance is required.
  • Technical understanding of transmissions across the radio frequency spectrum, radio frequency system design, and radio frequency modeling for airborne and space-based radio frequency systems.
  • Familiarity with general systems engineering principles for complex systems development.
  • Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and reliability.
  • Ability to deliver high-quality assignments of varied and difficult nature amid challenging deadlines and operational time constraints.
  • Interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills to develop effective working relationships with staff, peers, stakeholders, and the DARPA Program Manager in a team environment.
  • Technical writing and briefing preparation skills, including conveying complex technical information to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative while achieving team goals.
  • Understanding and command of the technical baseline on a program-by-program basis for efforts within a portfolio.
  • Experience interfacing with non-technical stakeholders and communicating technical challenges, progress, and limitations at varying levels of abstraction.
  • Experience working in classified settings with Special Access Programs and across security environments with stakeholders from the Defense Industrial Base.
  • Ability to work fully onsite based on client needs.
Responsibilities
  • Provide onsite technical advice and guidance to the government on technology development for radio frequency systems design and operations for airborne and spaceborne systems.
  • Support and monitor industry and academic researchers' technical performance in integrating, testing, deploying prototypes, and transitioning technologies related to collaborative and distributed radar systems.
  • Support meetings and technical exchanges, assess research performers' technical progress, characterize and support evaluation of technology approaches, and ensure research entities follow project management best practices.
  • Prepare and deliver technical reports, briefings, and presentations to government officials and technology transition stakeholders.
  • Support new programs by ensuring they are technically compelling and strategically grounded in agency and office-level visions.
  • Navigate the new-start process, evaluate program concepts, provide actionable input, and strengthen pipeline concepts.
  • Conduct military needs analyses, assessments of research-base state of the art, trade studies, sensitivity analyses, program scope and change impact assessments, technical monitoring, and reporting on results; develop recommendations for paths forward.
Desired Qualifications
  • An advanced degree in computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, or a related discipline.
  • Experience performing research and developing innovative technologies rapidly in response to emerging threats.
  • Experience directly engaging with government transition partners within the Department of Defense and/or intelligence community.
  • Experience building systems for complex, denied, disrupted, intermittent, and limited, contested, and non-benign operating environments.

About the company

S

Systems Planning and Analysis

View

SPA helps the U.S. government make high-stakes national security decisions by using modeling, simulation, and rigorous analysis. It builds data-driven analyses and forecasts outcomes for programs across the Navy, DoD, Homeland Security, and Energy, including space systems, cyber, and undersea warfare. It differentiates itself through decades of government-focused work, strategic acquisitions (MCR Federal, Intrepid, Group W), and an Office of Innovation that expands capabilities in AI, data science, and digital engineering. Its goal is to deliver accurate analyses and new capabilities quickly to guide defense investments and programs.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$20.1M

Headquarters

Alexandria, Virginia

Founded

1972

Get referred to Systems Planning and Analysis

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • The September 30, 2026 $126 million Navy award runs through March 2031.
  • SPA added Raj Badhwar as CIO on January 28, 2026, hardening digital infrastructure.
  • Robert Richards joined SPA’s board in July 2026, bringing BlueHalo scaling discipline.

What critics are saying

  • A 2031 NAVSEA recompete loss would gut SPA’s core Naval Special Warfare franchise.
  • Arlington Capital’s ownership pushes integration speed, margin expansion, and an eventual exit.
  • Secret-cleared labor shortages and subcontractor churn threaten delivery across classified programs.

What makes Systems Planning and Analysis unique

  • SPA’s 14,400-square-foot Alexandria Advanced Analytics Lab centralizes classified mission analysis.
  • SPA appointed fellows in AI, cloud, DevSecOps, and digital wargaming in May 2026.
  • SPA won NAVSEA PMS 340 support, extending a relationship dating to 2012.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
  • Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

27%

1 year growth

27%

2 year growth

27%
Associated Press
Oct 21st, 2026
SPA launches ArcherEye, a commercial mission engineering and digital analysis tool

Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA), a provider of analytical insights for national security programs, has made its mission engineering software, ArcherEye, commercially available. ArcherEye combines model-based systems engineering with digital engineering to evaluate mission effectiveness. It brings engineering, network, and simulation data into one environment, so users can assess system architectures, spot capability gaps, and test potential solutions. Government agencies and industry partners can now evaluate, license, and deploy the software directly. SPA added licensing and intellectual property protections, plus security verification and validation. It also offers installation, training, maintenance, and other services. "Bringing ArcherEye to market reflects SPA's commitment to making our mission engineering technology more accessible," said chief executive officer Rich Sawchak. SPA will showcase ArcherEye at SPA Ignite, an invitation-only expo at its Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters on October 29.

WashingtonExec
Oct 15th, 2026
SPA launches commercial version of AthenaSight mission planning platform.

SPA launches commercial version of AthenaSight mission planning platform. Systems Planning & Analysis' AthenaSight environment is now commercially available. AthenaSight allows users to develop and assess scenarios, compare options, identify operational gaps and evaluate potential solutions. The platform combines geospatial, infrastructure and operational force data with mission planning and wargaming tools, giving teams a shared workspace to assess courses of action and potential effects on operations, the company said. "SPA has always differentiated itself through the depth of our mission expertise, and we continue to invest in technologies that make that expertise even more powerful for our clients," said SPA CEO Rich Sawchak. "Making AthenaSight commercially available gives national security organizations greater access to a proven capability for examining complex mission challenges, testing alternatives, and making informed decisions faster." Organizations can now evaluate, license and deploy AthenaSight directly from SPA. The commercial version includes licensing and intellectual property protections and has undergone security verification and validation. SPA also provides installation, configuration, software maintenance and other professional services. Staff Writer WashingtonExec celebrates the people, programs, and milestones shaping the Washington, D.C. government contracting community. Join 30,000+ leaders who start their day with The Daily. Our latest executive profiles, council news, and GovCon headlines - every morning.

Military Industry Today
Oct 14th, 2026
SPA expands access to mission planning and wargaming with commercial release of AthenaSight(TM).

SPA expands access to mission planning and wargaming with commercial release of AthenaSight(TM). SPA has always differentiated itself through the depth of its mission expertise." - SPA CEO Rich Sawchak ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / - Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA), a leading global, independent provider of data-driven analytical insights for critical national security programs and defense priorities, announced that SPA AthenaSight(TM), its collaborative digital environment for mission planning, wargaming, and operational assessment, is now commercially available. AthenaSight gives mission operators and decision-makers an intuitive environment to rapidly develop and assess scenarios, compare alternatives, identify operational gaps, and evaluate potential solutions. The platform integrates geospatial data, infrastructure, and operational force information with mission planning and wargaming capabilities, giving teams a common environment to examine courses of action and their operational implications. "SPA has always differentiated itself through the depth of our mission expertise, and we continue to invest in technologies that make that expertise even more powerful for our clients," said Rich Sawchak, CEO of SPA. "Making AthenaSight commercially available gives national security organizations greater access to a proven capability for examining complex mission challenges, testing alternatives, and making informed decisions faster." The commercial release establishes a formal path for organizations to evaluate, license, and deploy AthenaSight directly. SPA developed a commercial version of the software with licensing and intellectual property protections, along with security verification and validation. SPA also offers installation and configuration, software maintenance, and additional professional services. "AthenaSight reflects SPA's broader investment in moving mission-focused technologies from development into commercially available capabilities," said Mark Adams, Chief Capabilities Officer at SPA. "Clients can operate the technology directly or draw on SPA's technical and mission expertise for modeling, scenario development, and complex operational analysis." AthenaSight has already been applied across national security missions. Marine Corps Security Forces use the platform to assess alternative strategies and force laydowns and refine tactics and concepts of operations for current and emerging threats. The Navy is using AthenaSight to inform capability integration, security force training, and acquisition decisions. A US Coast Guard unit has also used the platform to evaluate vessel options and associated operational concepts. Genesis Eldredge Systems Planning & Analysis [email protected] SPA AthenaSight - Plan, Test, and Refine the Mission Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. Military Industry Today do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

San Diego Business Journal
Oct 8th, 2026
National security co. SPA expands with move to Ampersand.

National security co. SPA expands with move to Ampersand. DEFENSE: Mission Valley Office Supports Tech Support for Military October 8, 2026 SAN DIEGO - Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA) is expanding its San Diego presence with the September opening of a new office in Mission Valley that is three times the size of the company's former location in Liberty Station. The defense company has leased the entire second floor - about 35,000 square feet - in the main building of the two-building Ampersand at 350 Camino De La Reina, the former home of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Built in 1975, Ampersand was redeveloped into an office building in 2018 when the newspaper moved its office downtown. Strategic Value Partners (SVP) and Lincoln Property Management bought the 346,396-square-foot Ampersand in September for about $92 million, according to CoStar, a property listing and analysis company. "This investment underscores our confidence in the San Diego office market, where leasing momentum is outpacing many peer markets," Scott Moffat, executive vice president and San Diego market leader at Lincoln Property Management, said at the time of the sale. "This facility gave us the amenities that we were looking for to make it into a comfortable place to work, but also proximity to our customer," said Matt Norton, SPA group leader in San Diego. Much of the work that SPA does in San Diego is for the U.S. Navy, including the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command. "SPA is a national security company that brings together engineers to advance government clients and address complex mission challenges," Norton said. "It could be helping them pick the right software to buy. It could be helping them understand how they need to update their tactics. It could be helping them pick the right vendors." SPA also does some work with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "A lot of what we do for the Navy is applicable to other services," Norton said. "Company-wide, we do work across the board." Community connections. The company has about 100 employees in San Diego, and plans to continue adding to its staff, according to Norton. "We're trying to grow as much as we can. We've got some unique capabilities that our customers like," Norton said. "We have plans to continue to grow and living in this facility is a way to support that now and in the future. We don't have a specific target. We're growing in a lot of different areas." SPA also uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) in its work and advises clients on its use for national security missions. "I think everybody's using AI at this point. What we're working on is how do you apply it safety, effectively and smartly," Norton said. When SPA leased space in Ampersand, it was just a shell. "We built a lot of infrastructure here to support a lot of the AI and software," Norton said. "We set it up to support collaboration." That includes two large conference rooms "that we're using not only for SPA's open houses and things like that, but also for our clients," Norton said, including "a lot of the creature comforts that we didn't necessarily have in our Liberty Station setting." "We've got a nice employee lounge. We've got a nice employee lounge. We've got some communal space here where people can collaborate. We have a very nice kitchen," Norton said. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the area is flooded with natural light. "It's kind of very open with that industrial look that's very popular," Norton said. "We want to make the office someplace comfortable where people want to come to work, they want to sit down with their coworkers and get a cup of coffee." Because of its history as the newspaper's home, "It's got ties to the local community, which is really nice," Norton said. "It's a great building." Systems Planning & Analysis HEADQUARTERS: Alexandria, VA CEO: Richard Sawchak BUSINESS: defense EMPLOYEES: 3,059 WEBSITE: www.spa.com CONTACT: 619-727-4020 NOTABLE: Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA) is a global, independent analytical and technical innovation firm advancing complex national security priorities across defense, intelligence, and homeland security. A native of New England, Ray Huard has been a reporter at newspapers in California, Florida and New England, including The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, the Miami Herald, the Palm Beach Post in West Palm Beach, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the North County Times, and the San Diego Business Journal. He has covered a wide variety of beats including real estate, politics, science, the environment, state and city government and courts.

The Zebra
Sep 30th, 2026
Alexandria's SPA announces $126 million Navy contract.

Alexandria's SPA announces $126 million Navy contract. Press play to listen to this content West End company will support Naval Special Warfare programs; local hiring impact remains unconfirmed. ALEXANDRIA, VA - Systems Planning & Analysis, the national security company headquartered in Alexandria, announced September 30 that it has won a $126 million contract supporting the Navy's Naval Special Warfare Program Office. According to SPA's announcement, the company will serve as prime contractor, providing engineering, technical, administrative and acquisition-management support for the Naval Sea Systems Command office and related programs. The competitively awarded agreement includes a one-year base period and four option years, with performance extending through March 2031. SPA says the award expands a relationship with the office that began in 2012. For Alexandria, a key question is what the work will mean for local employees and job seekers. The Alexandria Economic Development Partnership previously outlined SPA's headquarters expansion plans, including nearly 500 planned jobs and commitments to local hiring and vendors. That earlier expansion is separate from today's contract announcement; a connection between those hiring plans and this award has not been established. This is a developing story. The contract's exact award date, identifying number, initially obligated funding, work locations and impact on Alexandria hiring remain unconfirmed by The Zebra Press. The company's announcement does not establish that $126 million has already been funded or that new local jobs will result. Additional verified information will be added as it becomes available.