Section Manager - Assembly Integration and Test

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Leidos’Defense Systems is seeking a Section Manager for Assembly, Integration, and Test to join our team supporting the multiple hypersonics programs as part of the Advanced Materials and Test Division.

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Leidos Defense Systems Sector 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. To explore and learn more, click here!

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Leidos, is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Section Manager for Assembly Integration and Test (AI&T) to support the nation's leading Hypersonic Production Program. This position is within the Leidos Defense Systems Advanced Materials and Test Division. With offices across the United States engaging in the defense, space, cyber and commercial fields, Leidos provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific and IT solutions. 

The Section Manager will lead a section of AI&T engineers to integrate, test, and field hypersonic vehicles. The Section Manager is accountable for technical direction, schedule adherence, cross functional coordination, and ensuring manufacturability and testability through the assembly, integration, and testing cycle. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with hypersonic vehicle (or comparable aerospace vehicles) assembly and integration, familiarity with associated metrology (e.g blue light scanning), dynamic testing, environmental testing, and mass properties testing. This role requires expertise in assembly and checkout, manufacturing processes, and the ability to develop and implement inspection workflows and integration processes for complex aerospace assemblies.  

• Primary Responsibilities.  
• Lead and mentor a Section of Metrology and AI&T engineers to deliver hypersonic vehicles per Technical Data Package requirements within scope, schedule, and budget.
• Oversee the assembly, integration, and testing of hypersonic vehicles, ensuring all systems meet design and performance requirements. Key concepts include process improvement, assembly, integration, test design, test planning, test execution, and leading cross-functional teams to drive project success
• Ensure compliance with system requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), safety policies, and applicable aerospace standards and regulations
• Collaborate with manufacturing and quality to ensure producibility, maintain schedule commitments, and resolve nonconformances and build issues
• Guide test planning and execution for environmental, structural, and functional verification of hypersonic vehicle components and assemblies
• Manage technical risks through mitigation plans, verification of risk closure, and adjustment of schedule/requirements as applicable
• Maintain program-level documentation, configuration control, and technical data
• Interface with program management, customers, and cross-program IPTs to align priorities and report technical status
• undefined
• Basic Qualifications.  
• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline and 12 – 15 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 10 – 13 years of prior relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience on multidisciplinary engineering teams performing AI&T of hypersonic vehicles or comparable aerospace vehicles
• Practical knowledge of hypersonic vehicle (or comparable aerospace vehicle) assembly, integration and test
• Familiarity with producibility, fabrication processes, inspection, and manufacturing acceptance criteria
• Proven ability to plan and run verification/validation campaigns and to coordinate acceptance testing
• Familiarity with packaging, transport, and handling requirements for missile hardware
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to present complex technical information to diverse stakeholders
• Strong leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, and stakeholder management skills
• Experience working with government/defense customers and knowledge of program lifecycle and contractual considerations
• Candidate must be a US Citizen and be able to obtain and maintain a final secret clearance.

• Preferred Qualifications.
• Master’s or PhD in Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Engineering
• Prior experience specifically on glide bodies, reentry vehicles, or guided munitions
• Familiarity with relevant standards (e.g., MIL STD, SAE, ASTM)
• Experience working prototype programs within an AS9100 production environment
• Secret Cleared

AppKinetic

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Original Posting:

October 29, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

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.