Principal Test Director

Leidos is seeking a Test Director to own the test, verification and validation (V&V) function for a newly awarded international air traffic modernization program. This is a ground-floor opportunity to stand up the test organization from day one—building the test team, defining the test strategy and operating rhythm, and putting the acceptance framework in place to carry a modern, AI-enabled air traffic system through formal acceptance to operational service.

The program will design, integrate, test, implement, and provide long-term support for a new Enroute Air Navigation Services (ANS) System for Avians, the air navigation service provider responsible for the airspace over Iceland and the surrounding North Atlantic—one of the busiest oceanic air traffic regions in the world. The engagement spans a Design, Testing & Implementation phase; an Operational & Support phase (software support, cyber security support, and hardware maintenance under defined Service Levels); and an eventual Exit/transition phase. Following Operational Acceptance, the support term extends 15 years. A distinctive feature is the requirement to support a Local Development Centre (LDC) and to work with a Development Partner under a co-development model, while Leidos retains full responsibility for the system and services. The contract also carries explicit provisions governing the use of AI.

The Test Director owns the test effort end-to-end and directs the coordinated test programme across the full acceptance lifecycle consistent with the Avians Enroute System Agreement and Appendix F (Acceptance)—from design reviews (PDR/CDR) through Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), Installation Acceptance Test (IAT), Confidence/Stability testing, System Security Acceptance Testing (SSAT), Site Acceptance Test (SAT), Technical Transfer, Operational Readiness Demonstration (ORD) and the Operational Verification period leading to Operational Acceptance (OA). The role operates independently of the delivery/engineering line to preserve objective, evidence-based assurance of test results, and understands that customer approval of a milestone does not of itself constitute acceptance of the System.

This position is located in Gaithersburg, MD. This is a hybrid position, with substantial on-site presence and travel to Iceland (factory and site) during installation, acceptance, transition, shadow operations and the operational verification period.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own the test and evaluation function end-to-end—test strategy, Test Plans, Test Procedures/scripts, Test Criteria (pass/fail), test environments and tooling, execution, Test Reports, and re-test/regression management—for ATM/ANS or comparable safety-critical system development.
• Stand up the test organization for a newly awarded program: forecast test skill and resource needs, recruit and onboard test managers and test engineers, and integrate a newly formed, multidisciplinary test team into a cohesive assurance function.
• Prepare testing documents and gain customer approval, then conduct acceptance tests against approved Test Criteria; establish and maintain a requirements-to-test traceability matrix (RTM/VRTM) that maps every test to its requirement, in line with the Contractor’s acceptance responsibilities under the Agreement.
• Lead formal acceptance events (FAT/IAT/SAT) with active customer participation and witnessing, supporting the customer’s right to witness and to conduct “free testing,” and providing unrestricted access to verification activities, tools and reports.
• Embed a continuous, risk-based test approach across the lifecycle—defining acceptance criteria and test scenarios early, establishing RTM/VRTM traceability, driving unit/string testing to full code coverage, continuous integration and automated build-and-test, progressive system and interface integration, and pre-FAT/SAT dry runs.
• Direct the full range of test types required by the programme: unit, integration, functional, operational, performance and response-time under maximum load, capacity, monitoring & control, redundancy/switchover, system recovery, overload handling, and security (SSAT) testing.
• Direct and integrate System Security Acceptance Testing (SSAT), including penetration testing, within the overall acceptance programme.
• Support customer-side and co-development teams (including the Local Development Centre and development-partner integration), coordinating verification of integrated builds and third-party interfaces.
• Develop and manage integrated verification schedules, identify test-related program risks, coordinate cross-functional readiness, and provide executive-level status reporting to customer and contractor leadership.
• Support development of the Safety Case through V&V evidence, traceability and disciplined configuration/change control, consistent with safety-critical software engineering and safety-assurance activities.
• Manage defect identification, triage and resolution through a consolidated test defect list, with defects closed only after rectification, successful re-test and customer approval.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in an appropriate discipline such as Systems Engineering, Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical/STEM field (Master’s preferred); a minimum of twelve (12) years of total professional experience in the test, verification and validation and/or engineering of large, complex systems and subsystems, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of seven (7) years in a test leadership or test-management role, directing test managers and test engineers in the planning and execution of a coordinated test programme (forming part of the twelve (12) years of total experience).
• Demonstrable prior involvement, in a senior test role, in at least one delivery of a comparable mission- or safety-critical system carried through formal acceptance to operational service—ideally an ATM/ANS or equivalent real-time, high-availability system.
• Working knowledge of verification & validation (V&V) practice for large, complex, safety-critical systems, including requirements-to-test traceability (RTM/VRTM) and traceability-matrix management.
• Competence with industry-standard test management, requirements-management, defect-tracking and configuration-management tooling, and with continuous integration / automated build-and-test environments.
• Awareness of cybersecurity acceptance testing (including penetration testing) sufficient to direct and integrate System Security Acceptance Testing (SSAT) within the overall acceptance programme.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English, including authorship and presentation of test documentation, readiness assessments (e.g., Pre-Test Reviews) and Test Reports to a customer-approval standard.
• Strong leadership, planning and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to direct multidisciplinary test teams and interface confidently with the customer, operational stakeholders (ATCOs, ATSEPs, SYSOPs), and quality/safety assurance functions.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship (U.S.-based position, Gaithersburg, MD).
• Willing and able to work on-site as required during installation, acceptance, transition, shadow operations and the operational verification period, and to travel internationally (Iceland) between factory and site locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship (desired, not required).
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust (desired, not required).
• A Master’s degree in a relevant engineering, computing, or systems discipline.
• A recognized test/quality certification—for example ISTQB (Foundation/Advanced Test Manager) or an equivalent industry test-management qualification.
• Familiarity with recognized quality and assurance frameworks such as ISO 9001 / AS9100, and with safety and software-assurance standards applicable to ATM systems (e.g., EUROCAE ED-109A / RTCA DO-278A software assurance levels and EASA-aligned certification evidence).
• Prior senior test experience on ATM/ANS or comparable real-time, high-availability, safety-critical systems carried through formal acceptance to operational service.
• Experience supporting customer-side and co-development teams, including a Local Development Centre and development-partner integration.
• Familiarity with safety-critical software engineering and safety-assurance activities, including Safety Case development through V&V evidence.
• Experience directing test and evaluation in a regulated, milestone-driven environment with formal customer witnessing and acceptance.

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Original Posting:

September 16, 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.