Full-Time

SETA Space Support Lead

Posted on 7/25/2026

Deadline 7/25/27
QinetiQ

QinetiQ

5,001-10,000 employees

Global defense, security, and aerospace engineering

Compensation Overview

$150k - $200k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Chantilly, VA, USA

In Person

On-site in Chantilly, VA; work in a SCIF in the National Capital Region.

US Top Secret Clearance Required

Category
Aerospace Engineering (1)

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Requirements
  • Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph
  • 10+ years of relevant experience supporting Intelligence Community, Department of War, national security, space, or technical mission programs
  • Prior Intelligence Community experience
  • Ability to work in a SCIF
  • Technical background in aerospace engineering, astronautical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, systems engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • Understanding of Intelligence Community space architecture
  • Experience supporting IC flight operations
  • Experience supporting space integration activities involving electro-optical, infrared, and spectral systems
  • Demonstrated ability to identify technical or operational issues, develop courses of action, coordinate across stakeholders, and support implementation through resolution
  • Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to develop high-quality technical products, briefings, and recommendations for senior government stakeholders
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, classified mission environment with multiple priorities and time-sensitive requirements
Responsibilities
  • Provide SETA space mission support to government customers across technical, operational, integration, and program execution activities
  • Lead or support technical coordination for IC space architecture, flight operations, and mission integration activities
  • Support space integration involving electro-optical, infrared, and spectral systems, including coordination across mission, ground, payload, and operations stakeholders
  • Assess technical issues, mission risks, integration challenges, and operational constraints affecting classified space programs
  • Proactively identify issues, develop courses of action, coordinate with stakeholders, and support implementation through resolution
  • Apply technical expertise in aerospace, astronautics, electrical engineering, computer science, systems engineering, or a related field to evaluate mission needs, system performance, and integration approaches
  • Coordinate with government, SETA, FFRDC, UARC, industry, and mission partner teams in classified environments
  • Support mission planning, flight operations, system integration, technical interchange meetings, readiness reviews, and operational decision forums
  • Develop technical briefings, white papers, issue papers, COA recommendations, decision materials, and leadership updates
  • Maintain awareness of operational schedules, integration dependencies, system constraints, and mission priorities
  • Work in a SCIF environment and support mission priorities in the National Capital Region
Desired Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related STEM discipline
  • Experience supporting space, airborne, ISR, national technical means, or classified mission programs
  • Experience supporting mission integration, ground integration, payload integration, operational readiness reviews, mission rehearsals, or technical interchange meetings
  • Experience coordinating across government, SETA, FFRDC, UARC, industry, and mission partner teams
  • Familiarity with mission assurance, systems engineering, test and evaluation, operations analysis, or anomaly resolution in classified environments

QinetiQ is a global science and engineering company serving defense, security, and aerospace markets. It delivers advanced technologies, testing, evaluation, and integrated engineering services for government and commercial customers, including R&D, systems design, testing facilities, and program support to design, verify, and deploy defense and security solutions. The company originated from the UK's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and was privatized to become a private company, later expanding via Carlyle Group’s investment and a London IPO to grow, especially in the U.S. defense market. This mix of government-originated expertise and private-sector growth helps it offer broad, end-to-end capabilities across international projects. Its goal is to provide trusted science and engineering capabilities that help protect nations and people by delivering reliable defense, security, and aerospace solutions.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Mary Tavy, United Kingdom

Founded

1956

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Record backlog of £4.8 billion provides strong revenue visibility.[1]
  • Australian acquisition of Air Affairs expands defence aviation services capability.[user provided news]
  • Thermal event detection licensing opens battery safety revenue in EVs and aerospace.[user provided news]

What critics are saying

  • US defence services face budget pressure and roughly 1,000 job cuts.[user provided news]
  • Heavy dependence on government procurement exposes results to budget delays and pauses.[6][7]
  • Battery-safety licensing depends on third-party adoption, not direct end-market control.[user provided news]

What makes QinetiQ unique

  • Origins trace to the UK Ministry of Defence's 2001 DERA split.[3]
  • Operates as a science and engineering company in defence and security.[5][6]
  • Combines testing, evaluation, and research across air, land, sea, and target systems.[1]

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Benefits

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

-1%

2 year growth

0%
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