S

SAIC

Technology integrator delivering defense IT solutions

Principal Systems Engineer

Full-Time
No salary listed
Expert
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
Chantilly, VA, USA
In Person
Aerospace EngineeringSpacecraft & Launch Vehicle Systems
No H1B Sponsorship
US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field with 9 years of experience; a Master's degree with 7 years of experience; or a PhD with 4 years of experience.
  • 3–7 years of experience in systems engineering or a related field, focused on mission operations, planning, integration, or extended mission execution.
  • Familiarity with ESR processes, extended missions, and related engineering and operational lifecycles.
  • Experience planning and scheduling complex projects or systems, with proficiency in MS Project, Primavera, or similar tools.
  • Understanding of science-driven missions and operational needs, including data collection, processing, and analysis workflows.
  • Active TS/SCI with Polygraph.
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Attention to detail and accuracy in technical documentation and reporting.
  • Communication and interpersonal skills to work collaboratively across science and engineering teams.
  • Adaptability to evolving mission requirements and operational constraints.
Responsibilities
  • Plan, manage, document, and execute ESR activities, including milestone reviews, readiness assessments, and risk management efforts.
  • Develop strategies for transitioning systems from primary mission phases into extended mission operations, aligning with technical and scientific goals.
  • Identify and evaluate potential activation opportunities that support additional mission objectives or leverage system capabilities after the primary mission.
  • Support troubleshooting and resolution of technical and operational challenges during extended mission phases.
  • Work with the Mission Science Team to plan and prioritize science-driven operational needs, including data collection, processing, and analysis objectives.
  • Translate mission science requirements into technical design and operational plans, ensuring end-to-end traceability and alignment with system capabilities.
  • Assist the Mission Science Team in integrating scientific goals with operational planning to achieve required data collection and processing.
  • Evaluate and enhance mission plans to optimize scientific return and performance throughout mission phases.
  • Create and maintain detailed schedules for ESR, activation, and extended mission activities, ensuring key deadlines are met.
  • Manage planning and integration of system elements across interdisciplinary teams to support engineering and science goals.
  • Manage interfaces between mission science and engineering teams, ensuring communication and technical solutions meet mission and operational demands.
  • Participate in internal and external stakeholder meetings to align objectives, report progress, and gather feedback.
  • Analyze risks for ESR and extended mission activities and develop mitigation strategies for timely, successful execution.
  • Monitor mission and system performance metrics during activation and extended mission phases, recommending improvements to achieve mission science goals.
  • Document planning, execution, and integration activities and provide detailed reports and briefings to stakeholders and leadership.
Desired Qualifications
  • Advanced degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
  • Familiarity with mission science planning tools or frameworks, including integration of science goals into operational pipelines.
  • Knowledge of modeling or simulation tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, or mission analysis software.
  • Certifications such as INCOSE ASEP/CSEP, ITIL, or PMP.
  • Experience with space missions, planetary exploration, or other science-driven operational missions.

About the company

S

SAIC

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Website

SAIC is a technology integrator that supports the U.S. government with engineering and IT services for defense, space, and intelligence missions. Its offerings include integrating complex systems, software, data analytics, cybersecurity, and digital engineering to help national security programs run smoothly. The company operates by combining technical expertise with large-scale government contracts, delivering end-to-end solutions from planning and development to deployment and support. Unlike many firms that focus on a single product, SAIC differentiates itself through a long history of government work, its origins as an employee-owned company, and its growth through strategic acquisitions to broaden capabilities in digital engineering, mission IT, and related services. SAIC’s goal is to enable national defense and intelligence operations by providing the technology and services needed to design, build, and maintain critical systems at scale.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Reston, Virginia

Founded

1969

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Benefits

  • Remote Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

2%
Yahoo Finance
Oct 13th, 2026
SAIC names Prabu Natarajan civilian chief, hires ex-Northrop Grumman executive Ken Crews as CFO

SAIC has named Prabu Natarajan permanent executive vice president of its Civilian Business Group, effective immediately. He had led the group on an interim basis for several months. Kenneth Crews will join the company on October 30 as executive vice president and chief financial officer elect. He previously served as corporate vice president and chief financial officer at Northrop Grumman, where he spent more than 20 years. Natarajan, the current chief financial officer, will stay in that role during the transition. Crews will formally take over on December 7, 2026, while Natarajan keeps his post as executive vice president of Enterprise Operations and oversight of Project ORBIT. Chief executive officer Jim Reagan said the right leaders in the right roles are critical to accelerating growth. SAIC has annual revenues of about $7.3 billion.

MarketScreener
Oct 13th, 2026
SAIC announces key leadership appointments.

SAIC announces key leadership appointments. Published on 10/13/2026 at 04:25 pm EDT GlobeNewswire Prabu Natarajan Named Permanent Executive Vice President of the Civilian Business Group; Kenneth Crews to Join SAIC as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Elect RESTON, Va., Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC) today announced two key leadership appointments intended to strengthen the executive team and position the company for long-term success through accelerated growth and strong execution. Prabu Natarajan has been named permanent Executive Vice President of the Civilian Business Group, effective immediately, after serving as interim lead for the past several months. Natarajan currently serves as SAIC's Chief Financial Officer and brings deep enterprise leadership and extensive knowledge of SAIC's business, customers, and strategy to his new role. As the Civilian Business Group leader, he will continue to build on the group's momentum and advance SAIC's growth and delivery for federal civilian customers. Natarajan will continue his role as Executive Vice President of Enterprise Operations and oversight of Project ORBIT. Kenneth (Ken) Crews will join SAIC as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Elect. Crews is an accomplished finance executive with extensive experience driving enterprise performance, shaping business strategy, and enabling sustainable growth across complex organizations. He previously served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Northrop Grumman, where he held several leadership roles during his more than 20 years with the company. Crews will join SAIC on October 30, with Natarajan continuing to serve as Chief Financial Officer during the transition. Crews will formally assume the Chief Financial Officer role on December 7, 2026. "SAIC has significant opportunities ahead, and having the right leaders in the right roles is critical to executing our strategy and accelerating growth," said Jim Reagan, SAIC Chief Executive Officer. "Prabu has demonstrated strong leadership of our Civilian business and brings a deep understanding of our customers, our company, and the missions we support. Ken brings significant financial and operational leadership experience that will continue to help us drive performance and execute our strategy. I look forward to working with these accomplished leaders as we build on the momentum we have established and position SAIC for continued growth and long-term success." The appointments come as SAIC continues to advance its strategy, invest in differentiated capabilities and talent, and focus on delivering greater value for customers and shareholders. About SAIC SAIC(R) is a premier mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, intelligence, and civilian markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services, and professional services. We rapidly integrate emerging technologies into mission operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives. We are approximately 23,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.3 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Media Contact Caralyn Duke Senior Manager, Media Relations [email protected] Investor Relations Contact Jon Raviv VP, Investor Relations [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release contain or are based on "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "guidance," and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Legal Proceedings" sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC's expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others. (C) GlobeNewswire - 2026

GlobeNewswire
Oct 13th, 2026
SAIC announces key leadership appointments.

SAIC announces key leadership appointments. Prabu Natarajan named permanent Executive Vice President of the Civilian Business Group; kenneth Crews to join SAIC as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Elect. October 13, 2026 16:25 ET | Source: SAIC, Inc. RESTON, Va., Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Science Applications International Corp. (NASDAQ: SAIC) today announced two key leadership appointments intended to strengthen the executive team and position the company for long-term success through accelerated growth and strong execution. Prabu Natarajan has been named permanent Executive Vice President of the Civilian Business Group, effective immediately, after serving as interim lead for the past several months. Natarajan currently serves as SAIC's Chief Financial Officer and brings deep enterprise leadership and extensive knowledge of SAIC's business, customers, and strategy to his new role. As the Civilian Business Group leader, he will continue to build on the group's momentum and advance SAIC's growth and delivery for federal civilian customers. Natarajan will continue his role as Executive Vice President of Enterprise Operations and oversight of Project ORBIT. Kenneth (Ken) Crews will join SAIC as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Elect. Crews is an accomplished finance executive with extensive experience driving enterprise performance, shaping business strategy, and enabling sustainable growth across complex organizations. He previously served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Northrop Grumman, where he held several leadership roles during his more than 20 years with the company. Crews will join SAIC on October 30, with Natarajan continuing to serve as Chief Financial Officer during the transition. Crews will formally assume the Chief Financial Officer role on December 7, 2026. "SAIC has significant opportunities ahead, and having the right leaders in the right roles is critical to executing our strategy and accelerating growth," said Jim Reagan, SAIC Chief Executive Officer. "Prabu has demonstrated strong leadership of our Civilian business and brings a deep understanding of our customers, our company, and the missions we support. Ken brings significant financial and operational leadership experience that will continue to help us drive performance and execute our strategy. I look forward to working with these accomplished leaders as we build on the momentum we have established and position SAIC for continued growth and long-term success." The appointments come as SAIC continues to advance its strategy, invest in differentiated capabilities and talent, and focus on delivering greater value for customers and shareholders. About SAIC SAIC(R) is a premier mission integrator focused on advancing the power of technology and innovation to serve and protect our world. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, intelligence, and civilian markets includes secure high-end solutions in mission IT, enterprise IT, engineering services, and professional services. We rapidly integrate emerging technologies into mission operations that modernize and enable critical national imperatives. We are approximately 23,000 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.3 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release contain or are based on "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "guidance," and similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this release may include, among others, estimates of future revenues, operating income, earnings, earnings per share, charges, total contract value, backlog, outstanding shares and cash flows, as well as statements about future dividends, share repurchases and other capital deployment plans. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions, and actual results may differ materially from the guidance and other forward-looking statements made in this release as a result of various factors. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause or contribute to these material differences include those discussed in the "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Legal Proceedings" sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated in any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our website at saic.com or on the SEC's website at sec.gov. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. SAIC expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statement provided in this release to reflect subsequent events, actual results or changes in SAIC's expectations. SAIC also disclaims any duty to comment upon or correct information that may be contained in reports published by investment analysts or others.

WashingtonExec
Oct 12th, 2026
Retired Lt. Gen. Stephen Smith joins SAIC as VP, client executive.

Retired Lt. Gen. Stephen Smith joins SAIC as VP, client executive. Retired Lt. Gen. Stephen Smith has joined SAIC as vice president and client executive. Smith brings 35 years of Army service to the role, most recently serving as deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command and U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In his new role, Smith will strengthen SAIC's partnership with joint defense commands and align its capabilities to accelerate customers' critical missions. His addition aligns with SAIC's commitment to bringing warfighter advocacy and peer-to-peer customer intimacy to its Department of War portfolio, the company said. Smith also served as commanding general of the Army's 7th Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; joint director of operations in Iraq and Syria during the counter-ISIS fight in the U.S. Central Command area of operations; and served as commandant of the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Throughout his career, Smith has also held joint leadership and advisory roles in the U.S. and abroad, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Germany, Alaska, and Korea. Since retiring from the Army, he has served as an advisory board member for the North Carolina State University Defense and Security Institute and the International Stability Operations Association. 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.

Business Insider
Oct 9th, 2026
TD Cowen sticks to its Hold rating for Science Applications (SAIC).

TD Cowen sticks to its Hold rating for Science Applications (SAIC). Oct. 9, 2026, 05:35 PM In a report released on October 5, Gautam Khanna from TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on Science Applications, with a price target of $140.00. The company's shares closed today at $126.90. According to TipRanks, Khanna is a 5-star analyst with an average return of 18.3% and a 66.87% success rate. Khanna covers the Industrials sector, focusing on stocks such as Northrop Grumman, Hexcel, and Huntington Ingalls. Science Applications has an analyst consensus of Hold, with a price target consensus of $134.29. Based on Science Applications' latest earnings release for the quarter ending July 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $1.88 billion and a net profit of $102 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $1.77 billion and had a net profit of $127 million Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 51 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is positive on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders buying their shares of SAIC in relation to earlier this year. Read More on SAIC: