Lead Systems Engineer - Mission Protection

Job Title:  Lead, Systems Engineer – Mission Protection
Job Code:  44786
Job Location:  Springfield, Virginia (100% On-site)
Job Schedule: 5/8 Monday-Friday

Job Description:  
L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Systems Engineer – Mission Protection to support a high-visibility, mission-critical national security program. This individual will lead the contractor Mission Protection team and serve as the primary authority for Mission Protection activities supporting sensitive space and ground capabilities for U.S. Government operations.

This position is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating threats across space, cyber, and ground segments. The selected candidate will apply operational security (OPSEC), counterintelligence, cyber defense, and threat analysis principles to protect critical systems and ensure the survivability and resilience of U.S. assets in contested and degraded environments.

The ideal candidate demonstrates strong leadership, technical depth in threat-informed engineering, and the ability to integrate Mission Protection requirements into operational planning, system architecture, and lifecycle activities.


Essential Functions:  
•    Conduct mission protection assessments to identify vulnerabilities across space, cyber, and ground architectures.
•    Collaborate with mission planners, operators, and mission partners to integrate protection strategies throughout the system lifecycle.
•    Lead the development of mitigation plans and help implement countermeasures aligned with mission assurance priorities.
•    Coordinate with DoW and IC stakeholders to ensure protection efforts are synchronized with national-level guidance and classification policies.
•    Develop and maintain program-specific threat models, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and risk management frameworks.
•    Lead the Mission Protection contracting team to red/blue team assessments, tabletop exercises, and program security reviews.
•    Prepare briefings and documentation for senior leadership on threat assessments, mitigation strategies, and mission assurance outcomes.
•    Ability to obtain and maintain a Battlespace Awareness operations certification.
•    Able to work independently and collaboratively in classified operations centers, supporting 24/7 mission requirements when needed.
•    Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience briefing senior stakeholders.

Qualifications: 
•    Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
•    Active Top Secret/SCI with CI Poly clearance required.
•    5 years of experience with threat modeling, vulnerability analysis, and risk management.
•    5 years of experience working with or supporting a Weapons and Tactics (W&T) team, with familiarity in integrating protection strategies.

Preferred Additional Skills: 
•    Graduate of Air Force Weapon School or Advance Instructor Course (AIC).
•    DoW/NRO Systems Liaison / Field Representative
•    Strong Orbital Mechanics background.
•    System Tool Kit (STK) Level 2/3 Certification; Orbital Determination Tool Kit (ODTK)

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Virginia - Greater Washington, D.C. Area is $127,500 - $236,500.00. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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