Senior Radar Systems Engineer (SETA) - Spaceborne GEOINT

Job ID: 2617928

Location: Chantilly, VA, US

Date Posted: 2026-10-14

Category: Engineering and Sciences

Subcategory: Systems Engineer

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: Yes - 10% of the time

Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI_wPoly

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE

Description

SAIC is hiring a Senior Radar Systems Engineer to provide Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) support to a classified Government customer in Chantilly, VA. You will support the development, integration, test, launch, and checkout of a radar‑enabled national security space system, providing technical analysis, contractor oversight, test data review, and anomaly resolution across space and ground segments.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Analyze radar payload designs, RF architectures, waveforms, and sensor performance for spaceborne GEOINT missions.
• Provide independent SETA insight into contractor activities, including design reviews, technical trades, risks, and requirements/schedule compliance.
• Develop, refine, and trace system‑ and payload‑level requirements across space, ground, and mission‑processing segments.
• Support integration, test, launch, and on‑orbit checkout, including test data review, performance assessment, and anomaly resolution.
• Evaluate end‑to‑end mission architecture (tasking, collection, downlink, processing, exploitation, dissemination) and recommend technical improvements.
• Prepare and deliver concise technical briefings and recommendations to government leaders and mission stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM or related discipline and nine (9)+ years of relevant experience; OR
  • Master’s degree and seven (7)+ years of relevant experience; OR
  • PhD and four (4)+ years of relevant experience;
  • Additional directly relevant radar/space systems experience may be substituted in lieu of a degree per SAIC policy.
• Knowledge or experience with radar systems, RF sensing, SAR, GMTI, or radar phenomenology sufficient to evaluate contractor designs and performance.
• Experience supporting complex space or airborne sensing programs in systems engineering (requirements, architecture, integration/test, or mission operations).
• Familiarity with government acquisition processes and space/ground integration for ISR, GEOINT, or national security space missions.
• Experience using analysis/modeling tools such as MATLAB, Python, STK, or similar.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting technical findings to senior stakeholders.

Clearance Requirements:

• Active TS/SCI with a current Poly.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a government polygraph.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with a prime contractor, radar payload developer, or FFRDC on spaceborne or airborne radar programs.
• Hands‑on or analytic experience with SAR, GMTI, radar image formation, or radar exploitation algorithms.
• Experience supporting NRO, NGA, or other IC/DoD space or GEOINT programs in a SETA/acquisition role.
• Working knowledge of MBSE/SysML or similar digital‑engineering tools.
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Radar/Remote Sensing, Physics, or a related field.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work onsite full‑time in a secure facility in Chantilly, VA.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer or in meetings.
• Occasional lifting of items such as laptops and documents (up to ~20 lbs).

2026.10.2

Target salary range: $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.