Sensor Engineering Manager
Company: Leidos
Location: San Diego
Posted on: April 2, 2026
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Job Description:
Looking for an opportunity to make an impact? At Leidos, we
deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and
talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We
empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate
sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the
right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our
Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business. Leidos
Defense provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and
services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for
customers worldwide. Within the Defense , the Space Business Area
provides advanced sensor products for the proliferated
constellation product lines, inserting new technologies for
space-based tracking solutions. Our team encompasses everything
from design, prototyping and production of new systems, to ground
based command and control operations support as well as data
analytics and algorithm development. To explore and learn more,
click here ! Your greatest work is ahead! Leidos’ Defense Space
Business Area is seeking a Sensor Engineering Manager to join our
newly formed Engineering team. Come lead a cross functional team
working Space Based IR Sensors. This team is responsible for seeing
the design for the Sensor product line from beginning to end.
Sensor Engineering will work with the SEIT, Electrical, Mechanical
and Software teams to fully develop a solution that can be flown by
our various customers. Within the Sensor Engineering team we have a
mix of Optical, Electro-Optical, Opto-Mechanical and Image/Data
processing engineers whose responsibility is to ensure we have a
high-quality design that can be produced by our sister organization
in Huntsville and supported through our Ground Operations teams. As
the manager for this group of engineers, you will be helping to
mold the culture, develop the people and help deliver product in a
fast-paced environment. Why Join Us? Make an Impact : Your work
will directly support U.S. Space Operations. Lead Innovation : Be
at the forefront of applying innovative technology and new
solutions to real-world space based sensor platforms. Work with
Experts : Collaborate with a top-tier team of engineers,
scientists, and technicians located across the U.S. Shape the
Future : Influence both the strategic and tactical direction of
next-generation space sensor technologies. Are you ready to make an
impact? Share your resume with us today! Primary Responsibilities:
Provide strategic and technical leadership for a engineers working
Space based sensor programs. Drive technical innovation and product
improvements aligned with customer needs and mission goals. Ensure
a “design for manufacturing” focus during system development. Guide
sensor engineering efforts, including architecture, requirements
derivation, and design integration. Mentor a cross functional team
of engineers through the full product lifecycle. Work with the
Space BA Solution Architect and Emerging Technologies teams to
bring the needed technologies to the execution branches. Basic
Qualifications: Typically requires BS degree and 12 – 15 years of
prior relevant experience or Masters with 10 – 13 years of prior
relevant experience. May possess a Doctorate in technical domain.
Candidates should have 5 years of experience supervising or leading
teams or projects. Candidates will be required to have extensive
knowledge of optical design practices, optical/opto-mechanical
integration processes and best practices and an in-depth
understanding of the methods for designing and building space based
optical systems. Candidate must be a US Citizen and possess (and be
able to maintain) a Final Secret Clearance OR meet the eligibility
to obtain (and maintain) a Secret Clearance. Preferred
Qualifications: Candidates should have experience with Space Based
Infrared Sensor Solutions and the associated image processing and
products generated. Candidate should have exposure to DoD program
execution, including contract, financial, and subcontractor
management. Candidates will be required to have extensive knowledge
of optical design practices, optical/opto-mechanical integration
processes and best practices and an in-depth understanding of the
methods for designing and building space based optical systems.
Candidates will be required to have knowledge of the tools used for
Senor design and data analysis to include: Zemax, SolidWorks and
MATLAB. Experience with CodeV and other optical modelling tools is
a plus. Candidate must have basic experience reading mechanical
assembly drawings, electrical schematics, and other manufacturing
documentation. Candidate must have experience working with design
engineers, manufacturing engineers, and technicians to develop a
build strategy and identify any problems that could occur during
assembly. Candidate must have experience working in team
environment and interacting with different functions project teams
and productions teams. Experience with manufacturing, assembly,
integration & test processes, procedure development &
implementation. If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At
Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because
the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're
recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step
10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster
than anyone else dares. Original Posting: March 30, 2026 For U.S.
Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos
reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open
for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier
than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. 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.
Keywords: Leidos, Fountain Valley , Sensor Engineering Manager, Engineering , San Diego, California
