Lead Systems Engineer

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Lead, Systems Engineer

Job Code: 47594

Job Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Job Schedule: 9/80 or 5/8

Job Description:

We are seeking a Lead Systems Engineer for a full-time, in-office position supporting the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS) and related enterprise systems engineering efforts. ATLAS serves as the mission processing system within a broader system-of-systems effort to replace the legacy Space Defense Operations Center (SPADOC), fielded in 1979. Working with the ATLAS Chief Systems Engineer, this role will provide technical leadership across the system development lifecycle, from stakeholder needs and requirements definition through architecture, design, integration, verification, validation, and operational support. The Lead Systems Engineer will collaborate with program leadership, customers, enterprise stakeholders, and cross-functional engineering teams to align ATLAS capabilities with broader mission objectives, maintain interoperability with related systems, and meet performance requirements within cost and schedule constraints.

Essential Functions:

- Work with the ATLAS Chief Systems Engineer to lead assigned systems engineering activities across the ATLAS program and support related enterprise and system-of-systems initiatives.
- Collaborate with government, customer, and enterprise stakeholders to capture mission needs, requirements, and use cases; maintain traceability through ATLAS design, implementation, integration, and verification.
- Assess how ATLAS requirements, interfaces, and design changes affect related systems and end-to-end mission capabilities.
- Coordinate with engineering teams across related programs to define and manage external interfaces, integration dependencies, and interoperability requirements.
- Support alignment of ATLAS architecture and technical baselines with applicable enterprise architectures, standards, and capability roadmaps.
- Lead or support system and system-of-systems integration and test activities, including assessments of functionality, timing, interfaces, and end-to-end mission performance.
- Identify and manage program-level and cross-program technical risks and dependencies; elevate issues requiring Chief Systems Engineer, program leadership, or enterprise stakeholder decisions.
- Participate in program and enterprise technical forums to communicate status, resolve cross-system issues, and support coordinated technical planning.

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.
- Experience applying systems engineering principles throughout the development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, architecture development, integration, and verification.
- Experience working in an Agile development environment and translating system requirements into actionable development priorities.
- Experience coordinating technical activities across multiple systems, programs, or organizations, including interface management and integration planning.
- Active DoD Secret security clearance and willingness and eligibility to obtain a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) access.

Preferred Additional Skills:

- Ability to lead complex technical efforts, resolve cross-functional issues, and manage competing priorities with limited oversight.
- Working knowledge of Atlassian tools, including Jira and Confluence, and experience supporting backlog management.
- Familiarity with microservices architecture concepts and distributed system interfaces.
- Experience supporting enterprise architecture, system-of-systems engineering, or cross-program capability planning.
- Experience planning and executing systems integration and test (SIT) activities, including test procedures, results analysis, and discrepancy resolution.
- Familiarity with Python scripting for data analysis, test automation, or engineering workflow improvement.
- Experience developing system observability capabilities, including metrics, dashboards, logging, and health monitoring.
- Experience conducting architecture trade studies and evaluating technical, cost, schedule, and operational impacts.
- Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools and practices.
- Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical reviews.
- Familiarity with multinational information-sharing and releasability considerations, including Five Eyes (FVEY) environments.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Colorado is $110,500 - $205,500. 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.

The application window for this position will close on 12/20/26.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.

L3Harris Technologies is an E-Verify Employer. Please click here for the E-Verify Poster in English or Spanish . For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here for English or Spanish .