GEOINT Ground Systems Thread Engineer

Location: Chantilly, VA, US

Schedule: Full-Time, Day shift

Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI with Polygraph (must be able to obtain)

About the role

SAIC is seeking a GEOINT Ground Systems Thread Engineer to join SAIC’s Prime SETA program supporting the NRO in Chantilly, VA. As the GEOINT Ground Systems Thread Engineer, you will serve as a mission‑thread integrator, ensuring that GEOINT ground capabilities—from tasking to collection to processing to dissemination—operate coherently across programs, contractors, and enterprise stakeholders. You will work daily with senior Government leads, SETA teammates, and development contractors to baseline new capabilities, assess emerging technologies, shape architectural decisions, and ensure readiness of mission‑critical ground services.

Responsibilities

• Support end‑to‑end engineering and analysis across GEOINT ground mission threads, ensuring technical and operational coherence from collection tasking through mission processing and product delivery.
• Define, decompose, and baseline GEOINT ground capabilities, including requirements, CONOPS, interfaces, sequencing, and dependency mapping.
• Provide technical oversight of contractor development, integration, and verification activities to ensure alignment with Government requirements and architectural direction.
• Analyze operational workflows, identify performance gaps, and recommend enhancements to improve mission throughput, resiliency, and automation.
• Support technical reviews, test events, readiness milestones, and enterprise integration activities to validate capability delivery and operational suitability.
• Maintain cognizance of GEOINT mission projects, including baselines, schedules, interdependencies, risks, and cost drivers across the Ground Enterprise.
• Conduct trade studies, evaluate emerging technologies, and shape future GEOINT ground architectures, including cloud‑native modernization and service‑based designs.
• Evaluate impacts to cost, schedule, performance, and risk across mission threads and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Review contractor proposals, technical reports, design artifacts, and program plans for feasibility, compliance, and alignment with enterprise priorities.
• Coordinate across Government, SETA, FFRDC, and contractor teams to ensure alignment with strategic priorities, operational needs, and enterprise performance standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus nine (9) years of experience, or Master’s degree plus seven (7) years, or PhD/JD plus four (4) years; relevant experience may substitute for degree.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance with Polygraph; ability to obtain required clearance.
• Two or more years of experience with GEOINT ground processing capabilities.
• Experience with GEOINT systems, including space/ground architectures, mission control, and mission processing.
• Knowledge of IC/DoD acquisition processes, roles, and program management.
• Domain knowledge in ground software, space development programs, or mission operations.
• Experience supporting Intelligence Community (IC) programs.
• Ability to operate independently, manage multiple priorities, and deliver high‑quality engineering products with minimal guidance.
• Strong organizational, communication, and analytical skills; able to convey complex information across technical and leadership audiences.

Pay

Target salary range: $160,001 – $200,000 (typical range based on experience and other factors).