Jobs Private USA → Engineering, Construction and Energy → Manufacturing and hardware engineering → IDCS Chief Engineer

IDCS Chief Engineer

Leidos · San Antonio, TX · posted 2 days ago

In short: IDCS Chief Engineer at Leidos in San Antonio, TX, posted 2 days ago.

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

Leidosemployer

San Antonio, TXlocation

Manufacturing and hardware engsub-niche

2 days agoposted

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The job

LIVE Live feed (private-sector employer) Source: The Muse public API · Data: listed 2026-11-06

Employer	Leidos
Location	San Antonio, Texas
Field	Engineering, Construction and Energy › Manufacturing and hardware engineering
Level	Senior Level
Source category	Software Engineering
Posted	2026-11-06 (2 days ago)
Work arrangement	On-site at the location listed
Pay	Not published in the source listing

Job description

Description

Leidos's Air and Space Force Division has an opening for a Chief Engineer supporting the Air Force (AF). The selected candidate will serve as the Chief Engineer for the AF's Integrated Defensive Cyberspace System (IDCS) Program and report directly to the Defensive Cyber Portfolio Director.

The IDCS program supports AFLCMC/HNCD who serves as the program office for several defensive cyberspace weapon systems and capabilities, including Air Force (AF) Cyberspace Defense (ACD), Cyberspace Defense Analysis (CDA), Big Data Platform (BDP), and Cyber Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter (CVA/H). In 2020, the AF expressed a vision for an integrated common system for cyberspace defense. The program office designed a new architecture that effectively replaces the existing Hardware (HW) solutions for the ACD, CDA, and CVA/H weapon systems and establishes an Integrated Defensive Cyber System (IDCS) ecosystem, standardized on a Common Sensor Platform. Leidos provides sustainment, development, and orchestration solutions for the current and next generation weapon systems.

The Chief Engineer will be responsible for the technical planning, system hardware-software-network design, development and integration, verification and validation, and fielding of solutions and capabilities for the IDCS program. They will ensure the overall integrity, quality, and completeness of technical work performed and associated deliverables are of the highest standards. They will also have the opportunity to apply their extensive expertise in engineering to deliver the AF's next generation defensive cyber weapon system.

Primary Responsibilities:

Provide engineering expertise and oversight for the program throughout the capability delivery lifecycle, from requirements development through fielding and transition to operations.

Work closely with the IDCS program manager to develop technical and programmatic schedules, evaluate design alternatives including cost and risk, provide input on subcontractor selection and provide sound recommendations to resolve technical challenges and issues

Perform systems requirements analysis, functional analysis, timeline analysis, trade studies, requirements allocation and interface definition, technical management, integration, system testing, and quality assurance

Oversee system planning and designs ensuring compatibility with the Government Reference Architecture

Provide guidance and direction to the team on all product development and deliverables

Effectively communicate with the Government regarding engineering technical considerations and negotiate to convince stakeholders at all levels to accept our concepts, solutions and approaches

Resolve technical problems, issues, and conflicts within the IDCS program.

Collaborate with other experts in the field to identify innovative solutions

Assist the IDCS program manager with development of SOWs, RFPs, perform tech evals, recommend selection and provide technical oversight and approval of subcontractor and vendor deliverables.

Communication with customer's Chief Engineer, Chief Architect, and technical leads on a weekly/recurring schedule.

Mentor mid-level and junior staff

Basic Qualifications:

Ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance within 365 days after start date.

Minimum Bachelor's Degree from accredited college or university in an Engineering or technically related discipline.

12+ years of total engineering experience, with 5+ years in a technical leadership role (Chier Engineer, Technical Director, or Lead Architect).

Minimum seven (7) years of hands-on experience in at least two (2) cyber disciplines (e.g., network defense, vulnerability assessment, forensics, or cyber weapons platforms).

Solid understanding of SDLC models, Agile and traditional project management practices, and DevSecOps.

Systems engineering experience including design, deployment and configuration of software solutions, defensive cyber systems, and/or DoD weapons systems.

Experience in writing subsystem specifications and managing tasks to cross-discipline technical contributors.

Experience with all technical aspects of cyber systems delivery - software, hardware, infrastructure, and security.

Excellent written and verbal communications with senior Government officials, including high-ranking military members and senior civilian executives regarding technical risks, AoAs/Trade-Offs, and milestone delivery status.

Must have proven expertise leading, architecting, and executing large-scale development programs.

Compliance with DoD 8140 certification (e.g., CISSP-ISSAP).

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's Degree in related field.

Prior relevant experience with Defensive Cyber Weapon Systems.

Experience managing projects using software development life cycle models (SDLC) such as CMMI, modern SELC models such as SAFe, Agile, and/ SecDevOps.

Experience with applied AI/ML for threat hunting, response automation, or user/entity behavioral analytics

Experience with AF defensive cyber systems, e.g., SIEM, SOAR, ELICSAR, ICAM, etc.

Knowledge and experience with USAF or DoD plans, policies, standards, and methods aimed at the acquisition and support of software and computer resources.

Demonstrated ability to lead and direct high-tempo, multi-team efforts while managing cost/schedule/risk for programs.

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:
September 8, 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 $154,050.00 - $278,475.00

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.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos' name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Explore around this job

Field: Engineering, Construction and Energy Sub-niche: Manufacturing and hardware engineering All jobs at Leidos Jobs in Texas Jobs in San Antonio, TX San Antonio city guide Texas state guide Bexar County economy

View this job and apply on The Muse →

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About the role

This is a Senior Level role in the Engineering, Construction and Energy field (Manufacturing and hardware engineering) at Leidos. Senior roles usually expect substantial experience, ownership of results and often the ability to guide others.

We could not match this job title to one occupation in the official wage statistics, so no pay estimate is shown. Pay is not in the source listing; ask the employer for the range and compare in the 240 job niches.

Does the pay work here? (estimate)

Gross salary a year Filing State income tax rate %

Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; set your own state tax rate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.

How to prepare and behave

This is editorial guidance, not information from the employer.

Read the whole description and match your examples to its requirements; use the same words the posting uses where they are true for you.
Research the employer before the interview: what it does, who its customers are and recent news; prepare two or three questions about the work.
Arrive early (or log in early for a video call), dress one step above the daily dress code, and test your camera and audio beforehand.
Answer with short stories: the situation, what you did and the result. Give numbers when you have them and never invent them.
Be honest about gaps; say what you did to learn and how fast you can close them.
Ask about the team, the first 90 days, how success is measured and the schedule; do not open with salary and time off.
When pay comes up, know the market range for the occupation and your lowest acceptable offer before you answer; ask for the full package in writing.
Send a short thank-you message within a day, mentioning one thing you discussed.

Know your rights as a candidate and an employee:

The city

The job is in San Antonio, TX. Below is what the official statistics say about living and working there.

How San Antonio compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, San Antonio is #2 by population, #98 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #85 for household income (#1 = highest), #39 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Bexar County, is #44 of 254 counties for average pay ($65,875).

The place in numbers

San Antonio has 1,479,835 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 4.9% of the population of Texas. It covers 499 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,966 people per square mile. The median age is 34.9, about the same as the state median (34.9 against 35.6).

Housing

The median gross rent is $1,324 a month (rent plus utilities), 6% below the state median ($1,324 against $1,403). Over a year that is 24.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $235,700, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($65,056); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 52.2% of households own their home, 17% below the state average (52.2% against 62.6%).

Work and pay

The San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metropolitan area has 1,126,880 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,010 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,010 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (144,930 jobs, median $45,100); food preparation and serving related (119,350 jobs, median $29,100); transportation and material moving (96,820 jobs, median $40,270). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.2 times) and installation, maintenance, and repair (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($104,990) and computer and mathematical ($101,100). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Bexar County was 4.3%. 64.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Bexar County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.

Getting around

Among workers, 68.3% drive alone, 2.0% use public transit, 1.9% walk, 13.5% work from home. 11.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (11.0% against 16.9%).

People and education

29.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 14% below the state share (29.0% against 33.8%). 15.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 15% below the state share (15.0% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 17.1%, 24% above the state rate (17.1% against 13.8%).

Climate

The warmest month is Aug, averaging 85°F (29.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 50°F (10.1°C). About 779 mm (31 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (100 mm) and Feb the driest (36 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.

Nearby cities to compare

Closest cities in this guide: Timberwood Park (17 miles, rent 51% higher); Schertz (18 miles, rent 25% higher); Cibolo (20 miles, rent 60% higher); New Braunfels (30 miles, rent 25% higher). Rent differences are against San Antonio; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.

Full guide to San Antonio →Texas guide All jobs in San Antonio

Official links for San Antonio

These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.

Where to live

CITY Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Places within 50 miles (straight line) of San Antonio, TX that have a guide, with what living there costs. No pay estimate is shown because the title did not match one occupation.

Sort:

Place ⇅	Distance from the job city ⇅	Median rent ⇅	Median home value ⇅	Median household income ⇅	Commute 45+ min ⇅	Rent as % of occupation pay ⇅	Open jobs there ⇅
San Antonio, TX	0 mi	$1,324	$235,700	$65,056	11.0%	n/a	Jobs
Timberwood Park, TX	17 mi	$1,998	$510,600	$157,100	19.6%	n/a	—
Schertz, TX	18 mi	$1,659	$317,100	$99,948	22.8%	n/a	—
Cibolo, TX	20 mi	$2,112	$351,900	$122,365	21.8%	n/a	Jobs
New Braunfels, TX	30 mi	$1,654	$339,400	$86,021	19.5%	n/a	—
Canyon Lake, TX	33 mi	$1,327	$389,300	$97,301	40.2%	n/a	—
Seguin, TX	35 mi	$1,187	$249,400	$64,861	19.0%	n/a	—
San Marcos, TX	45 mi	$1,322	$310,400	$51,281	16.2%	n/a	—

Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Engineering, Construction and Energy, where your skills may carry over:

Construction and field engineering (189) Energy and utilities (394)

Distances

CITY Calculation (straight line) Source: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (coordinates) · Data: 2024

How far San Antonio, TX is from the 20 largest US cities, in straight-line miles (not driving distance). Click a column to sort.

Sort:

From ⇅	Straight-line distance (miles) ⇅	Population of that city ⇅
San Antonio, TX	0 mi	1,479,835
Austin, TX	74 mi	979,539
Houston, TX	190 mi	2,328,253
Fort Worth, TX	240 mi	963,194
Dallas, TX	253 mi	1,307,930
Oklahoma City, OK	419 mi	697,125
Denver, CO	798 mi	718,877
Phoenix, AZ	847 mi	1,642,323
Indianapolis, IN	1,000 mi	885,860
Jacksonville, FL	1,011 mi	977,670
Chicago, IL	1,048 mi	2,711,226
Charlotte, NC	1,105 mi	903,844
San Diego, CA	1,123 mi	1,389,526
Columbus, OH	1,140 mi	914,802
Los Angeles, CA	1,208 mi	3,857,263
San Jose, CA	1,444 mi	990,138
Philadelphia, PA	1,508 mi	1,579,706
San Francisco, CA	1,516 mi	830,235
New York, NY	1,583 mi	8,483,844
Seattle, WA	1,784 mi	754,195

Nearby cities with open jobs (within 120 miles)

Sort:

City ⇅	Straight-line distance ⇅	Open jobs ⇅
Converse, TX	14 mi	1
Cibolo, TX	20 mi	1
Lakehills, TX	28 mi	1
Lockhart, TX	58 mi	22
Austin, TX	74 mi	1,625

The employer

Leidos is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

Company description (from The Muse): Leidos is a Fortune 500® innovation company rapidly addressing the world’s most vexing challenges in national security and health.

size: Large Size; industries: Information Technology; locations on The Muse: Reston, VA.

It is among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers in our list, with about 47,000 employees worldwide (year not stated). Company page with headquarters, state economy and official links →

Official links for Leidos

The employer's profile on The Muse →

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

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FAQ

What is the IDCS Chief Engineer job at Leidos?

A senior level role in engineering, construction and energy (manufacturing and hardware engineering) listed 2 days ago. The full description is on this page and on The Muse.

Where is this job?

San Antonio, TX.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on The Muse" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

Median rent in San Antonio is $1,324 a month and median household income $65,056 (ACS 2020–2024).

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-11-06 (2 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse manufacturing and hardware engineering jobs in Texas.

Sources and terms

Job data: The Muse public API (listing dated 2026-11-06). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

AtiveSite is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Muse, the employer or any government agency, and does not process applications. Verify every detail with the employer before acting.

Sources

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