Hourly Darpa Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Amentum is a leading provider of engineering, scientific, and program management support services to some of the top agencies in the U.S. government, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the intelligence community.

Amentum is seeking a mid- to senior-level engineer / scientist with experience in satellite software development. The ability to work on-site at the client location (Ballston neighborhood of Arlington VA) is preferred, though arrangements for some degree of hybrid work may be possible. Some travel (~25%), local as well as domestic, will be required.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support a Government program manager (PM) with technical oversight of very low earth orbit (VLEO)satellite technology development

• Conduct the assessment of satellite software development to include testing of ground and flight software.

• Assess state-of-the-art software development practices and applications for novel satellite architectures

• Support Government PMs in developing additional space-based program concepts and efforts

• Support technical interchange meetings and design reviews

• Support program experimentation and testing efforts, to include providing inputs to the preparation of experiment / test plans and coordination with performers, government agents, test ranges, and test facilities

• Author program briefings and technical reports

• Provide overarching support to program to include, as needed, attending biweekly calls for performers, attending major reviews, drafting PowerPoint charts and memorandums for DARPA and transition partners, attending transition partner meetings and internal DARPA team meetings

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree or higher in a scientific or technological discipline and at-least 10 years' relevant experience

• Must have an active US Government Secret Security Clearance. Please note US Citizenship is required to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.

• Demonstrated experience with satellite software development, including testing of ground and flight software for satellites

• Proven ability to assess state-of-the-art software development practices and applications for novel satellite architectures

• Demonstrated professionalism, maturity, sound judgement, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary for daily interactions with a Government Program Manager, other technical support personnel, and executive-level audiences in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

• Ability to work independently or in a team setting as circumstances dictate

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master of Science degree in a relevant scientific or technological discipline

• Active US Government Top Secret security clearance, with ability to obtain SCI access

• Prior experience working with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV)

Compensation and Benefits:

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $150k-$220k annually (salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities of applicant internal equity, and alignment with market data).

About DARPA's Tactical Technology Office (TTO):

The mission of DARPA's TTO is to reimagine every aspect of military hardware design, development, test, manufacture, and sustainment - with a focus on rapid, affordable, and scalable deployment - to create and prevent technological surprise. TTO's goal is to demonstrate compelling hardware at the smallest scale that traces to disruptive capability, with designs that reduce risk and cost by managing complexity and can be manufactured responsively and affordably. Additional information on TTO is available here: https://www.darpa.mil/about/offices/tto.

Compensation Details:

$150k-$220k

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off and holidays

• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)

• Educational reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Tax-saving options

• Disability and life insurance

• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting:

06/15/2026 - Until Filled

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed, marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low-income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language atLabor Laws Posters.