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Payload Chief Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Saic

Payload Systems Engineer Chief

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$200K - $240K/yr

Description SAIC is seeking a Payload Systems Engineer Chief to provide onsite systems engineering and technical advisory (SETA) services in support of an SAIC Prime Program at the National ...

AI Chopping Block

Chief Engineer, Space

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

Drawing on a strong technical background in space vehicle design, payload design and payload ... The Chief Engineer will develop a technical strategy and roadmap in conjunction with the Director ...

AI Chopping Block

Drawing on a strong technical background in space vehicle design, payload design and payload ... The Chief Engineer will develop a technical strategy and roadmap in conjunction with the Director ...

Space Kinetic

Chief Engineer

El Segundo, CA

The Chief Systems Engineer will develop and execute the overall payload mission, engineering, and production requirements in line with the company's goals and objectives. Job Responsibilities:

Space Kinetic

Chief Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

The Chief Systems Engineer will develop and execute the overall payload mission, engineering, and production requirements in line with the company's goals and objectives. Job Responsibilities:

SupportFinity™

Chief Engineer, Space

California, MO · On-site

$254K - $336K/yr

The Chief Engineer will develop a technical strategy and roadmap in conjunction with the Head of ... Design and development of space vehicle and payload architectures and detailed mission solutions to ...

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Payload Chief Engineer information

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How much do payload chief engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for payload chief engineer in the United States is $92,945.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $59,000.00 and $120,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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Infographic showing various Payload Chief Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $92,945 per year, or $44.7 per hour.

Payload Systems Engineer Chief

Chantilly, VA • On-site

Saic
IT Services • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Saicexternal

$200K - $240K/yr

Other

Posted 10 days ago

SAIC rating

7.7

Company rating: 7.7 out of 10

Based on 82 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Payload Systems Engineer Chief to provide onsite systems engineering and technical advisory (SETA) services in support of an SAIC Prime Program at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) in Chantilly, VA.

As the Payload Systems Engineer Chief, you will play a critical role in the development, acquisition, and execution of multiple satellite payload systems—both on‑orbit and in development. You will support the Payload Division SETA team in advising the government on technical, programmatic, and acquisition activities across EO and SAR payload portfolios. This role requires familiarity with NRO mission structures, acquisition processes, and satellite system lifecycles.

Job Responsibilities to Include:
  • Advise the PROSPO Payload Division Chief on all aspects of payload development and acquisition.
  • Support the SPO in planning, execution, monitoring, and oversight of multiple EO and SAR payload systems in development and acquisition.
  • Assist the Government in developing CONOPS and employment approaches for EO and SAR systems.
  • Assist the Government in developing requirement documents, statements of work (SOWs), and other contract documents during program acquisition and contract action preparation.
  • Provide oversight of acquisitions to ensure end‑to‑end system closure and satisfaction of mission need.
  • Draft technical evaluations and serve as a technical advisor during source selections.
  • Provide technical and programmatic assessments of contractor designs at major milestone reviews to evaluate progress, risks, issues, and ability to meet mission requirements.
  • Participate in program reviews and technical interchange meetings between developers and the COTR.
  • Review CDRL deliverables for technical accuracy, completeness, and sufficiency to meet program objectives.
  • Provide technical support to Government customer activities and programmatic processes.
  • Develop documents and briefings to communicate study results, technical findings, and program status to Government and industry stakeholders.
Qualifications
  • Bachelors and eighteen (18) years or more experience; Masters and sixteen (16) years or more experience; PhD or JD and fifteen years or more experience.
  • Active Top Secret/SCI with current Polygraph.
  • Experience with satellite and/or satellite payload system requirement development, design, manufacturing, and test.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting satellite and/or payload design reviews, including SRR, SDR, PDR, CDR, TRR, MRR, PSR, and related milestone reviews.
  • Experience supporting the acquisition of multiple payload systems.
  • Experience developing requirement documents, statements of work, and other contract documents for major acquisition programs.
  • Proven ability to assess contractor designs, identify risks, and evaluate technical performance against mission requirements.
  • Strong interpersonal, leadership, team‑building, and problem‑solving skills with demonstrated effectiveness in a government/contractor environment.
  • Working knowledge of the NRO organization, major acquisition processes, and satellite systems.

Target salary range: $200,001 - $240,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

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