Payload Integration Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

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Leidos' Defense Systems, Small Airborne Effectors Division, within the Leidos Kinetic Effects Business Area, is seeking a talented Systems Integration & Avionics Engineer to work at our Huntsville, AL campus!

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The Mission

The Small Airborne Effectors Division within the Kinetic Effects Business Area is a team of more than 200 professionals responsible for developing, testing, and producing small airborne missiles, UAS, and payload effectors for a diverse set of customers including the US Special Operations Forces, US Air Force, and US Army.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Systems Integration & Avionics Engineer to support a broad range of maintenance, integration, inspection, and troubleshooting activities for small airborne missiles, UAS, and payload effectors including avionics, instrument systems, and related airborne electronics. This role offers hands-on, varied work across avionics, integration, maintenance, mission support, and field operations in a prototype environment. Successful prototype programs often transition to production programs where the Systems Integration Engineer has a key role in developing production transition strategy, tooling setup, and assembly work instructions. Once production units are fielded, the Systems Integration Engineer also has opportunities for end-user technical support, sustainment, and training.

The ideal candidate will apply strong theoretical and practical knowledge to influence design and integration decisions based on experience to ensure mission-ready, safe, and compliant operations. This position is a core role within a multi-disciplinary rapid prototype design team.

In addition to technical, maintenance, and integration duties, the candidate may also be required to perform crew functions such as serving as a crew chief, conducting launcher maintenance and operations, and supporting prototype evaluations as mission needs evolve.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and integrate new solutions as part of multi-disciplinary prototype design team
• Integrate avionics, sensors, or control systems into UAS platforms; perform installation, wiring, mounting, alignment, configuration, documentation, and functional checks.
• Perform inspections, servicing, maintenance, and calibration of avionics/instrument systems (navigation, communications, flight-control electronics, sensors, data links, power systems, etc.).
• Troubleshoot and diagnose discrepancies, faults, and system anomalies using technical manuals, schematics, and test equipment.
• Perform system and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) maintenance, operation, setup, teardown, and inspection, ensuring safe and reliable launch capabilities.
• Conduct post-integration testing, system-level functional checks, and flight-line acceptance checks to validate system performance and airworthiness.
• Transition prototypes to production environments and support post fielding sustainment, technical support, and training.
• Maintain detailed maintenance, inspection, and repair records, track anomalies and repair history.
• Assist in or lead on-the-job training (OJT) for junior engineers, technicians or end-user personnel.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety regulations, technical orders, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and record-keeping standards.
• Support mission readiness by responding to unscheduled maintenance or troubleshooting events, including field support or deployment travel if needed.

Basic Qualifications (Required)

• High school diploma or GED and 8 years of experience; Associate's degree and 6 years, or Bachelor's degree and 4 years of related experience. Higher degree in electrical engineering, avionics, aerospace technology, electronics, or related field preferred.
• Relevant experience in avionics/instrumentation maintenance, repair, and integration; ideally on uncrewed or crewed aircraft (e.g. 5+ years Group2/3 UAS experience or small missile systems).
• Demonstrated integration experience and proficiency with avionics/instrument systems: installation, troubleshooting, repair, calibration, documentation, and testing.
• Ability to read and interpret wiring diagrams, schematics, technical manuals, and installation drawings.
• Experience with UAS or missile launcher systems, including maintenance, operation, assembly, or troubleshooting.
• Proficiency with hand tools, power tools, electronic test equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators, etc.), and diagnostic instrumentation.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Must be a US Citizen and be eligible to obtain a Secret Clearance.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Willingness to travel and/or deploy as required for field support.
• Flexibility to work irregular schedules if mission or flight operations demand.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior design, integration, and maintenance experience on uncrewed aircraft systems (Group 2/3) or small missile systems.
• Familiarity with datalink, sensor, navigation, or autopilot systems typical of UAS and airborne effector platforms, including ArduPilot and PX4.
• Electronic, avionics or instrument system certifications or equivalent (e.g., FAA A&P with avionics endorsement, manufacturer-specific avionics certification, or relevant training).
• Experience creating preliminary design schematics using Mechanical and Electrical CAD programs (Solidworks, Altium, Visio, DrawIO, etc.).
• Experience mentoring and training junior engineers, technicians, end-users.

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.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand 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.