Programs Director Jobs in Lanham, MD (NOW HIRING)

Description

Leidos is seeking a proven technical program management leader with deep experience leading large‑scale mission software development, full‑lifecycle modernization, and distributed engineering organizations. The ideal candidate has directed complex software programs, overseen multi‑discipline teams delivering secure, high‑performance capabilities, and demonstrated authoritative leadership across architecture, integration, DevOps, cyber, and cloud environments. Candidates must bring hands‑on credibility in software development and sustainment, not just program oversight, with a track record of delivering mission‑critical systems for the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.

This role requires meaningful technical credibility, disciplined program leadership, and demonstrated success running large‑scale, full‑lifecycle software development and sustainment programs exceeding $20M/year. Consider that Mission System Modernization is a continually challenging requirement that demands modernization of legacy mission systems into secure cloud, hybrid, or containerized architectures, ensuring resilience, scalability, and future ready capability delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Program Leadership of Large-Scale Program: Direct full‑lifecycle development, integration, deployment, and sustainment of mission software systems spanning analytics, cyber, geospatial, and enterprise data workflows.
• Mission‑Critical Delivery: Oversee development and sustainment of classified systems of systems supporting warfighter intelligence, operational planning, and strategic decision‑making using Agile Execution methodologies and strategies to implement and enforce enterprise Agile practices, Program Increment Planning, CI/CD pipelines, and rapid prototyping methodologies across distributed teams.
• Customer Engagement & Strategy: Serve as the autonomous senior interface to government sponsors, shaping technical direction, resolving issues, and driving mission‑aligned growth.
• Program Leadership: Develop and execute program with disciplined accountability of technical, schedule, and financial matters to maintain performance baselines and embolden customer confidence.
• Innovation & Prototyping: Drive rapid prototyping, IR&D initiatives, and technical fellowship‑level solutioning to accelerate mission capability insertion and expand program growth opportunities.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 15+ years of experience in software‑intensive program leadership; or Master’s degree with 12+ years; or equivalent experience.
• Active TS/SCI with ability to obtain a polygraph once hired.
• Demonstrated leadership of large, geographically distributed engineering organizations delivering mission software across classified and unclassified environments. Distribution must be at least two or more physically/geographically separated locations.  
• Proven success managing $20M+/year software development and sustainment portfolios.
• Deep experience with full‑stack software development, DevOps, CI/CD, cloud, cyber, and enterprise data systems.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills spanning technical, operational, and executive audiences.
• Experience supporting business development, technical solutioning, and major proposal efforts with hands on knowledge/development of BOEs, RFP/RFI response generation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with polygraph.
• Experience delivering mission‑critical classified systems for the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.
• Background in software architecture, cyber innovation, AI/ML integration, modeling/simulation, or enterprise modernization.
• Experience leading multi‑discipline teams of 100+ personnel across diverse technical domains.
• Demonstrated ability to recover troubled programs, re‑establish technical execution, and deliver under high‑visibility conditions.
• Experience driving IR&D, rapid prototyping, and technical innovation pipelines aligned to mission needs.

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 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.