Six Figure Work

Chief Engineer, DHS CUAS Systems

Parsons

Company websiteparsons.com (Parsons, opens in new tab)

Base salary $157,500  to $283,500

Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Centreville, VA

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  • LocationCentreville, VA
  • WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
  • Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
  • Last checked (9 min ago) · observed since

About this job

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what’s possible.

Job Description:

Job Description Summary
Help invent the next generation of Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS).  Oversee the design, development, and delivery of complex technical solutions including the management of multiple, multi-disciplined teams of engineers executing these efforts for government and commercial customers.  Provide technical direction and ensure the successful execution of projects from concept through deployment and sustainment.  Build partnerships with industry innovators to ensure our customers have access to the latest CUAS technologies.  You will be responsible for developing system architectures, managing requirements, and ensuring solutions meet performance, cost, and schedule objectives.  Design flexibility and adherence with open architecture standards will be key to ensure modularity, reusability, and to allow for evolution driven by evolving customer requirements.  Collaboration with cross-functional teams and stakeholders will be essential and solutions will need to be integrated into existing and future US Government ecosystems.

Candidates should have demonstrated strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of systems engineering principles, and extensive experience in managing large-scale technical projects. You will serve as the primary technical liaison, coordinating with government representatives as well as internal and external partners to ensure seamless integration and interoperability of systems. This position requires excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills, along with a proven ability to deliver innovative solutions in a fast-paced environment.


Specific Responsibilities

  • Interface with customer stakeholders to define system requirements, address technical challenges, and ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
  • Develop and manage system architectures, technical roadmaps, and design documentation to guide engineering efforts.
  • Oversee requirements development, traceability, and verification to ensure systems meet performance, safety, and compliance standards.
  • Serve as a resource for the businesses institutional knowledge and ensure the full team’s adherence to design best practices with a particular focus on open architecture, modular designs.
  • Serve as the technical authority and subject matter expert, providing guidance and mentorship on engineering best practices.  This includes a particular focus on driving open architecture, and modular designs.
  • Conduct technical reviews, including design reviews, trade studies, and risk assessments, to ensure robust and reliable solutions.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including program management, and functional organizations, to ensure smooth execution and delivery on commitments.
  • Ensure the smooth execution of systems integration and testing efforts, including troubleshooting and resolving complex technical issues.
  • Proactively identify and manage technical risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure project success.
  • Drive innovation by identifying and implementing advanced technologies and best practices to enhance system performance and efficiency.
  • Support the development and maintenance of technical budgets schedules, ensuring alignment with program milestones and deliverables.
  • Support proposal development as needed, including technical solutioning, cost estimation, and customer presentations.
  • Provide technical leadership in the development of system-level strategies, including lifecycle management and sustainment planning.
  • Represent the organization in technical discussions, reviews, and briefings with senior leadership and customers and other stakeholders.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the engineering team.
  • Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure the organization remains competitive and forward-looking.
  • Ensure compliance with cybersecurity and information assurance requirements for system design and implementation.

Qualifications

Required

  • Active secret or higher security clearance.
  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant Engineering or Science field with a degree or recent experience in Systems Engineering Leadership. Master's Degree preferred.
  • 15+ years of related professional experience, with at least 5+ years in a Systems Engineering leadership role.
  • Experience developing elegant technical solutions for complex requirements generated by US Government Customers.
  • Experience developing complex, electronic warfare, EOIR, Radar, situational awareness, command and control or similar systems.
  • Experience generating detailed estimates that reliably represented the necessary work coupled with an ability to execute development in an Agile environment.
  • Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where rapid results save lives.
  • Prior technical leadership experience.
  • Experience working in high visibility roles.

Desired

  • Experience with Counter-UAS or UAS programs.
  • Experience with programs/projects for DHS agencies.
  • Familiarity with Agile development practices.
  • Experience with all phases of the program life-cycle.

Security Clearance Requirement:

An active Secret security clearance is required for this position.​This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what’s next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.Salary Range: $157,500.00 - $283,500.00We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!

Parsons is aware of fraudulent recruitment practices. To learn more about recruitment fraud and how to report it, please refer to https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.

Source: Parsons on Workday · View original posting (opens in new tab)

This range next to 6 other live Parsons roles with the nearest advertised base floor
Chart as a table
This range next to 6 other live Parsons roles with the nearest advertised base floor
RolePublished base
Chief Engineer, DHS CUAS Systems (this listing)$157,500 - $283,500
AI Engineer$157,500 - $283,500
Project Manager/Program Director, Transportation Engineering$157,500 - $283,500
Sr Structural Engineer SME - Rail and Transit$157,500 - $283,500
Aviation Sr. Program Director$157,500 - $283,500
Director, Michigan Area Manager$157,500 - $283,500
Cyber Threat Operations & Intelligence Analyst$157,500 - $283,500

Same $100K to $400K scale as every card. All Parsons roles · How to read the bar

Observed changes

  1. First observed on the employer's board
  2. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-10-06
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: US - VA, Centreville

Salary Range: $157,500.00 - $283,500.00

Method
Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
Checked
Rule set
us-base-v2

The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.

What we verified

  • The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
  • The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
  • The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.

We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.