Systems Engineer Expert Level (TS/SCI w/poly required to start)
Integrity Technology Consultants, Inc. · Springfield, VA
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Jul 6, 2026
Springfield, VA
Jul 21, 2026
What this job asks for AI summary
An expert-level systems engineering role supporting space-based Geospatial Intelligence programs within Controlled Access and Special Access Programs for the DoD/Intelligence Community. Day-to-day work spans requirements engineering, systems integration, test and evaluation, R&D, and sustainment of classified space capabilities. Suited to a deeply experienced engineer with a background in space systems, secure architectures, and orbital or threat analysis, holding a TS/SCI clearance with CI polygraph.
Senior level · 10+ years · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · Master's required · TS/SCI clearance
Advertised as Principal, but the requirements read as Senior.
“or” means any one of them counts — you don't need all of them.
We read this from the posting text with AI. Skim the description below before ruling yourself out.
Why we read it this way (10)
The role is titled 'Expert-Level Systems Engineer,' which maps to Principal in advertised framing; however, the actual scope — deep technical individual contributor work within a classified program — is consistent with a Senior band. The 'Expert-Level' label is a company-internal designation rather than a standard career-ladder Principal role with org-wide authority.
The degree requirement has two paths: Master's in Engineering with 18 years of experience, OR PhD in Engineering with 10 years. The minimum degree is set to Master's (the lower threshold), and the overall years minimum is set to 10 (the lower of the two experience floors, paired with the PhD path). Candidates with a Master's must have 18 years.
The CI Polygraph is explicitly required as part of the TS/SCI clearance gate ('TS/SCI with CI Polygraph') and is captured in the clearance field as TopSecretSci; it is also listed as a skill for visibility since the polygraph is a distinct, hard gate beyond a standard TS/SCI.
SOSI, BMC3, and orbital analysis are listed together as examples of 'space related activities' experience; they are treated as interchangeable alternatives under one skill node rather than separate hard gates.
IPS (Integrated Protection Strategy) and SSA application integration are listed as a paired alternative in the requirements; one skill node captures both.
NRO/SAO and AF SPO are listed together as a single experience requirement and are captured as alternatives.
The position is 100% onsite in Springfield, VA (within the Washington DC metro CBSA). Remote or hybrid work is explicitly unavailable.
Candidates must be willing to sign additional NDAs and provide proof of OCI status — these are program access requirements that cannot be represented in structured fields.
Ignored 3 non-technology phrase(s) as skills (responsibilities/concepts, not named tools): TS/SCI with CI Polygraph, Integrated Protection Strategy, space weather physics models.
Requires a TS/SCI clearance — the cleared population is a small fraction of this occupation, so the real candidate pool is materially smaller than the estimate below, which does not model clearance.
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