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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Director, Systems Engineering, Integration & Test (SEIT) - **Company:** Trident Systems Inc - **Location:** Fairfax, VA, United States - **Salary:** $155,000.0 - $280,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Agile Methodology, Systems Engineering, Cyber Security, Hardware Design, Scrum Methodology, Software Requirements Analysis, Verification and Validation (Software), Systems Architecture, Systems Integration, Performance Testing - **Published:** July 23, 2026 - **Apply:** https://diversityjobs.com/main/sendform/8/8/28176/1/17685708?backUrl=%2Fcareer%2F17685708%2FDirector-Systems-Engineering-Integration-Test-Seit-Virginia-Fairfax ## About the Role * Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field (or equivalent experience). * 15+ years of experience in systems integration and test, with direct, hands-on experience delivering and qualifying flight hardware for space or similarly rigorous programs (e.g., defense, aviation). * Demonstrated experience taking hardware through full qualification campaigns (environmental, functional, performance testing) including worst case analysis. * Working knowledge of integration and test standards and practices for space hardware (e.g., NASA GEVS, NASA-STD, SMC-S-016, or equivalent internal standards). * Proven ability to work as direct, hands-on labor - this role is not purely managerial. * Prior people-leadership experience standing up or significantly building out a new team, process, or organizational capability from limited existing infrastructure. * Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills for hardware/test anomalies. * Excellent cross-functional communication skills, with experience interfacing across engineering, program management, quality, and manufacturing., * Masters' or doctoral degree in Mechanical, Electrical, System Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience). * Experience with Agile hardware development methodologies (e.g., Scrum/Kanban adapted for hardware, rapid iteration/build-test-fix cycles). * Prior experience establishing or operating within a Control Account Management (CAM) / Earned Value Management (EVM) framework. * Experience in a low-to-mid rate production environment (as opposed to single-unit/prototype only). * Familiarity with MBSE tools and digital engineering environments. Pay Information Full-Time Salary Range: $155,000 - $280,000 Please Note: Actual compensation offered will be determined based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, business considerations, and geographic location where applicable. ## Description We are seeking a Director of Systems Engineering, Integration & Test (SEIT) to serve as the discipline lead for Systems Engineering across programs and products, spanning requirements definition and flow-down, architecture and interface management, verification and validation planning, and hardware integration, test, and qualification. This is a working leadership role: the majority of time will be spent as direct labor across the systems engineering lifecycle, with a strong emphasis on executing space hardware including design, driving qualification programs, and solving hardware issues. The role also includes building and leading a new Systems Engineering organization, standing up System Integration and Test (SI&T), Control Account Management (CAM), and Project Engineering (PE) capabilities from the ground up as well as leading the established Assembly Integration and Test (AI&T) organization., * Serve as the technical and organizational lead for Systems Engineering, with direct ownership of requirements definition and flow-down, system architecture, interface management, and verification and validation (V&V) planning across programs. * Stand up a new Systems Engineering organization, with SI&T as a foundational capability: define processes, verification/test procedures, workmanship standards, staffing plans, and tooling/facility requirements. * Establish and lead a Control Account Management (CAM) / Production Engineering (PE) function, integrating cost, schedule, and technical performance reporting into program execution. * Provide strategic leadership for rootcause and correctiveaction disciplines, ensuring organizational adherence to robust processes and driving comprehensive, longterm solutions to process escapes, test anomalies, and hardware failures. * Interface directly with Program Management, Design Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing to ensure test readiness and hardware qualification milestones are met. * Hire, mentor, and grow a team of SEIT engineers and technicians as the organization scales; key focus areas are space effects survivability, component engineering, cyber security, and aerospace worst case analysis. * Champion continuous improvement in system engineering, test infrastructure, tooling, and processes to improve throughput and quality. * Ability to support travel or off-site work, as needed. * Perform other duties as assigned. ## Related Videos - [Security Pitfalls for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/726-security-pitfalls-for-software-engineers) - [Thinking Differently - How to Make Money from Cyber Attacks & Cheats](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/745-thinking-differently-how-to-make-money-from-cyber-attacks-cheats) - [Quantum Computing - The tiny and the big challenges](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/934-quantum-computing-the-tiny-and-the-big-challenges) - [ShapeShift: Reinventing Agile for a B2B SaaS Scale-Up](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1655-shapeshift-reinventing-agile-for-a-b2b-saas-scale-up) - [Agile work at CARIAD – Creating a customer web application for controlling the vehicle ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/200-agile-work-at-cariad-creating-a-customer-web-application-for-controlling-the-vehicle) - [Trunk-Based Development at Scale: Real-World Insights from a High-Traffic Luxury E-Commerce Platform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1435-trunk-based-development-at-scale-real-world-insights-from-a-high-traffic-luxury-e-commerce-platform) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [How Much Does a Software Engineer Make? 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