DIEM Chief Engineer
Leidos
Remote
Posted on May 8, 2026
The DoD Enterprise IT Modernization (DEIM) Division delivers end-to-end enterprise IT services to architect, modernize, operate, and cyber-secure mission-critical environments for Defense Agencies and Field Activities. Leidos is seeking a DIEM Chief Engineer to serve as the senior technical leader for the Division. This role functions as both the enterprise engineering authority and Division CTO, with accountability for technical execution, innovation, and growth across a complex, multi-program portfolio supporting Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities (DAFAs).
This position requires deliberate balance across two distinct but integrated responsibilities:
Chief Engineer (Program Execution Focus): Ensuring engineering excellence, program performance, innovation and technical rigor across the Division CTO (Growth Focus): Driving innovation, shaping technical strategy, and leading solutioning for new business opportunities
The Chief Engineer is accountable for aligning engineering execution with Division strategy, ensuring programs deliver against cost, schedule, and technical objectives while advancing enterprise IT modernization, cloud adoption, and cybersecurity (including Zero Trust Architecture).
This role also serves as a people leader, guiding a team of Solution Architects. Success in this role requires a leader who operates effectively at the enterprise and executive level, drives accountability across distributed teams, and brings credibility in both internal execution and external customer engagement.
Primary Responsibilities & Measures of Success
Own Engineering Performance Across the Division (Chief Engineer Role):
Provide executive-level oversight of engineering execution across all programs, ensuring alignment with Division priorities and accountability for results.
Measure of Success: Programs consistently deliver on cost, schedule, and technical commitments, with improved delivery predictability, reduced risk, and increased customer satisfaction. Programs trending yellow/red are proactively identified, owned, and corrected before impacting mission outcomes.
Lead and Develop Solution Architecture Capability (People Leadership):
Serve as the functional leader for a team of Solution Architects, setting direction, developing talent, and ensuring alignment with Division strategy and program needs.
Measure of Success: Solution Architects deliver consistent, high-quality technical solutions across programs and captures, demonstrate increased capability and influence, and are effectively aligned to both execution and growth priorities.
Establish Engineering Governance and Technical Discipline:
Drive standardized engineering processes, architecture alignment, and lifecycle rigor across the Division.
Measure of Success: Engineering standards are consistently applied, resulting in reduced rework, improved integration, and measurable gains in delivery efficiency and quality.
Drive Digital Transformation and Technology Integration:
Lead the infusion of emerging technologies (cloud, automation, DevSecOps, AI/ML where applicable) into mission environments.
Measure of Success: Transformation initiatives deliver measurable improvements in operational efficiency, scalability, and mission performance, with clear return on investment.
Own Technical Strategy for Growth and Capture (CTO Role):
Lead technical solutioning for growth, including RFIs, proposals, and capture strategies, ensuring alignment with Division priorities and customer needs.
Measure of Success: Increased win rates, differentiated technical solutions, and successful closure of capability gaps aligned to Division strategy.
Engage Customers and Strengthen Strategic Relationships:
Serve as a senior technical representative to government customers and partners, building trust and influencing direction.
Measure of Success: Strengthened customer relationships, increased confidence in technical leadership, and expanded opportunities through trusted engagement.
Drive Integration Across Programs and Capabilities:
Ensure seamless coordination across engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and modernization efforts across the Division.
Measure of Success: Elimination of execution seams, improved cross-program coordination, and efficient delivery of integrated capabilities.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a technical leader who combines deep engineering expertise with strategic vision and business acumen. They operate comfortably at the executive level, lead through influence, and are accountable for both delivery and growth outcomes.
They are:
Technically credible and comfortable being challenged
Decisive, accountable, and mission-focused
Skilled at leading in complex, distributed, and high-visibility environments
Effective at balancing execution rigor with forward-looking innovation
Trusted by both internal teams and external stakeholders
Basic Qualifications
Masters with 15 – 20 years of prior relevant experience or Doctorate with 13 – 16 years of prior relevant experience.
Active DoD Secret clearance
Willingness to travel up to 25%
Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting Defense Agencies / 4th Estate environments
Experience with large-scale enterprise IT environments (millions of users, large endpoint populations)
Familiarity with DevSecOps, AI/ML integration, HPC, and large-scale migration efforts
Demonstrated leadership experience across large, complex, multi-program environments
Deep expertise in enterprise IT modernization, cloud architecture, and cybersecurity (including Zero Trust)
Experience leading and developing technical leaders and distributed teams
Strong executive communication and stakeholder engagement skills
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.
Original Posting:
May 7, 2026For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
Pay Range:
Pay Range $154,050.00 - $278,475.00The 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.