Systems Development Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Systems Development Engineer jobs in District of Columbia are concentrated in one of the most active technology and defense markets in the country, with demand spread across federal contracting, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure. Most openings cluster in Washington D.C. proper, with additional activity in nearby Northern Virginia corridors, and employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and Amazon Web Services maintain a consistent, substantial presence here. The most in-demand specializations are cloud infrastructure automation, DevSecOps pipeline development, and CI/CD systems engineering. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Job ID: 2619018
Location: Washington, DC, US
Date Posted: 2026-11-12
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Systems Engineer
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 25% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: Secret
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_HYBRID
Description
SAIC supports the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW R&E) in ensuring the defense acquisition community has the research and engineering capabilities required to define, develop, test, operate, and sustain defense systems across the acquisition life cycle. OUSW R&E develops and implements policy, builds workforce capability and capacity, and provides technical engagement with DoW Components, industry, and academia to shape the future of research and engineering.
SAIC is seeking a motivated, mid-career System Safety Engineer (SSE) to support Specialty Engineering initiatives under the guidance of senior engineers. This role supports the Director for Specialty Engineering within OUSW R&E and is intended for candidates with foundational System Safety Engineering experience in a defense environment. A successful candidate will work as part of a team analyzing defense systems to identify hazards, categorize risk, and recommend mitigation to reduce the probability/severity of a mishap resulting in injury to personnel, equipment damage, and/or damage to the environment. Candidates with experience supporting Joint Services Weapon Safety Review Boards are highly preferred. Candidates will use their expertise to develop and update DoW safety documentation (e.g., System Safety Management Plan), policies & guidance (e.g., Machine Learning System Safety Engineering Guide), and training material.
Specialty Engineering Support
- Assist with SSE reviews, updates, and configuration control activities
- Apply SSE best practices in support of DoW Specialty Engineering initiatives
- Support implementation of SSE best practices through development of SSE artifacts and supporting documentation
- Assist senior engineers in documenting System Safety Engineering processes, workflows, and lessons learned
- Help prepare materials that support System Safety Engineering adoption, including briefings and examples
- Participate in SSE Communities of Practice and Working Groups
- Support preparation of technical inputs to data calls, briefings, articles, and reports for government stakeholders
- Work with multidisciplinary teams to communicate technical concepts using models and visualizations
- Assist senior staff in coordinating across government and contractor teams as needed
Qualifications
Bachelor's and nine years or more experience; Master's and seven years or more experience; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience.
- U.S. citizenship
- Active SECRET clearance
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline
- 10 years of experience in systems safety engineering
- Demonstrated experience using SSE methodologies and tools
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- Clear written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences
- Current, active Secret clearance required
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with senior leadership in high-pressure environments, presenting analytical results and actionable recommendations
- Exposure to advanced Systems Safety Engineering concepts, practices, or coursework such as SSE issues with use of AI/ML within weapons systems
- Experience supporting DoW working groups, technical interchange meetings, or program reviews
Target salary range: $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.
Job ID: 2619018
Location: Washington, DC, US
Date Posted: 2026-11-12
Category: Engineering and Sciences
Subcategory: Systems Engineer
Schedule: Full-Time
Shift: Day Job
Travel: Yes - 25% of the time
Minimum Clearance Required: Secret
Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None
Potential for Remote Work: ORA_HYBRID
Description
SAIC supports the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW R&E) in ensuring the defense acquisition community has the research and engineering capabilities required to define, develop, test, operate, and sustain defense systems across the acquisition life cycle. OUSW R&E develops and implements policy, builds workforce capability and capacity, and provides technical engagement with DoW Components, industry, and academia to shape the future of research and engineering.
SAIC is seeking a motivated, mid-career System Safety Engineer (SSE) to support Specialty Engineering initiatives under the guidance of senior engineers. This role supports the Director for Specialty Engineering within OUSW R&E and is intended for candidates with foundational System Safety Engineering experience in a defense environment. A successful candidate will work as part of a team analyzing defense systems to identify hazards, categorize risk, and recommend mitigation to reduce the probability/severity of a mishap resulting in injury to personnel, equipment damage, and/or damage to the environment. Candidates with experience supporting Joint Services Weapon Safety Review Boards are highly preferred. Candidates will use their expertise to develop and update DoW safety documentation (e.g., System Safety Management Plan), policies & guidance (e.g., Machine Learning System Safety Engineering Guide), and training material.
Specialty Engineering Support
- Assist with SSE reviews, updates, and configuration control activities
- Apply SSE best practices in support of DoW Specialty Engineering initiatives
- Support implementation of SSE best practices through development of SSE artifacts and supporting documentation
- Assist senior engineers in documenting System Safety Engineering processes, workflows, and lessons learned
- Help prepare materials that support System Safety Engineering adoption, including briefings and examples
- Participate in SSE Communities of Practice and Working Groups
- Support preparation of technical inputs to data calls, briefings, articles, and reports for government stakeholders
- Work with multidisciplinary teams to communicate technical concepts using models and visualizations
- Assist senior staff in coordinating across government and contractor teams as needed
Qualifications
Bachelor's and nine years or more experience; Master's and seven years or more experience; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience.
- U.S. citizenship
- Active SECRET clearance
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related technical discipline
- 10 years of experience in systems safety engineering
- Demonstrated experience using SSE methodologies and tools
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- Clear written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences
- Current, active Secret clearance required
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with senior leadership in high-pressure environments, presenting analytical results and actionable recommendations
- Exposure to advanced Systems Safety Engineering concepts, practices, or coursework such as SSE issues with use of AI/ML within weapons systems
- Experience supporting DoW working groups, technical interchange meetings, or program reviews
Target salary range: $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.
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Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Systems Development Engineer Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
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- Aerospace & Defense
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in systems development engineer jobs across District of Columbia.
- Active TS/SCI security clearance or eligibility required for federal contracting roles
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
- Proficiency in infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation
- Hands-on experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform environments
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems, and DevSecOps practices
- Experience with Linux systems administration and scripting in Python or Bash
Systems Development Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a systems development engineer in District of Columbia?
A bachelor's degree in computer science, systems engineering, or a related technical field is the standard entry point, and no District of Columbia state license is required for the role itself. However, the D.C. market is dominated by federal contracting, so obtaining a security clearance through sponsorship is a practical necessity for most positions. Certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect, CompTIA Security+, or Red Hat are widely recognized by D.C.-area employers as proof of technical readiness.
How much do systems development engineers make in District of Columbia?
Systems development engineers in District of Columbia earn a median of about $136,880 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $85,140 for the lowest 10% to over $197,000 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire systems development engineers in District of Columbia?
Employers hiring systems development engineers in District of Columbia right now include MTSI, SAIC, and Anduril, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The District of Columbia market skews heavily toward large federal contractors and technology firms with government agency relationships, so many openings are tied to multi-year government programs.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most systems development engineer jobs?
The cities with the most systems development engineer openings in District of Columbia are Washington, Washington Navy Yard, and Pentagon. Washington D.C. proper drives the largest share of demand because it is home to major federal agencies, defense contractors, and cloud infrastructure teams supporting government clients, while other areas in the region reflect the concentration of contractor offices and technology campuses near key agencies.
Are there remote systems development engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, and more than most technical fields, though federal contracting work often requires on-site or cleared facility access. About 67% of systems development engineer openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the desk-based nature of much of the work. Infrastructure automation, pipeline development, and cloud architecture roles tend to be the most remote-accessible positions in this market.
How can I get hired as a systems development engineer in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in the District of Columbia market is through a junior systems engineer or associate DevOps role at a mid-size federal contractor, where many firms run new-graduate intake programs tied to specific agency contracts. Employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Leidos regularly hire associate-level engineers into structured program cohorts. A CompTIA Security+ certification and demonstrated work with cloud platforms through personal or academic projects can substitute for formal experience, and candidates willing to pursue security clearance eligibility are at a significant advantage over those who are not.
Where can I find and apply to systems development engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to systems development engineer jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings in the area. Search the listings to find roles that match your background, clearance level, and preferred work arrangement, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 314+ Systems Development Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
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