Systems Engineer, Senior
American Systems
McLean, VA · Posted October 20, 2026
Just laid off? Start here: a plan for the first weeks
See every open role at American Systems
More in Virginia job market · Systems Engineer jobs in Virginia (61) · All Systems Engineer jobs (421) · Aerospace & Defense · Engineering jobs
More roles at American Systems
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester Mid · Colorado Springs, CO
- Systems Administrator Systems II · Folsom, CA
- Mechanical Designer/Drafter II - SolidWorks · Norwich, CT
- Software Engineer/Developer · Middletown, RI
- Senior Software Engineer · Clarksburg, WV
- IAMD Senior Capability Analyst (Navy) · Arlington, VA
Similar jobs
- Cloud Architect · Parsons · Reston, VA
- Machine Learning Engineer (TS/SCI) · Vantor (Maxar Intelligence) · Herndon, VA
- CANES Platform Engineer · Scientific Research · Norfolk, VA
- Solutions Architect · CACI · Reston, VA
- Senior Specialist, Systems Engineer - Flight Safety Test Coordinator · L3Harris · Springfield, VA
- Enterprise Systems Engineer - Force Design Integration · Aero Energy · Crystal City, VA
Where McLean, VA ranks
Where McLean, VA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Mid-Atlantic79 / 100 · of 37
- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Southeast78 / 100 · of 33
- #1Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Southeast91 / 100 · of 33
- #2Best cities for AI-skill jobs in the Southeast17% · of 87
- #2Best all-round cities for AI careers in the Mid-Atlantic89 / 100 · of 37
- #3Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Southeast10% · of 77
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing does not state pay. Across 41 open systems engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $116,000 to $171,500 and the median is $150,000.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among computer occupations, all other, AI is already used for a large share of the tasks. Measured exposure for computer occupations, all other: 31% (high).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
About the job
Overview
AMERICAN SYSTEMS is an employee-owned federal government contractor supporting national priority programs through our strategic solutions in the areas of Information Technology, Engineering & Analysis, Test & Evaluation, and Training.
Responsibilities
As a Lead Systems Engineer with AMERICAN SYSTEMS you will have the opportunity to do the following:
Lead a team of talented, and experienced engineers on new and ongoing projects
Engage in hands-on technical work alongside the engineering team
Perform direct technical troubleshooting and problem resolution in systems and infrastructure
Coordinate with government engineers teams to ensure continuous operations
Ensure continuous integration and deployment of projects updates
Oversee day-to-day operations supporting the customer's acquisition support mission
Manage personnel development and complete performance appraisals of AMERICAN SYSTEMS employees
Qualifications
Active Secret Clearance
Bachelor's Degree and 5+ years of experience OR PhD and 2+ years of experience
Technical experience supporting Information Assurance/Cybersecurity
Leadership experience
Demonstrated experience communicating with senior level customers
Strong working knowledge of virtual computing including VMware
Strong understanding of Test Plans and Development Plans
Pay Transparency Statement AMERICAN SYSTEMS is committed to pay transparency for our applicants and employee-owners. The salary range for this position is USD $120,000.00/Yr. - USD $130,000/Yr. Actual compensation will be determined based on several factors permitted by law. AMERICAN SYSTEMS provides for the welfare of its employees and their dependents through a comprehensive benefits program by offering healthcare benefits, paid leave, retirement plans, insurance programs, and education and training assistance.
EEO Statement EEO Race/Sex/Disability Status/Veteran Status